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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!mcnc!philabs!cmcl2!lanl!ths
From: ths@lanl.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: INSTRUMENT TRAINING ADVICE WANTED
Message-ID: <27045@lanl.ARPA>
Date: Mon, 10-Jun-85 11:38:02 EDT
Article-I.D.: lanl.27045
Posted: Mon Jun 10 11:38:02 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 15-Jun-85 06:55:57 EDT
References: <2626@tekig.UUCP>
Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
Lines: 55

> ()
> Effective June 7, 1985, the FAR's have changed to allow an instrument
> rating to be achieved with 125 hours of total time (it was 200 hours).
> flight into IFR conditions" is a major cause of accidents.
> 
> To join a local Pilot Proficiency Center - which has an ATC 810 simulator
> and King VCR courses available in the membership fee of $99 for 3 months.
> They have an IFR 152 for $28/hr., and charge $20/hr. for in-plane or
> simulator instruction.
> 
> To return to the school I used for my private, where they have an IFR
> 172 for $33/hr. (or $290 for 10 hours), and instruction costs $15/hr.
> 
> P.S.  How long should it take the FAA to send me my Private? (8 weeks
> and counting)
> 
Let's take the questions one-at-a-time.

I have not heard "officially" that the 200 hour requirement has been
reduced to 125.....I really hope your information is correct.  Where did
you get that info, our FISDO is not aware of any change.

Until we see the actual FAR I won't comment on the time requirements for
the training or pilot experience, since it may be different from the
current requirements.

It will take about 120 days to get your "permanent" license.

Now for the meat of the question .... where to pursue the training!
You can dump a lot of money down the old rat hole unless you find a
really competant CFII who knows how to use a simulator.

The Faa tells us that the instrument rating averages 70 to 80 hours of
flight training.  There is no valid reason for it taking so long.  MOST
pilots should be able to master the curriculum in 25 hours of simulator and
25 hours in the plane.  Forget about using a safety pilot, it is a rare
situation where you will need "just practice".  If you are really serious
go with PIC, you have undoubtibly seen their ads in any aviation magazine
(How I got my IFR in 10 days).

Finally, get a copy of the June issue of Plane & Pilot magazine, there is
an "outstanding" article by a superb writer on the "pros" of using a
simulator in IFR training (any similarity between that writer and me is
purely coincidental).

I have trained 14 IFR students in the past 5 years ( mostly in the C-172)
and none have have ever paid more than $2400 for the entire course
(including the plane!)

The IFR rating is the most useful, challenging and rewarding of them all,
good luck, and please let me and the net know what you decided and why....
then keep us appraised on your progress.

Ted Spitzmiller
CFII