wrote:
Hey all... just figured I'd share that I passed my IFR checkride a
week or so ago. If anything, actually passing made me more leery of going
out on own. Don't want hubris, but need to figure out what I can do.

Just as a side note, I got to use it a bit last weekend coming
back from Ohio. VFR at departure and destination, soupy for an hour
enroute over WV. Got to play with light ice at 9000'. I had an out
though, as the MEA was 5000' and there wasn't ice below 8500'. Good,
"relatively safe" learning experience, I think.

Perhaps it's just me, but hearing "passed my IFR checkride a week or so
ago", "Got to play with light ice...", and "safe learning experience" in the
same short post...

My advice:
1. You just got your certificate - be safe(r).
2. Don't play with ice - it kills.
3. That was not a safe learning experience. It was an experience, right
after getting your certificate, that tucked away a thought in your head that
"it is safe to fly in light ice", and the more of these types of experiences
you tuck away, the more slippery the icy slope becomes - so to speak.

You broke FARs, you were not operating within the limitations of your POH,
and this was not a safe learning experience. Don't think for a minute it
was anything other.

Just my view...

BTW: Congratulations on getting your Instrument Rating.

Hilton