Originally Posted by
Ebbie 2003
In my airplane I have an Autocontrol plus a separate STEC - no auto trim on the pitch - I do keep a good look out for the lights, but only for when I turn it off - the STEC can handle huge out of trim forces - but I always trim it the second the light comes on.
I still think you're a mug not to use kit in the airplane - OK hand fly in IMC but not a sensible thing unless one has been awarded official Sky God 1st Class with Clusters and have lots of hours - for us newbies with only a couple of hundred hours not such a good idea.
Still not a fan of clouds
You don't have to be anything near a Skygod first class. I get the impression that whoever you did your IMC training with scared you to death about flying IMC, it's no big deal at all to hand fly in it or hand fly an approach. I'm only a 350 hour or so bog standard club pilot not an 20,000 hour ex airline God. Mind you I did my IMC training and night training straight after the PPL as I saw it as essential, my PPL wasn't finished in my mind until I'd done it all. So I've always done it I guess.