Is IMC Rating that useful for ATPL

[Currymonster]

Am currently doing ATPL via modular route.. Various opinions have been given to me.. One train of thought being that IMC rating is one that gets you out of the Kak occasionally, is useful to have... The other being that money would be better spent hour building visiting different airfields/navex's etc... any views??

[BEagle]

I was flying a couple of months ago when a pilot came on frequency asking to divert to our aerodrome. He was caught above 8/8 cloud due to unforecast weather deterioration and didn't even have an IMC Rating. Rather than flounder around underneath aand risk a CFIT, he'd climbed to VMC on top. Fortunately the basic IF training he'd had saved his neck; we held clear of the aerodrome whilst he was vectored in. After landing I discovered that he was a CPL student on a navigation exercise. The first thing he was going to do when the weather cleared and he got home? Enrol on an IMC Rating course......

Total P1 time isn't everything in life - spending some hours getting an IMC Rating may prolong your life sufficiently so that you can though!

[Thunder Child]

Err,

not sure what question you're asking here!

IMC rating is very useful for progressing onto the Instrument Rating, which you must have for ATPL issue. It provides a decent insight into what the IR's about, and it'll save you time and money (approved or Non-approved) when it comes to doing the course.

If you're actually asking about whether the IMC is useful for getting yourself out of the ****, then I'd say.....maybe! Thing with IF stuff is that you need to keep in practice with it.

To summarise - crack on with VFR Nav if you wish to hone these skills for the CPL skills test (Nav is harder than PPL level), otherwise, I'd recommend doing the IMC for all the benefits listed above..........

[worzel]

With the British weather as it is I'd recommend doing the IMC. If you accidently enter cloud on a VFR Nav trip, it might just save your life. Just remember that its not an IR, its more of a 'get out of jail free card'

worzel

[mr_seagull]

Do it! I can't recommend the IMC highly enough. It helped me pass my IR (at the first attempt). It will improve your flying no end in my experience. Do it!

[mr_seagull]

Do it! I can't recommend the IMC highly enough. It helped me pas my IR (at the first attempt). It will improve your flying no end in my experience. Do it!

[foghorn]

It would be interesting to correlate the number of IMC to non-IMC holders that then go on to pass the modular IR first time.

I had a IMC rating and had logged about 10 hours of P1 IFR time (several of which were actual IMC) before doing my IR - got a first time pass.

cheers!
foggy.

[G-SPOTs Lost]

Tell your IMC instructor that you plan to do an IR and he'll tailor the course in that way.

Think of it as prep for the IR with a rating at the end....