Like a challange? Have you thought about...

Gaining your IMC rating?

Having recently succeeded in gaining mine, I must confess, there were more than a few moments where I really thought I was not going to be able to cope, much less succeed.

Can you fly straight and level? Without varying your height by no more than + or - 50 feet? Without wandering off your heading by 5 degrees? Next time you fly, try it and see.

Could you accurately maintain a rate one turn for 180 degrees - while maintaining your height + or - 50 feet - while not looking out the window? Next time you are flying with another pilot, put on some foggles and try it.

Could you safely recover from unusual attitudes without looking out the window - and without an AH or DG. Next time you are up with your pilot friend and foggles, try it (gently).

Well, I couldn't.

Fifteen hours later...

Time for the test, which included NDB holds with cross-wind, VOR tracking, radar vectors to the ILS, recovery from unusual attitudes - without Artificial Horizon or Directional Gyro, Survailance Radar Approach (simulated but remarkably realistic), etc, etc, all while maintaining height within + or - 50 feet and headings within 5 degrees.

The test felt completely non-eventful, which is a testament to the quality of instruction received.

Realisation that, not only could I cope, but I could safely fly an aircraft within these tight constraints, was very rewarding. The other change is, I now look at the weather without feeling defeated. In all probability, I have the freedom and capability to fly four or five times more often than without my IMC rating.

Now that is what I call money well spent.

Is it really safe?

Well, since its inception, over 25,000 IMC ratings have been issued, 23,000 are still current. Only one fatality has occurred to an IMC holder in IMC conditions.

25,000 to 1.

Those are odds that I like, especially in UK airspace.

So if you fancy a challange and you like the idea of ending up with something useful, give the IMC a go.

spanners

P.S.
Who was the IMC instructor who made it work for me?

Andy Reay.