Before I obtained my IR I didn’t really know what was involved in ‘Airways Flight’ so, for a while now, I’ve been wanting to make a video to show a ‘typical’ IFR flight between two smaller airfields.
The sort of flight that a small light aircraft might typically do.
The idea being to show interested VFR pilots what an IR can do for you in the real world of poor UK weather.
So ……. I’ve done one.
Last week I returned from Scotland to Kent and the first leg was IFR out of necessity – foul Scottish weather.
I couldn’t have got home without my IR.
Here it is and I hope it may be of use to someone.
Hi David
not sure if the fault was with me or the video. I had YT volume at 100% and my speakers at 94% but the volume was very low – too low for my slightly failing hearing.
Peter,
I suspect that you are only listening to the right speaker? Aircraft noise is on both but ATC is on the left speaker only. If you have both working, the volume is fine.
Really good video David, of what a real IFR flight is like. One question though, not a criticism, which I have noticed in some of Peter’s videos as well, you don’t give your passing or maintaining altitude when contacting ATC for the first time. I was always taught to do this and still do. Perhaps people are not taught to do this now? I have heard the same thing from some CAT and the controller having to ask them to state FL or altitude.
Personally I always find IFR easier than VFR, (no messing about trying to find obscure reporting points which are almost invisible without SkyDemon) but of course, as you found, the view out of the window for passengers is often just a sea of cloud!
Nice video. I just received my IR and I’m looking forward to using it. The service I received from ATC during my training seemed like VIP treatment compared to VFR =)
One question, you received a VFR clearance on the ground and instructions to contact Glasgow, presumably to receive your IFR clearance. However you climbed into clouds with the VFR clearance prior to receiving your IFR clearance. Did I miss something? I didn’t hear you receiving an IFR clearance. Probably it was edited out of the video.
Spot on Timothy 
Dimme wrote:
One question, you received a VFR clearance on the ground and instructions to contact Glasgow, presumably to receive your IFR clearance. However you climbed into clouds with the VFR clearance prior to receiving your IFR clearance. Did I miss something? I didn’t hear you receiving an IFR clearance. Probably it was edited out of the video.
I presume that as IFR OCAS is permitted in the UK you do not need a clearance until entering CAS
Dimme wrote:
One question, you received a VFR clearance on the ground and instructions to contact Glasgow, presumably to receive your IFR clearance. However you climbed into clouds with the VFR clearance prior to receiving your IFR clearance. Did I miss something? I didn’t hear you receiving an IFR clearance.
I get the same instructions since I am based at an airfield with only AFIS. After start up I call AFIS for taxi and ask them to get me a joining clearance at a specific point and FL. They get the instruction from London Control to “remain OCAS, squawk 1234, next frequency 120.125”. AFIS cannot give me any clearance either VFR or IFR all they do is pass on the message. I depart and in the climb contact London who give me a basic service OCAS and a clearance to enter after which it becomes a Radar service. If I enter cloud in the climb before joining then I am IFR OCAS.
Ok, I got it.
It’s still something I would not like to do. I mean imagine if another guy is doing the same thing, IFR in IMC OCAS without radar or deconfliction (whatever it is called in the UK) service, you have no chance to avoid a collision if you are on a collision course. I understand that the probability of that happening is probably one in a million, but still…
The chance of collision is probably even less than what you quote. I use an EC device which identifies some targets and ATC is actually a bit more proactive with the basic service when in the climb to join controlled airspace than the basic service would suggest. I have been told on a couple of occasions by London to contact the local radar unit for a service, in my case usually Oxford, when OCAS prior to joining due to traffic. I am usually on a direct track to a waypoint, have been identified by ATC and am climbing at 1000ft/min up to either 4500ft or 8500ft before controlled airspace depending upon direction so the actual risk in time is quite small, usually a couple of minutes depending upon cloud base and tops but I admit there is some.
JohnR wrote:
I was always taught to do this and still do.
So do I. In fact, you are supposed to do it.
