IMC - current suggestion for where's best to do it?

[Daifly]

Hi all,

Know there are plenty of similar threads, but could do with an updated opinion of where to do an IMC rating this autumn? Would ideally like to do it all in a week's leave from work (with a night rating as well).

PA28 preferred, location not important - though would prefer to be somewhere with ILS etc on site.

Thanks,

Daifly

[vanHorck]

Fowlmere aerodrome, modern Air

Best PA28 fleet kept in the UK
Derick Gunning best instructor i ve ever known with, serious but also a great personality

you fly from EGMA which is a 800m grass good runway and do your IMC landings and night landings at Cambrige with both ILS and NDB

pm me if you need phone numbers.

I did my IMC and night rating there in a week as well as MEP renewals etc.

None of these run down schools GA seems to suffer from, just small, cozy but VERY well maintained fleet

[DavidHoul52]

Highland Flying School do one - looks like a good deal (nice scenery too).

Highland Flying School - Post PPL Training - IMC Rating (http://www.highlandflyingschool.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=40)

[Quarto]

I did the IMC rating at the Highland Flying School in August. Thoroughly enjoyed the course and found the flying to be really good fun.

It took five days (started on Saturday and finished on Wednesday). The school has a house and the rooms are very reasonably priced. The course was very reasonably priced also. They have a PA-28 G-BIIT.

Even with the cost of flying up to Inverness it may still be cheaper than doing it in the south.

If you need any more information then send me a pm.

Quarto

[Nibbler]

I'm about to start my IMC as well.

I'm a bit concerned about the work load of trying to do it in a week. I could do it in a week if I decided to (and I like the idea of that) but it seems a big ask.... or have I built the IMC up to more than it is?

Any advice?

[vanHorck]

i did mine in a week. It can be done subject to weather. But you need to learn the theory before you go flying and hopefully you ll already have some solo hours under your belt.

Doing the practical bit inclusive of pre briefing, debriefing as well as the exam is not a tall order but it is intensive.

[PompeyPaul]

> It can be done subject to weather

I would've thought that IMC would not be subject to weather (within reason of course, i.e. xwind limits etc) ?

[BroomstickPilot]

I'm doing mine right now.

My original intention had been to do it full time, however this has proven impossible.

I did the groundschool for the course some time ago and indeed passed the examination without difficulty.

However, when I came to do the flying side of the training, I found there was a good deal of practical know-how that needed to be learned on the gound. To fly without doing this additional ground learning to a high standard would have been a waste of money. I refer, of course, to practise at tracking to and from NDBs with RANT. This has taken up a good deal of time and I am not finished yet.

Likewise, the required 15 hours of flight training for the IMC is only a legal minimum. I expect, and have budgetted, to put in much more than that amount of flying time before I complete my course.

I do know some people apparently do manage to do the IMC in a week. Perhaps they are particularly gifted. Or perhaps they are retired airline pilots who don't want to be bothered keeping a full IR valid. I, however, am not one of them. I fully expect my IMC to take a couple of months to complete.

However, I must say, I do enjoy instrument flying hugely.

Broomstick.

[julian_storey]

If you could take say TWO weeks off work, you could go to the States and get an FAA IR.

The CAA will then GIVE you an IMC rating (I say give, but you still have to pay them their £80) on the basis of your FAA IR.

By doing it this way, you get your IMC rating but you also get full IR privileges in an 'N' reg aeroplane.

Probably only works out a little bit more expensive too.

[Gertrude the Wombat]

I would've thought that IMC would not be subject to weather (within reason of course, i.e. xwind limits etc) ?
So? If you don't like the crosswind or the turbulence or the windsheer on approach, get the instructor to do the landing - this lets you do IMCr training in weather you wouldn't fly in solo. You don't have to land the aircraft a single time to get the IMCr!

[Mickey Kaye]

Ohhhh go and do an FAA IR - that a pretty good idea.
However I do feel it's sad when it becomes more cost effective to go abroad.
Can't the CAA do anything to make UK flight training any cheaper?

[Nibbler]

abolish landing and licensing fees <well you can always dream!>

[tuscan]

Go to Highland, I did mine there in 4.5 days. ILS, VOR/DME, all the other nav aids available locally. Fantastic......
Peter Brookes is a great instructor and you can do it in a PA28 or C172.
Weather is important because you will have local minimum heights to deal with wherever you do it but thankfully the WX up there is generally better than rest of uk for flying hours.
If you can be bothered just check wx stats online and you`ll see.