Thanks guys; combined, you give me good direction on getting back into
the air. After some google searching, I also found AC No. 61-10A which is a
rough guide and syllabus for Refresher Course training, but it's dated
9/27/72. However, it looks like it also points me in the right direction.
I'll be dropping by my local FBO this coming weekend to load up on all
the books and manuals mentioned as well as to chat with one of the flight
instructors and beg for mercy. It's funny because when I got my ticket 20
years ago in '84, all the instructors were older than me. Now, they're all
younger than me. I think I waited way too long to get back in the air.

CJ, I'm building the RV7-A Quickbuild kit. I've already got the QB fuse
and wings and am working on the empennage. One reason I need to get back to
flying soon is because I'm figuring out how to go with the instrument panel.
At the moment, I'm leaning heavily toward a glass panel (Dual Grand Rapids
EFIS's w/EIS) with the radios being the GNC 300XL GPS/Com and the SL-30
Nav/Com plus a 2-axis AP (TruTrak DGII) and then the rest of the usual
"stuff".
A panel like that is a lot different from most GA/SE aircraft today with
steam gauges and basic Nav/Coms so I am a little concerned about finding a
CFI that will not only instruct in my RV, but will also continue on with
instructing me to get my IFR ticket. My panel WILL be "certified" in that
all the nav equipment is certified for GA aircraft, but it's still an
Experimental aircraft and I don't know how you CFI's feel about that.

MJC


"C J Campbell" wrote in message
...

"MJC" wrote in message
...
Hi all,
I got my private VFR ticket back in the early 80's but haven't flown
since the late 80's. Well, I'm ready to jump back in with both feet and
an
RV QB kit.
I'm wondering what other's of you in the same position (returning to
flying after laying off for many years) have pursued as far as resources
on
how to not only get flying again, but to catch up on all the changes in
the
last 15+ years.
I intend to take a dozen or so hours of instruction before my
required
bi-annual to get legal again, but I don't want to waste the instructors
time
by making him go over lots of stuff I should already know.
Suggestions?

Sounds good. I would recommend a good BFR video refresher course or, if
you
prefer to read, the ASA guide to the biannual flight review. Get some
current charts for the local area and familiarize yourself with the
symbols
again. Sign up for DUATS and start reading weather reports. Get a current
version of the FAR/AIM.

The flying might take a dozen hours, or as few as five hours; I could
probably tell in the first hour or two just how rusty you are. It also
depends on how much instruction you want in advanced avionics.

Some instructors will not fly in a homebuilt airplane. Too bad for them.
Which RV are you looking at?