Originally Posted by
Pilot DAR
Very yes. I've learned (sometimes the embarrassing or hard way) that you'll come out looking less arrogant or ignorant if you remain silent, or quietly ask, but not assert, unless you've a few thousand hours flying in exactly those circumstances. The term "pilot" describes such a broad set of skills and operating environment, that I'm convinced no one person could claim to be experienced as a "pilot". Certainly a person could be an experienced X or Y pilot, though probably if they have reached that experience level, they no longer assert, and don't present as being arrogant anyway.
As for float flying, like ski flying, there's a lot more "apply your hard earned skills to evaluate and make a plan in the moment", and a lot less "flying the filed route, with vectors to the ILS". In terms of use of instruments while float flying, for me it'll be something like: Airspeed - yeah, every now and then, but hardly to admire a fast cruise speed!, artificial horizon - nope, if I need that to fly onward, it is very unlikely that I can safely approach to land anyway, don't be tempted to press on. Altimeter, not really, I can see that I'm high enough, Turn coordinator, maybe a little, ball for sure! DG/compass, yeah, probably, so I go the right way, VSI, only for glassy water landings. Clock - yes!
"Bush" (water/ski/some helicopter) flying is very different to "airways" flying. The helicopter I flew from Alaska to Vancouver many years ago did not have an artificial horizon at all. This made the VFR flying much safer, as you were not at all tempted to creep up into cloud! You were automatically disciplined to remain actual VMC, no funny business/home made IFR. Instrument flying is very valuable - but not for bush flying!