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Instrument proficiency checklist

How do you guys maintain your instrument proficiency? (especially for low timers)

Home sim, airplane with instructor etc? What do you practice? Different kinds of holding – NDB, VOR etc? STARS, SIDs? Different approaches?

Any thoughs on what an optimal refresher-syllabus should include?

Last Edited by Jonas at 12 Sep 22:04
ESOW Västerås, Sweden

Are you asking day-to-day or as a refresher when not current?

Day to day, fly IFR a lot.

If not current then fly with an instructor..

EGTK Oxford

Mainly when not current, but interesting to know if you practice anything even if (very) current :)

ESOW Västerås, Sweden

Jonas wrote:

Mainly when not current, but interesting to know if you practice anything even if (very) current :)

If current under FAA rules then no. If not current then I have no choice but to fly with an instructor. For skills yes a simulator could help a little but unless very realistic won’t solve actual currency.

EGTK Oxford

I fly enough approaches by about a factor of 5x to meet the FAA 6/6 rolling currency. Otherwise, to keep current, I pop down to Lydd every so often and fly their ILS, then phone them with the CC details for the £20

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

I use an X-plane simulator with proper yoke, pedals and power quadrant. Works wonders.

ESKC (Uppsala/Sundbro), Sweden

Peter wrote:

I pop down to Lydd every so often and fly their ILS, then phone them with the CC details for the £20

You might find their charges have increased, Peter.

Alternatively (and probably a shorter distance instead of flogging your way around the Lydd ILS/DME arc) nip over to Calais, and pocket £150+ fuel rebate and a case of Beaujolais?

Last Edited by 2greens1red at 13 Sep 06:15
Swanborough Farm (UK), Shoreham EGKA, Soysambu (Kenya), Kenya

Peter wrote:

I fly enough approaches by about a factor of 5x to meet the FAA 6/6 rolling currency.

Bearing in mind currency-qualifying approaches need to be in IMC (arguably after the FAF), you do fly often in crap weather!

Regardless, I think an IPC with a CFII once a year is worthwhile….and silences some of the anti-FAA IR arguments…

Last Edited by AnthonyQ at 13 Sep 07:22
YPJT, United Arab Emirates

Lydd is £19+VAT.

Far quicker than going to Calais and there you have to land to get the duty drawback, so half a day gone. Also there is nothing there, like Lydd.

Anthony – references…

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Peter wrote:

Anthony – references…

I presume you mean references for the “arguably after the FAF” statement. I deliberately used the word arguably because the FARs are ambiguous (or in fact silent) on the subject… However, there is an FAA opinion which is mentioned in the following (US)AOPA article:

AOPA article in instrument proficiency

The salient paragraph says:

The FAA does not require the ceiling to be at MDA or DA/DH during a flight in IMC. The approach may still be logged if an aircraft maneuvering in IMC transitions from IMC to visual meteorological conditions (VMC) on the final approach segment of the IAP prior to or upon reaching MDA or DA/DH.

For completeness, here is the relevant FAA InFO:

FAA InFO 15012

Last Edited by AnthonyQ at 13 Sep 08:07
YPJT, United Arab Emirates
11 Posts
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