Thursday, June 19, 2008

Instrument Flying Rating Regulations

Although the regulations specify minimum requirements, the amount of instructional time needed is determined not by the regulation, but by the individual’s ability to achieve a satisfactory level of proficiency. A professional pilot with diversified flying experience may easily attain a satisfactory level of proficiency in the minimum time required by regulation. Your own time requirements will depend upon a variety of factors, including previous flying experience, rate of learning, basic ability, frequency of flight training, type of aircraft flown, quality of ground school training, and quality of flight instruction, to name a few. The total instructional time you will need, and in general the scheduling of such time, is up to the individual most qualified to judge your proficiency—the instructor who supervises your progress and endorses your record of flight training.

Holding the Instrument Rating does not necessarily make you a competent weather pilot. The rating certifies only that you have complied with the minimum experience requirements, that you can plan and execute a flight under IFR regulations, that you can execute basic instrument maneuvers, and that you have shown acceptable skill and judgment in performing these activities. Your Instrument Rating permits you to fly into instrument weather conditions with no previous instrument weather experience. Your Instrument Rating is issued on the assumption that you have the good judgment to avoid situations beyond your capabilities. The instrument training program you undertake should help you not only to develop essential flying skills but also help you develop the judgment necessary to use the skills within your own limits.

Once you hold the Instrument Rating, you may not act as pilot in command under IFR or in weather conditions less than the minimums regulations prescribed for VFR, unless you meet the recent flight experience requirements.

Instrument pilots rely strictly on instrument indications to precisely control the aircraft; therefore, they must have a solid understanding of basic aerodynamic principles and regulations in order to make accurate judgments regarding aircraft control inputs.

****for blog claim only****
Technorati Profile

No comments: