CPL + IMC .. good idea?

[Cirrus_Clouds]

Hi all,

With the British weather as it is, I'm sure that it may affect my CPL training if I choose to do it here in the UK.

Would it be beneficial to do an IMC, meaning I can gain my CPL above the clouds?

I assume one doesn't have to be in sight of the surface when doing the CPL?


Thanks. ;)

[CAT3C AUTOLAND]

First of all you must appreciate that it is not you that is pilot in command when you are doing your CPL training, it is your instructor, therefore whether you have an IMC or not is irrelevant.

There is no problem with doing training VMC on top, however, it depends on what exercise you are doing. Instrument flying and some aspects of general handling can be done on top, however, you would be wasting your time if you were doing PFL's or VFR navigation.

The only way that you will eliminate hold ups due to weather is to do the training in a country with favourable weather patterns. Mind you if you start your training now, you have the summer to get it done.

All the best.

[flyfish]

Assuming you are intending going on to complete your I/R straight after your CPL, I see no benefit in spending out on an IMC rating.
The CPL is basically a VFR course and in the event the weather is pants your instructor may take you up above the clouds to practice some of the manoeuvres if they think you will gain from it. What’s more likely to cancel a lesson is the wind being out of limits rather than anything else and that’s something an IMC won’t help to overcome.
That’s my answer with regards to the weather side of things. Some may say that the IMC is valuable as a head start for the I/R and this is something I too wondered about doing. All I can say is that plenty of pre reading and a good school got me through the I/R in minimum hours, so I am glad I didn’t spend the extra on an IMC rating that I was never going to use.
Would an IMC have helped me on my CPL with regards to time to complete? No not at all.

PS. I did it in the UK in the winter!

Hope that helps

Flyfish

[moggiee]

Assuming you are intending going on to complete your I/R straight after your CPL, I see no benefit in spending out on an IMC rating.

Flyfish
Most people I deal with see it differently - our customers who have been through the system generally reckon that doing an IMC rating whilst hour building makes sense. Certainly more sense than just boring holes in the sky for little benefit.

An IMC rating gives you more flexibility when flying solo building your hours, it gives IF skills that can built upon doing the IR training and it is cheaper to keep current than an IR if you subsequently take a while to get a job!

There IS little point in doing it as an add on, though - you can get an IMC rating signed off by the CAA examiner when you do your IRT - but as a near-freebie to be done during hour building it makes plenty of sense.

[flyfish]

Moggiee, I do take your point with regards to it being a benefit for the hours building, but the original question was whether it will aid the CPL course. I would suggest pound for pound no.
If you want to ‘use’ your IMC for CPL it’s going to cost you in the region of £3k to get it .
To clarify, yes there are obvious benefits in doing an IMC if you still have your hours building to go, but as an aid to speeding up a CPL it probably won’t help.

[Cirrus_Clouds]

"Most people I deal with see it differently - our customers who have been through the system generally reckon that doing an IMC rating whilst hour building makes sense. Certainly more sense than just boring holes in the sky for little benefit."

This is a very good point!! :ok:

When it comes to me building hours in bulk, like in the USA, I think I will do just that or gain a night rating along side also.

All food for thought.

[FlyingForFun]

If you are looking to make it easier to do the CPL, then as well as the good point which Cat3C makes about the PIC being the instructor, you should also realise that the majority of the CPL course is visual navigation, so being on top of the clouds won't help much.

FFF
---------------

[moggiee]

Moggiee, I do take your point with regards to it being a benefit for the hours building, but the original question was whether it will aid the CPL course. I would suggest pound for pound no.
If you want to ‘use’ your IMC for CPL it’s going to cost you in the region of £3k to get it .
To clarify, yes there are obvious benefits in doing an IMC if you still have your hours building to go, but as an aid to speeding up a CPL it probably won’t help.
Not being 100% clear about how far along the hours building road the original poster was, I thought I'd cover both options!

Summary: If you have hours building still to do, do an IMC. If hours building is complete, don't bother.

[carbonfibre]

Having done the IMC before the the IR myself I would not recommend this, the accuracy is not the same and when you get to the IR although you have a basic scan you would still be taught from scratch on the minimum hours, the money you save could be used on Sim time on the IR or some extra hours in the plane.

It is unlikely you would use the IMC in anger as already said due to a reputable club not letting you use the aircraft if the WX was that poor. If you hours are low it would be more beneficial IMHO to get your work rate up to speed, convert to a faster complex single and get your nav, aircraft operation and structured hour build up by more challenging routes here or abroad, good instructors at your club could advise on this

Feel free to mail me if you have any questions, flown hours in Spain, USA and South Africa

Good luck :ok: