Originally Posted by
yap800
How difficult is the instrument rating (part of the CPL/MEIR stage) in comparison to other parts of the flying e.g. CPL test.
In terms of learning to fly IFR in general?
Preparing for the test?
Doing the actual test/ passing.
It's the part I'm most worried about
I flew over 1000 hours as a VFR pilot before I got my instrument rating. During that time there was one thing I knew for sure: I KNEW that the Instrument Rating was the hardest thing in aviation. It’s a 45/55 hour course so it MUST be hard. I KNEW it was going to be hard, and I KNEW that to pass I was going to have to buy my own flight simulator to practice all the exercises. I spent £2,000 on a high spec gaming PC, screens, yoke pedals etc. Then I started IR training. I started on a Wednesday and planned to set up the flight sim at the weekend.
Imagine my surprise when my instructor said, on Friday, after 6 hours: “Right. You have covered everything you need to know. The rest is just practice now.”
What?!?! “Yup, we’re going to do this **** for another 39 hours. You’ll be ready long before then...”
IFR flying is procedural, not some kind of black magic. No looking out the window and wondering where you are - you’re 12.6NM from XXX. If you can think your way around a map it’s a piece of cake. ILS? Easy. Follow a gps line? Easy. Track a VOR? Easy. You will spend most of your time flying NDB holds and approaches, and once you understand “pull the tail” even that’s not that hard.