IMC Revalidation I suppose it should be called an IR(R) revalidation – the new name for an IMC – but I still can’t quite get used to the term. My IMC rating (Instrument Meteorological Conditions) permits me to fly in cloud in UK airspace including conducting instrument approaches, but not fly in Airways or Class A airspace. This rating has been retained under the EASA scheme for those who already
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Passed the IMC Skills Test
After 6 months of training and having completed the full IMC syllabus twice (at different flying schools), I was getting to the stage where I just wanted to finish this off. Weather initially looked dubious The weather at home wasn’t good – dark clouds and impending rain. A quick look at the weather report for Oxford showed winds from the North – giving me some concern that the airport would
Continue readingIMC Training Day #16: Exam prep and ILS approach
The plan for today was to finish it all off. I’d booked a lesson with EB first, followed by a slot after lunchbreak with an examiner to conduct the IMC skills test. To say I was apprehensive at this stage would be putting it mildly. The weather forecast indicated winds of 15 gusting 25 from the south west – a crosswind for the normal runway which would be outside aircraft
Continue readingIMC Training Day #15: Practice Approach completion
The plan for today – instrument approach signoff My target today was to get signoff on an instrument approach. I’ve done quite a few of these, and have been lucky enough at Lyneham to have had the opportunity of PAR (Precision Approach Radar – a talkdown by ATC typically only available at military airfields) as well as SRA, NDB and ILS methods. The only type I haven’t done is GPS,
Continue readingSome solo IMC practice
…with a safety pilot of course! After Saturday’s full day landaway, today’s Bank Holiday Monday flight was intended to be a shorter local flight focussed on IMC practice. I didn’t want to have a full lesson with an instructor so instead had arranged to make a local flight with another club member (Dave). He would act as safety pilot on our flight from Kemble. Kemble was fairly busy – it
Continue readingIMC Training Day #14: More holds and practice approach
After a summer holiday break, it was back for more IMC training at Oxford. After an early (6:30am) start, I had two separate slots booked for 9 and 1:30. I had a few problems with the car in the morning (faulty suspension meant I had to swap to our other vehicle) so despite originally setting off in good time was a few minutes late getting there. As it happened, the 10:30 slot
Continue readingIMC Training Day #13: Unlucky for some
The plan for an NDB approach Today the plan was to do an NDB approach. When sitting the IMC skills test, you can either do 2 different approaches in the exam itself, or have one previously signed off by an instructor. Although I had done a number of approaches at Lyneham, none had formally been signed off in this way. This would also be my first approach at Oxford, so
Continue readingIMC Training Day #12: More Revision
Another IMC training day in Oxford Following on from an earlier session at Pilot Flight Training in Oxford, I spent all day there and had a couple of training flights to continue brushing up my IMC skills and prepare for a retest. It was fairly clear that my instructor wanted to go through the syllabus and ensure I was up to scratch on everything. Today, we’d cover holds in the
Continue readingIMC Training Day #11: Back to basics
Another new flying school With weekend flying no longer available from Lyneham and more IMC training required, I chose Pilot Flight Training at Oxford to bring me up to scratch. With comprehensive instrument approach facilities, training school with PA28s (which I’m used to) and reasonable prices, this seemed a good choice. The downside being a 90 minute car trip each way. It wasn’t an easy decision and I serious considered
Continue readingIMC Tracking and ILS
Rush, Rush, Rush This evening’s flight was a bit of a rush. I managed to leave work on time and got to the club shortly after 6pm, to find Roger was in the air with his previous student and looked to be running a little late. I took the time to check the wind, note down the ATIS and calculate headings with the whizz wheel in preparation for ADF tracking and an
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