[vw-dan]

Well, yes, the ink is still wet on my license but I want to keep some of that momentum going!

So, as a fresh PPL - what can I do to start preparing myself for IR(R) (and maybe IR in future) training? What books can I read? What can I safely practice with in a simulator without risking going too wrong?

In the air I've already started to try and really pin down my heading and altitudes so that hopefully accurate flying won't be too much of a problem. But, theory wise, I've deliberately stayed far away from IR stuff so as not to mess with my PPL training.

[johnm]

Your determination to fly accurately in terms of heading and altitude keeping is a key skill.

Read the Thom or Pratt books on Instrument flying, get the procedures for a nearby airfield and try to understand them and then have a go on at flying them in a Flight Sim with a joystick or similar and visibility and cloud base set fairly low.

Find IR rated pilot and go flying with them

Remember that instrument flying is wholly about precisely following procedures

Join PPL/IR

Start lessons!

[GrahamB]

All that Johnm said ...... but-

Don't be tempted to practice instrument flying without a safety pilot.

Flying on instruments and flying visually are completely opposite regimes - in the former you are basing everything around maintaining an instrument scan, and anything else is a distraction. In the latter, anything which diverts your attention from being outside the cockpit is to be minimised. Do not mix the two.

I would also get some complex VFR trips under your belt and build up some confidence and competence in dealing with the unexpected, ATC and situational awareness. When you are flying IFR there is an underlying expectation that you will do things they way they should be done - i.e. maintain that heading, hold that altitude, fly that procedure, etc. in a professional manner irrespective of the circumstances so it helps immensely if you can do VFR well.

[rikur_]

what Johnm and GrahamB said .... and....

I found simulator training (X-Plane) very helpful for things such as getting familiar with reading plates and flying a procedural approach. To this day I will still sometimes practice a more complex approach on X-Plane prior to going flying for real (albeit in the real world you invariably get radar vectors rather than procedure)

If possible, start lessons in 'gentle' IMC, but do make a point of going flying with your instructor in more lively IMC ...... unfortunately all my IMC training was a bit too benign - and it was quite an experience the first time I found myself solo in lively IMC over the Pennines with few options but to press on. Oh, and the first time you accidentally fly into an embedded CB will be quite an experience too.

[Edited to correct auto-correct ... grrr]

[vw-dan]

Thanks all, appreciated it. And absolutely - I have zero intention of touching any IMC/IFR stuff without an instructor - it's more just that I've got at least 10-15 hours to go, so want to make the most of that flying time

[Flyin'Dutch']

What they said and.....

Fly accurate headings and altitude when you are doing any VFR flying.

Practice flying accurate speeds and climb/descends.

[cotterpot]

There is this which you may have seen further down the list of topics

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... tsimulator

[Shiny]

Probably the most important skill to tighten up is one that a lot of people (including me) have at some point overlooked or not given enough focus:

TRIM

We all know we can fly an aircraft that isn’t in trim, but it certainly isn’t easy to fly an aircraft ACCURATELY when not in trim.

Instrument flying increases workload considerably. The impact of even small inaccuracies in trim can multiply this workload exponentially. Be honest with yourself. Are you patiently and consciously exercising the trim work cycle?

SELECT attitude (and/or power setting)
HOLD until speed settles (be patient)
TRIM away control column pressure

In terms of reducing workload and accuracy, it is one of the most important skills to hone in visual flight and even more so in instrument flight. In my humble opinion it’ll give you the biggest “bang for your buck” in terms of freeing up mental capacity

[johnm]

In terms of reducing workload and accuracy, it is one of the most important skills to hone in visual flight and even more so in instrument flight. In my humble opinion it’ll give you the biggest “bang for your buck” in terms of freeing up mental capacity

In serious IFR flying the most important piece of kit is an autopilot!

[David Wood]

You also need to ensure that your RT is really up to scratch. Flight under IFR invariably entails more detailed and complex RT, with more read-backs and in a busier radio environment than you may be used to. So you need to be sure that your RT is crisp, accurate and professional.

Otherwise, I'd agree with more or less everything that the others have said.

[David Wood]

I'd also strongly recommend joining PPL/IR if you are serious about IFR flying. You will find a wealth of IFR collective knowledge there in a 'no question too stupid' form.

[Andrew Sinclair]

Lot’s of really great advice!

My $0.02...I would echo the TRIM comment. Most students I teach instrument flying to need to revisit Power - Attitude - Trim for the first hour or so.

Also try a little experiment on the aircraft you are going to use...trim your aircraft and then release the control column / stick and don’t touch it for 30 to 60 seconds and see what the aircraft does. If it exhibits a climb/descend trend, even if on 20fpm it isn’t in trim. You are going to need all your capacity to do other things so don’t waste even 1% on flying along out of trim.

Also worth figuring out the numbers i.e. what pitch angle and power setting give you required RoC/RoD and what is the airspeed and what about straight ‘n’ level what power setting are you going to use for the cruise and what is the pitch angle and the resulting speed performance. Instrument flying is about set power, set attitude, get performance.

Lastly, PPL/IR is your friend.

[Paul_Sengupta]

release the control column / stick and don’t touch it for 30 to 60 seconds and see what the aircraft does

Unless I have a particularly heavy passenger, it goes into a left hand spiral dive. What now?

[Andrew Sinclair]

Rudder trim / wing leveller

[Shiny]

In terms of reducing workload and accuracy, it is one of the most important skills to hone in visual flight and even more so in instrument flight. In my humble opinion it’ll give you the biggest “bang for your buck” in terms of freeing up mental capacity

In serious IFR flying the most important piece of kit is an autopilot!

I would wholeheartedly agree John. Unfortunately, to get to a position where we’re able to fly serious IFR, we’re required to complete an IR or IR(R) course and then pass the relevant Skill test. So skills will need to be suitably developed - and hopefully maintained/further developed post skill test