Uncle Toys

Yep, I've yeld "clear prop" a few times. Have given about 500 hours of multi-engine training - in a former life!

And the older I get, the better I was

SummerObsession

Damn, I must be GREAT by now then!!!

Shane

Never flew multi engines or IFR, just 172's 182's VFR but love it! Nothin' like a good flight over spectacular scenery to take your mind off troubles back on the ground huh?

Von Bongo

I have never been out that long, sometimes 2-3 years and I always pick it right back up! I always feel very rusty but the instructors say that I handle it great.

Glad to know you're back in, nothing compares to flying, offshore boating is close, but flying is still the best!

Uncle Toys

Shane, you are not missing anything staying VFR. Flying IFR is work! Now multi engines, that's different. Something primordial about twins, maybe the sound. I never could put my finger on it, but it sure translated well into this power boating thing

As Mrs. Toys would say......men.

jafo

And who would have thought that a good twin-engine aircraft (inlcuding some of the older 25 series Lears) can be bought for a lot less than a new Cigarette Top Gun TS with big power in it?

There's an awful lot of bang-for-the-buck in flying- the biggest smiles any more come from looking down at the snarled traffic! It's a helluva lot safer than driving too!

I'm still going the float plane route some day- having just purchased property in Canada, it will be a fine day to point due north, pick a small lake with no roads leading to it, plop it in there, and drown a worm or two (I've done this on several occasions with a Canadian friend who has a 185). There is no feeling like that on earth, and I include offshore boating in that. It may just be a 172 or an old Lake Buccaneer, but I'm going to have that as an option for something to do on a bright, sunny Canadian day!

Crazyhorse

I agree, IFR work is exactly that- WORK. I got my IFR ticket so I can pop up through the overcast that quite often sits here in west Michigan. I have friends that just love hard IFR flights and I'm happy for them. But I'll just be happy to jump up on top and sit in the sun before dropping back through to a VFR landing. I figure this is supposed to be fun, not work.

Uncle Toys

Not to be mistaken, an IFR ticket is a good thing to have. It makes you a safer pilot if for nothing else than the additional training. It also expands your possibilities. For example, on the left coast we get coastal stratus two or three months a year. Also helps going into unfamiliar airports at night or very busy airports.

But I hated IFR students.....ok, give me a left standard rate turn, enter this holding pattern. Ok, call up approach and shoot an ILS back to the airport. Zzzzzzzzzzz.

There was one part that was fun, but I can't remember what we called it. Something like, recoveries from unusual situations? We'd have the student put their heads down with the hood on, then we would try and induce a little vertigo giving the controls back to them with the plane in some kind of nasty position and see how they did on recovery with only using the gauges.

Damn, you guys a drawing out some ooolllllldddd memories

Shane

I know a guy here that LOVES IFR days! I don't really see the enjoyment in flying in bad weather and nothing to see. I like the clear cool fall mornings, flying over the mountains and seeing crystal clear Adirondack lakes glimmering in the morning sun.

SummerObsession

I always liked the hard IFR flight (brief, not drawn out) for the adrenaline rush it gives you as well as the sense of accomplishment after you complete the flight successfully.

My idea of a perfect flight would be to take off in clear conditions, and 30 minutes from destination get into stratus smooth clouds down to a 400ft ILS approach!
Had that happen only once in my 1000 hours, great trip!

The nice thing about flying the Baron is it has a KFC 200 with yaw damp Nice little back up in case IFR gets too hairy!

If you guys ever get a chance to fly with a Garmin GNS 530-It is the sh*t!! We have a 530/430 set up that rocks!!Even I can't get lost!!