wrote:
: I am getting ready to start of Instrument training. I plan on training
: during the day on the weekends and 1 or 2 nights during the week.

: What are your thoughts on instrument training at night? Personally I
: don't fly at night and have only for what was required for my PPSEL.
: However my goal is to go on to my Commerical and CFI after the
: Instrument.

: I know I will have to get proficient at night flying to teach the
: PPSEL, but not while IFR.

: So, I guess my question comes down to added risk. How much additional
: risk am I taking by doing some of my Instrument at night?

I won't reiterate what others have said regarding night flying and instrument
instructor proficiency. When I got my rating, I was adament about getting some actual
IMC time. I waited for "good bad weather" to do my cross-country training flights
for my instrument training. Something like 800-1000' overcast, stable stratus, no
icing or CB's, and good vis below.

As far as instrument training at night, there are good things and bad things.
The only real bad thing is it may be more difficult to read charts and such over dim
and/or colored cockpit lighting. If you're still still learning the intricacies of
reading IFR charts and plates, that can add a bit of congestion to your already
overloaded head.

On the plus side, lots of the subtle visual cues that you get while wearing
foggles aren't there. The small peripheral vision leaks out the side of the foggles,
the sun changing angles on the instrument panels, etc.... those are pretty much gone
at night. You'll have a more realistic environment to train for true "lack of outside
references."

-Cory

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* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
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