What is actually involved in the IR test?

[Hufty]

To all those who already have their IR, I am going to start mine at some stage this year and I have begun re-learning some of the instrument procedures by using my simple PC flightsim. I am keen to get as much practice at all the various manoeuvres before I start the IR and intend to give the flightsim a good bashing by practicing holds, approaches etc. until I have developed a better sense of situational awareness.

It would be good to know what the constituent parts of the IR test actually are, so I know what kind of things I need to work on - I have been 'flying' some SIDs, STARs and missed approaches but to know what else I should be doing would be very useful indeed.

Many thanks.

Hufty.

[Go-Around]

Briefly;

A departure (SID)
Airways route
Arrival (STAR)
ILS (2 eng)
Go-Around ;)(lose engine)
IF General Handling
Assym NDB
Assym Go-around ;)
Circle to land

Hope this helps
GA

[Pin Head]

lots of hard earned money

[foghorn]

Go-around,

Close but not quite. JAA IR test profile:

Departure
Airways join (either from SID or from outside controlled airspace)
Airways sector
Arrival at airfield 1
Hold followed by an instrument approach at airfield 1 to minima
Go-around with simulated engine failure at most critical point after initial clean up.
General Handling on instruments - stalls, steep turns, unusual attitudes, partial panel work.
Recovery to airfield 2 (usually the CAAFU unit base)
Assymetric instrument approach at airfield 2 to minima
Assymetric go-around to circling minima
Visual circle to land

One approach must be non-precision, one must be precision. Usually they are an NDB and an ILS. At least one hold must be performed. Only one approach can be radar vectored.

cheers!
foggy.

[Mister Geezer]

I think most people prefer to do an ILS on two engines and then a single engine NDB but it can be done the other way round since I have a friend who elected to do a assy ILS and a two eng NDB.

[foghorn]

I did a procedural NDB followed by an assymetric radar vectored ILS on my IRT.

[Stan Evil]

This is what the CAA think is in an IR:

www.caa.co.uk/docs/175/srg_fcl_01_v4.pdf

Whether you get the ILS or the NDB first depends on the bookings made by the examiner. The first approach is usually the asymmetric one. Don't bank on the second approach being back at base; some examiners go elsewhere and do the GH on the way home.

[Tinstaafl]

Make sure you have been taught the correct way(s) to do what you wish to practice.

Teaching yourself an incorrect method will make your subsequent flying MORE expensive.

[kabz]

Just to echo the links above, I found there wasn't much point practicing on Flight Sim until you'd done the basics in the aircraft, i.e. a full ils, VOR intercepts, NDB etc.

The main thing I learnt doing the IR was managing the workload and getting more proficient at reading charts, talking on the radio, and being prepared for the next phase of flight.

Sadly FS doesn't really help beyond giving you a bit of practice with what way to fly on the needles.

Incidentally, my IR test under FAA rules was 1.4 hours, including simulated clearance, track to an NDB, hold, shoot NDB from hold to missed and hold, shoot ILS then missed to airwork, steep turns under hood, climbs and descents, then a partial panel localiser into my home field.

Good luck...

[Go-Around]

Foggy,
Thanks for clearing that up, but not too bad for off the top of my head!

I did a two engine ILS, lost it on the GA, then assym hold back at base with NDB approach, circle land.

Just a point to remember, individually the elements that make up an IRT are pretty simple. It's just stringing them all together well that's the hard bit! Still, if I can do it anyone can.

Best of luck!
GA

[ETOPS773]

Does it have to be done on a ME aircraft??

BTW,try a pc program called RANT,better than flight sim IMO.

[Hufty]

Thanks all for your replies. I appreciate the comment about the sim not being of massive use too. I find it fairly good for buliding up a mental image of where I am relative to beacons etc. but it is going to be very different in the aircraft!

All the best.....

[Splat]

"I appreciate the comment about the sim not being of massive use too"

I've got to disagree. I purchased a copy of X-Plane (£25) and a CH yoke (£120). For about 30 minutes of twin time, I get the procedures, Holds, ILS and ADF aproaches for free, and I have a free tool any time I want.

During the early stages, I found it really usefull to use the autopilot. Gave me lots of thinking time, plus at the end I could review my profile, both horizontaly and verticaly. Once I got these sussed, I could fly the plane by hand as well as do the procedures.

Money well spent IMHO

Splat

[witchdoctor]

ETOPS - it might be a little difficult to do an assy procedure in a single, but if you succeed it will impress the hell out of the examiner;)

Definitely worth getting down to your local club to do some IR work, even on the singles, as making your calculations for flying each procedure in the air has no comparison to doing it in a nice warm chair in fornt of the PC. Best revision you can get I reckon.

As for the test, everything you need to know is here aleady. Biggest problem is the pressure you put yourself under to pass because of cost etc. Constituent parts are all fairly straightforward, but after 2- 2.5 hours it doesn't quite seem that way.

Hope it goes well for you.

[Cricketer]

I thought you could do the IR on a single? As well as the CPL?
Cos you can get a PPL with an IR. I would not want to fly that often IR in a single as you are out of luck if your engine does fail - trying to do a pFL in cloud!!!

As for the IR - the JAR stuff is what they must do but as to order etc, it depends on the examiner and the day and the airport etc... I know people who have been refused an ILS and so done some holding and then a NDB etc.

Top tips - make sure and do it in a quiet time as then you only have to do one hold, if it is busy and you are made to hold then they have to assess every hold which can become nasty!!

Also beware of what to do if your instruments fail - i.e. in the middle of an ILS the flag comes up - what do you do? Abandon it, refer to your secondary instrument (it is tuned in isn't it?), do a Go-Around or just panic??? Many people are not taught that and it could happen so beware!!

Above all budget for at least 5 hours more than you need as there are bound to be issues as with everything in aviation!!

[Go-Around]

You can do an IR in a single. I don't know how much use it would be though. You could only fly IFR in a single, even with MEP on your licence, until you did an IR in a twin.
The CPL can also be done in a single, as long as it's a complex one, i.e. wobbly prop and retractable gear.

[Julian]

Yes you can do the IR in a single - thats what I did as couldnt be @rsed to do the IMC. I have logged about 130 hours in SE IR since, much easier than mucking about with all that VFR stuff :)

[Go-Around]

I wish I couldn't be arsed to apply to the CTC scheme and just buy a 737 type rating!!

S'alright for some!$£!$£!

[vicarofdibley]

I did my IRT in December. My examiner said at the start that "This is not a test, I am here to observe. The hardest part is getting here." (I did two 170A's).

SID, enroute, arrival, hold, NDB, general handling, asymmetric ILS, GA, circle to land.

I went to a good school who prepared me for the examination and I passed. It was probably the most enjoyable flight I have ever had. But there again I would say that because I passed.

RANT is good, but I would suggest that in 50 (or 55) hours of one on one teaching you should be up to the standard required.

I think money spent on relaxation techniques prior to the IRT might be well spent.

The best advice I had was "You know you can do it, go show the man how well you can fly."

The IR, in MY opinion, is easier than the CPL. It is flying by numbers and, following the briefing, you know EXACTLY what is expected of you.

I do apologise for rambling, but I think the greatest element of passing the IRT is trust in your instructor (who needs to be good, but you can ensure that by searching this site).

Good Luck

dibs