That basically makes sense, and I don't think I'd fly into IMC in this
AC without having done some instrument work with an instructor.

However, adding work that starts to feel IPCish to a checkout seems a
tad unfair. As it was, my RG checkout (also my first complex checkout)
took 7 hours with the chief pilot of my club, a very experienced and,
apparently, particular pilot. I was starting to think this was
excessive was getting ready to ask him just how much longer he thought
this would take when he signed me off. Maybe that time is normal, I
don't know. (I already had been flying the 182, so the only new system
was the gear.)

I do know that we did a lot of basic piloting stuff; a lot of takeoffs
and landings. He likes a good stall landing with the nose well in the
air; something I hadn't been doing.

As I mentioned, I'm working on my comm with this guy, so I think we'll
get around to doing some IFR stuff sooner or later, but his priority
was to get me in the air on my own so I could practice the commercial
maneuvers on my own between lessons.

-- dave j

As a CFI, if I were to checkout someone who holds an IR in an airplane, I
would ensure we get in some approaches and other IFR work.

Hilton