On Tue, 21 Dec 2004 21:56:34 GMT, gregg wrote:

Are there any other things that could be done during a strictly VFR XC that
would help?


Get really good at being able to fly without any radio aids.

Picture yourself on a nice IFR flight where ceilings are about 2000
OVC and 3 to 5 miles in mist and haze. Great for a low time IFR
pilot. You're flying along in the soup "fat, dumb, and happy," when
you notice an electrical problem. Over the course of the next 10
minutes you lose everything. No navs, no comms, hand held GPS decides
to crap out too. You know the terrain below you is under 1000 MSL and
fairly flat so you chose to feel your way to the base of the clouds.
All of this takes place without anymore undue stress than you're
already under. Now, clear of clouds, you take out your sectional (you
do carry sectionals when flying IFR don't you?) and need to navigate
to a suitable landing facility. Completely stressed and under a low
deck, without any navigational aides, can you get to an airport 30
miles away and know where you are while doing it? Or is getting to
the destination harder than handling the emergency in the soup?

Having written the above example off the top of my head, there may be
some holes in it you could pick apart. My intent is that someday you
could be left with only your VFR skills and a map to bail you out of a
jam and you need those basic skills to be ingrained in you enough that
you can do them while under more stress than will ever be placed on
you in a training environment.

The regs call for added VFR cross country time for a reason. You need
to be extremely proficient in these skills. If the law makers wanted
to increase your instrument skills for this requirement, they would
have made the reg pertain to IFR cross countries, not VFR cross
countries.

Bottom line, I'd say do your cross countries with the radios off. Use
your finger and a map, and make some flights to hard to find grass
strips if possible. Your IFR training will do enough for you to
function well in the Instrument environment, its up to you to ensure
your other skills are up to snuff.

Sorry for the book.
z