Best flying trips ever!

[thing]

Yes I like the idea of that- presumably I would need an instrument\ifr rating? Are they particularly expensive to add on to your PPL?

It's a minimum of 15 hours instrument training which will give you a IR(R) or restricted instrument rating. The restricted bit means you can't fly in Class A airways (where the airliners live so not applicable 99% of the time in a light aircraft) and the recommended minima for a precision instrument approach is 500', which means you can descend blind to 500' on your approach.

Apart from the safety factor in that you can fly in cloud with no problems and do an instrument approach it also improves your dispatch rate. Let's say you decide to fly to France for the day and want an early start. The weather where you are is overcast at a 1000' base and 3,000 tops. It's raining but the weather in France is fine and your home weather is forecast to improve later on. On a VFR only license you would probably scrub the trip or go later on and have a much shorter time in France. With a IR(R) rating you just go, sit on top of the weather and enjoy a full day wherever you are going. Of course it helps if your home field has all the approach aids, which mine has.

IMO it's the best thing you can spend your money on after the PPL. Others will obviously disagree but it depends on what sort of flying you want to do. There's also a small but odd group who feel that once you have your IR(R) you shouldn't use it at all. Personally I use mine whenever the need arises which is fairly often.

[Desert185]

What comes to mind for me is doing low-level scientific research over Antarctica in a DC-8 based out of Punta Arenas, Chile (Google Operation Ice Bridge).

The next happy memory is flying to/from Alaska VFR in a 185 via the Cassiar Hwy and/or the Trench, with excursions to Skagway and Haines, AK. Nice folks and scenery in BC and YT. 13 trips in 14 years, and the fun meter still pegs. Hard to beat a high wing taildragger in the mountains, i.e. flying in the shade with a great view, and do I make a wheeler or a three-pointer? What's not to like?

To be fair, it's not all roses. Canadian avgas prices are OPPRESSIVE, especially at Whitehorse.

[shortstripper]

Lost over Germany in 1988 in a Ka6cr . Best and worst flight of my life! Four hours where the first three were wonderful and the last was errrrmm? Stressful?

Great learning experience though lol

SS

[Louiscoke]

thanks 'thing'- much appreciated, sounds like something well worth having. I might have to pencil that in for 2016- give me a year to get the PPL first!

The next question is whether to go to Redhill or Biggin, but that's a whole other issue.....



All the best,



Louis