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**Bertie the Bunyip[_25_]** · February 22nd 08, 07:10 AM posted to rec.aviation.piloting,rec.aviation.student

Michael wrote in news:01dbf2da-65ef-
:

On Feb 17, 9:13*pm, Bertie the Bunyip wrote:
Anyhow, flying instruments has, for instance, one aspect that makes
it
very different and that is; you are constantly fighting a number of
signals coming from your body. I'm sure you've heard about spatial
disorientation arising from when the signal from your inner ear
conflicts with the info coming from your eyes. This never really
entirely goes away no matter how much intsrument flying you do. ( at
least it hasn't for me)

There are two kinds of pilots in this regard.

There are those who fly by feel naturally, solo relatively quickly
(even in a taildragger), and never quite get rid of the discomfort
caused by 'seat-of'the-pants' signals in instrument conditions.
They're the ones who need to be really careful about staying
instrument current because for them it's a perishable skill.

There are also those who have a hard time with coordination and with
the flare, take a long time to solo because of it, and find instrument
flying easy because feel doesn't matter anymore. Someone like that
could probably learn to fly takeoff to touchdown without looking
outside ab initio, as long as he ahd a good RADAR altimeter and GPS.
This is the same person who doesn't need to worry about losing his
instrument proficiency because he found getting the instrument rating
to be a cakewalk in the first place.

Of course those are the extremes - the reality is a continuum - but
you get the idea. As we have more and more people growing up in front
of computers, I think we're going to see the pilot population shifting
towards the second. In fact, I think over 100% of the reduction in
VFR-into-IMC accidents seen in the past few years can be attributed to
this trend (since without it things would have gotten worse).

Eventually, we're going to see student pilots who have an easier time
learning to do an ILS than a simple visual pattern. I think this is
already starting.

Well, the former pilot will always be better at the end of the day no
matter what type of flying is being done. The discomfort that comes from
flying insturments for the seat of the pants pilot is a good thing if
it's kept in it's place.

Bertie