Next logical step?

[Straightandlevel80kt]

Tally ho chaps! (and gorgeous chapesses!)

I have finally climbed back into the saddle and picked up my flying after an eight month respite.

I would like to take the next logical step in my quest to "do it the hard way" and take the long haul route into commercial flying.

I have a PPL and 58 hours, and can afford to fly once, maybe twice per month for an hour or so each time.

I was thinking about doing my IMC.

Do you think that's the right move, or should I do something else first?

Thank you

S&L

[Flyin'Dutch']

Get a mate who is in the same position as you and fly twice as far without an increase in the cost.

Probably much more fun than doing a slow IMC rating.

FD

[benhurr]

Well I would suggest making sure you get the 12 P1 hours in your second year sorted first if you arent flying a lot - depends when you got your PPL I suppose.

I would suggest a night rating before an IMC, purely because it is great fun and you actually need it and might want to use it.

[Chilli Monster]

I would suggest a night rating before an IMC, purely because it is great fun and you actually need it and might want to use it.
This is a debate that comes up time after time, and the general concensus is not to do it this way round.

Why?

1) There are more chances of flying in bad weather than there flying at night in the UK (with typical airfield availability / operating hours).

2) It's OK flying at night without an IMC - but you can't see clouds at night until it's too late (When you're inside them). What becomes the more important qualification then?

[NinjaBill]

Get some aeros experience. It isnt really that useful or practical, and is bugger all use except in really good weather, but, it is really good fun.

NB

[Ace Rimmer]

I'm with Ninga Bill on this one try some aeros...just lots of fun - I'd say it improves your flying too. Also get some taildragging in...again it improves your skills and it's just so much more fun than heading off for the £100 cup of tea (again) in a spamcan.

[dublinpilot]

S&L is talking about flying one or two hours a month. Would it be possible to stay current and more importantly safe and confident in imc with that time?

And if so, I take it, that would mean always flying in imc simply to maintain currency. I imagine that that would take away a lot of the fun.

I don't have either an ir nor an imc rating (none in Ireland), so I'm not saying the above is correct, just asking the question.

dp

[BeauMan]

Well, having passed my Skills Test a couple of months ago, and with ambitions to take the same long term route as S&L, I'll be watching this thread develop with interest...

For what it's worth, I'm trying to add as much diversity to my 'bag of experience' as I can; since getting the little brown book I've become checked out on a different aeroplane, and this weekend I'm off to learn how to fly taildraggers (which incidentally, works out cheaper per hour than the normal PPL solo hire rate I pay at the club, AND gives me a new rating to boot!). Next year I plan to do the IMC, possibly aerobatics, possibly get onto a Cub or Chipmunk group...

The point I'm trying to make is that I'm trying hard to make sure that I continue learning. The one thing I decided NOT to do this time round, was get my PPL and then become Mr Chug-around-aimlessly. I did that first time round in 94, and ended up with a lapsed licence and a lack of enthusiasm for it all. Variety is, as they say, the spice of life, so why not add some to your flying life? :ok:

[S-Works]

Please see the IMC thread for comments!