Staying current/proficient

On Jan 31, 7:01 pm, Ray Andraka wrote:
Kevin Clarke wrote:
Hi All,

Open question to folks, what strategies do you use to stay current or
better yet, proficient?

Check ride is right around the corner. I got signed off for the ride
today. So the currency question is in the back of my mind now. Most of
my flying is x-ctry (2/month) with some local scenic flights.

thanks,
KC

Several things:
1) file and fly in the system every time you go cross country, even if
the weather is severe clear VMC. Staying in the system keeps you
practiced with the procedures and keeps you sharp on maintaining
altitude and heading, as well as with the radios.

Great advice. Filing IFR in even under VMC will pay off. Not only does
it polish up your ATC skills, it will also simplifly your navigation
through busy complex airspaces. Example: every time I go to Detroit, I
get "cleared as filed" but I know from experience that Toledo always
amends my clearance as I get closer. Having done it plenty of times
under VFR, it was really not a big under IMC. That is not the type of
thing you want to handle on your first time in IMC in a busy airspace.



2) Always fly the instrument approach when you arrive at your
destination, regardless of the weather (since you're IFR, your request
for an instrument approach into your destination can't be turned down as
long as it is for the approach officially in use). Just don't bury your
head in the cockpit. I find it is actually harder to fly a good
approach in VMC than in IMC because of the division of your attention
between the panel and outside. By flying the approach, you stay sharp
on all aspects of doing an approach except actually being in IMC. You
also develop a better feel for where you are relative to the ground and
the airport this way.

Again, good advice, but don't assume ATC will automatically issue you
an instrument approach because you are IFR. If it is VMC, they will
assume you want a visual approach unless you ask for it.



3) Fly with an instructor and do an IPC every 6 months. Having an extra
set of eyes evaluate your performance gives you an opportunity to
correct bad habits before they become ingrained. It also shows the
insurance company that you are committed to doing regular recurrent
training, which may give you a break on your insurance, plus you'll get
an opportunity to practice stuff that doesn't come up in day to day
flying like holds, unusual attitudes and partial panel (all of which are
required parts of an IPC). If you are already reasonably proficient
(and you will be if you follow all 3 of these recommendations and fly
reasonably frequently), the IPC should take no more than an 2 hours of
instruction time...just enough time to do a few approaches, a hold and
unusual attitude.

Good advice again, but I am not sure how the insurance company finds
out about your IPC. I was never asked about IPC, just whether I am
current or not.

Ask your insurance agent about discounts for regular
recurrent training [not just an IPC] at a school such as
caters to corporate operators. They can and do offer
discounts for regular training.



"Andrew Sarangan" wrote in message
ups.com...
| On Jan 31, 7:01 pm, Ray Andraka wrote:
| Kevin Clarke wrote:
| Hi All,
|
| Open question to folks, what strategies do you use to
stay current or
| better yet, proficient?
|
| Check ride is right around the corner. I got signed
off for the ride
| today. So the currency question is in the back of my
mind now. Most of
| my flying is x-ctry (2/month) with some local scenic
flights.
|
| thanks,
| KC
|
| Several things:
| 1) file and fly in the system every time you go cross
country, even if
| the weather is severe clear VMC. Staying in the system
keeps you
| practiced with the procedures and keeps you sharp on
maintaining
| altitude and heading, as well as with the radios.
|
| Great advice. Filing IFR in even under VMC will pay off.
Not only does
| it polish up your ATC skills, it will also simplifly your
navigation
| through busy complex airspaces. Example: every time I go
to Detroit, I
| get "cleared as filed" but I know from experience that
Toledo always
| amends my clearance as I get closer. Having done it plenty
of times
| under VFR, it was really not a big under IMC. That is not
the type of
| thing you want to handle on your first time in IMC in a
busy airspace.
|
|
|
| 2) Always fly the instrument approach when you arrive at
your
| destination, regardless of the weather (since you're
IFR, your request
| for an instrument approach into your destination can't
be turned down as
| long as it is for the approach officially in use). Just
don't bury your
| head in the cockpit. I find it is actually harder to
fly a good
| approach in VMC than in IMC because of the division of
your attention
| between the panel and outside. By flying the approach,
you stay sharp
| on all aspects of doing an approach except actually
being in IMC. You
| also develop a better feel for where you are relative to
the ground and
| the airport this way.
|
| Again, good advice, but don't assume ATC will
automatically issue you
| an instrument approach because you are IFR. If it is VMC,
they will
| assume you want a visual approach unless you ask for it.
|
|
|
| 3) Fly with an instructor and do an IPC every 6 months.
Having an extra
| set of eyes evaluate your performance gives you an
opportunity to
| correct bad habits before they become ingrained. It
also shows the
| insurance company that you are committed to doing
regular recurrent
| training, which may give you a break on your insurance,
plus you'll get
| an opportunity to practice stuff that doesn't come up in
day to day
| flying like holds, unusual attitudes and partial panel
(all of which are
| required parts of an IPC). If you are already
reasonably proficient
| (and you will be if you follow all 3 of these
recommendations and fly
| reasonably frequently), the IPC should take no more than
an 2 hours of
| instruction time...just enough time to do a few
approaches, a hold and
| unusual attitude.
|
| Good advice again, but I am not sure how the insurance
company finds
| out about your IPC. I was never asked about IPC, just
whether I am
| current or not.
|
|

Or require it as a condition of the policy in certain types like the
PA46.

On Sun, 11 Feb 2007 14:28:55 -0600, "Jim Macklin"
wrote:

Ask your insurance agent about discounts for regular
recurrent training [not just an IPC] at a school such as
caters to corporate operators. They can and do offer
discounts for regular training.

2) Always fly the instrument approach when you arrive at your
destination, regardless of the weather (since you're IFR, your request
for an instrument approach into your destination can't be turned down as
long as it is for the approach officially in use). Just don't bury your
head in the cockpit. I find it is actually harder to fly a good
approach in VMC than in IMC because of the division of your attention
between the panel and outside. By flying the approach, you stay sharp
on all aspects of doing an approach except actually being in IMC. You
also develop a better feel for where you are relative to the ground and
the airport this way.


Again, good advice, but don't assume ATC will automatically issue you
an instrument approach because you are IFR. If it is VMC, they will
assume you want a visual approach unless you ask for it.

Correct, you will often have to ask for it. They can't turn you down
for an instrument approach (but they might put you in a hold or on
vectors to scorched scrotum and back if it disrupts their plans)




3) Fly with an instructor and do an IPC every 6 months. Having an extra
set of eyes evaluate your performance gives you an opportunity to
correct bad habits before they become ingrained. It also shows the
insurance company that you are committed to doing regular recurrent
training, which may give you a break on your insurance, plus you'll get
an opportunity to practice stuff that doesn't come up in day to day
flying like holds, unusual attitudes and partial panel (all of which are
required parts of an IPC). If you are already reasonably proficient
(and you will be if you follow all 3 of these recommendations and fly
reasonably frequently), the IPC should take no more than an 2 hours of
instruction time...just enough time to do a few approaches, a hold and
unusual attitude.


Good advice again, but I am not sure how the insurance company finds
out about your IPC. I was never asked about IPC, just whether I am
current or not.


That's easy, I tell them. One time, the insurance company had asked me
aobut recurrent training and I sent a list of all the instructional
flights I had done. They responded with a request to send along any
additional recurrent training as I did it.