achimha 08-Feb-15 12:11 #82 I would never fly IFR in VMC with a hood but without a qualified co-pilot. I’m pretty sure it’s illegal and it’s dangerously stupid. When on an ILS im IMC, I can be fairly certain there won’t be microlights and gliders crossing my flight path but in VMC I better look out.
So you’re saying the FAA IFR currency scheme is a charade (to use one of Peter’s favorite words)? People just ignore it?
I’m not instrument rated and don’t have much interest, but I have found it interesting to be the safety pilot for a DA40 owning friend, maintaining currency with his G1000s under a hood. Since we’re flying into US airports I’m familiar with, typically in good weather, it’s no different than my normal flying in terms of traffic avoidance. We do it every once in while when he hasn’t been flying in weather much. There’s really nothing dramatic about it.
The advantage to him is that the exercise costs him only the price of fuel.
One of the things after Ive found since I came to Europe is staying current. Both for night and for the IR. The trouble is that the airport where Im based is not on the Jepp data info. So while it is a Hungarian airport it is not really an airport recognized outside of Hungary. It is Day VFR only airport. So getting my night currency is impossible. I go to the states and a buddy of mine is an CFII and we do night work. He also does an IPC check for good measure. I do Approaches whenever I can. In the summer I have a safety pilot fly with me and I do a couple of approaches at a nearby IFR airport. In the winter I fly to either EDMA or EDMS a lot of times its IFR so can get enough approaches in actual.
All I can say is thank God Ive got TKS.
It is Day VFR only airport. So getting my night currency is impossible.
Another advantage of the EASA IR checkride system is that night currency is always present if you have a valid IR. You do not have to perform any night landings.
