Old
People
Tend
To
Drive
To
Slowly
One
Parallel
Two
Teardrop
Three
Straight in
Always try to manouvre the aeroplane to be lined up on runway heading on a GPS/DME arrival by the FAF. In training, the school will have you fly your track all the way over head then circle to land. In commercial ops if possible try to intercept the runway heading to be established on runway heading by the FAF.
On an NDB/VOR maneuver to pick up a sector 3 if possible and track straight outbound in a continuous descent. Overhead the aid at around 4000 feet AGL works well for me. It also helps with not busting altitudes such as the MSA if you are single pilot with a high workload and gives you room to breathe. Watch the limiting height on the base turn of the reversal as this is where most guys mess up especially if assy as you need to be within 5 degrees before continuing the descent.
Always plan for the missed approach in your brief and have a clear plan in your head of what you will do. Through my IFR training you would conduct the missed approach, get a pat on the back and a well done son and never follow the scenario from that point on. The first time I got myself in that situation in a missed approach for real in poor weather I didn't really have a good plan of attack up my sleeve and fumbled around for a while working out what to do. When there is traffic in the hold it can get very messy especially if there is a mix of RPT and other aircraft all talking on the radio when you are in critical phases of flight requesting your position and intentions. Sometimes this is a hinderence so tell them clearly when you will call again such as on the ground or if conducting a missed approach you will climb to xxx and report your intentions.
Plan for the worst, expect the best
Oh and if there is forecast embedded cells remain visual if you don't have a radar. Nothing worse than breaking into an unexpected cell with your eyeballs bouncing in your head while trying to focus on the six pack. It can get very lonely very quickly in the pointy end and that sinking feeling is not very pleasant at all
(if this happens turn the autopilot off and slow down!!!)