A disappointing IMC Skills Test

Quick Departure After yesterday’s technical troubles, today’s problems were entirely down to pilot error. Quickly rescheduling from yesterday, I rushed off after work to Lyneham and was sitting in the clubroom when Roger returned from his previous sortie. He’d also had a busy day. I booked us out with ATC, preflighted and started up – giving the engine enough time to warm up before power checks as well as tune

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Abandoned IMC Skills Test

A total electrical power failure I can now confirm that after a complete and total electrical failure, a light aircraft engine continues to operate and the most important instruments continue to work. Fortunately, this happened on the ground (just as we were about to line up) rather than in the air. There are procedures to deal with radio failure in flight, but without even the transponder working, it might not

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IMC Training Day #8

Finishing off the IMC course Today was hopefully to be the last IMC training flight. I needed a further 1 hour 40 minutes of dual instruction to complete the minimum 15 hours required. Of this 10 hours must be “under the hood”, which I’d already satisfied. I’d also passed the theory test in April. Wind blowing the wrong way The wind from the North East meant that runway 06 was

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IMC Training Day #7

After a three week gap, the availability of good weather, aircraft and instructor all aligned and I was again in the air with foggles to obscure the view. Practicing Scales With a view to improving my accuracy when on instruments, Ian had me alternately climbing and descending. Each time we reached FL30 we’d climb and then at FL40 we’d descend. At the same time, he asked me to turn (Rate

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IMC Training Day #6

Would the weather wash out the evening’s session? The rain was lashing down as I left to drive to Lyneham for this evenings IMC training sortie. Would the weather postpone today’s session? Fortunately not – the rain had stopped by the time I arrived, and the forecast was reasonably good. It did mean that Ian, my instructor, could discuss what kind of weather limits would apply to an IMC rated

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IMC Training Day #5

Another new IMC instructor In order to continue my IMC training, I’d had to arrange for different instructor to take over because neither Roger nor Mike were available. With 9 of the minimum 15 hours completed, I was keen to find a way to finish the course off before the flying club moved out of their Lyneham base in July. With other members also becoming more focussed because of the

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IMC Training Day #4

Another day’s holiday, nice warm weather and I’m off to the airfield for another couple of IMC sessions, again with Roger as instructor. NDB Holds On the ground, we talked through the NDB Hold. It’s not normally required during the exam, although if ATC require you to do one because they need you to stay out of the way, then you would be expected to do it. But I think

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IMC training day #3

Today I had a different instructor, Roger, who briefed me on the next stage of the training. This would reinforce what I’d learnt so far, develop the ADF tracking and try other types of instrument approach (which should be available today because it was not the weekend or holiday period). Roger marked the paper I had sat the previous day and was pleased to report I had passed. Since the

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IMC training day #2

After the previous day’s good progress, I was again at the club before 9am ready to go. Mike had another student and we agreed to take it in turns so that we both got two sessions in during the day with a gap in between. Partial Panel This involves simulating the effect of the vacuum pump failing – it drives the Attitude Indicator and Direction Indicator. Rubber covers were placed

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IMC Training Day 1

A wonderful warm and sunny day and a holiday too. Ideal for being out in the garden, or in the park or at the beach. Me, I’m stuck inside a hot and bumpy aircraft wearing a lampshade so I can’t see out. Must be mad. Lesson 1 Today was the start of my intensive IMC course at Lyneham. Turned up at 8:30 (me, keen, never…) for a 9am start, and

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