Me/ir Before Cpl
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 437
Likes: 0
From: UK
Well, I would say you should definitely have your basic skills in check before you leap into an MEP. You will be a lot busier for sure. If you have always had strong basic skills, then by all means go out and do a bit of SEP airwork to refresh yourself then go do the ME/IR. What opinion schools will take of this remains to be seen.
I did my ME/IR before my CPL and I would say it was questionnable as to whether it helped or not for my CPL. One thing it does do is make you fixate on what's going on inside the aircraft more than out the window, which isn't good for the CPL skills test - e.g. slow flight...it took me a while to re-learn the idea of setting power and pitch attitude with visual reference to stuff outside the airplane - I was glued to my Altimeter, DG, and ASI to start with. You basically end up trying to conduct a VFR flight more by reference to your primary instruments than anything else.
I would, with hindsight, say go and do the CPL first. The ME/IR is a large learning curve. Build on the basic skills in the CPL then jump into the twin...
I did my ME/IR before my CPL and I would say it was questionnable as to whether it helped or not for my CPL. One thing it does do is make you fixate on what's going on inside the aircraft more than out the window, which isn't good for the CPL skills test - e.g. slow flight...it took me a while to re-learn the idea of setting power and pitch attitude with visual reference to stuff outside the airplane - I was glued to my Altimeter, DG, and ASI to start with. You basically end up trying to conduct a VFR flight more by reference to your primary instruments than anything else.
I would, with hindsight, say go and do the CPL first. The ME/IR is a large learning curve. Build on the basic skills in the CPL then jump into the twin...
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
From: france
I am doing my IR first at the moment...
I would say it depends of your skills, that's simple.
If you have got a good PPL, go for IR. If your PPL is too light, go for CPL.
In my opinion CPL and IR are very different.
I had a good PPL because my instructor (who was an airline pilot) knew that I wanted to become a professionnal, so he taught me like a professionnal attitude no just a private.
So I don't have any problems for my IR now. And plus, others students with CPL find the IR difficult and have a little bit problems with Locator etc.
Each students learn on their pace. I really prefer IR, it is more interesting, you can fly through clouds and on the top, it is beautiful. Welcome IFR world!
Really, after my IFR I have to learn CPL, and I don't want... LOL I don't like VFR rules....
and I would say, IFR before you avoid 30 hours building... to pay...
The goal is to be paid for flying not to pay.
I would say it depends of your skills, that's simple.
If you have got a good PPL, go for IR. If your PPL is too light, go for CPL.
In my opinion CPL and IR are very different.
I had a good PPL because my instructor (who was an airline pilot) knew that I wanted to become a professionnal, so he taught me like a professionnal attitude no just a private.
So I don't have any problems for my IR now. And plus, others students with CPL find the IR difficult and have a little bit problems with Locator etc.
Each students learn on their pace. I really prefer IR, it is more interesting, you can fly through clouds and on the top, it is beautiful. Welcome IFR world!
Really, after my IFR I have to learn CPL, and I don't want... LOL I don't like VFR rules....
and I would say, IFR before you avoid 30 hours building... to pay...
The goal is to be paid for flying not to pay.
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 1,692
Likes: 3
From: Domaine de la Romanee-Conti
It can certainly be done, and it can even save some money along the way, but it's a veeerryy high risk strategy and has backfired on a lot of people over the years ... you really want to be 110% up to speed on your basic handling, instrument scan, rules of the air, situational awareness etc etc etc BEFORE you start the IR because you can spend some big bucks real quick in that thing.
Remember that every hour in the twin = 3 or 4 hours in the single, so you have to make EVERY SECOND count towards the valuable business of learning IFR when that meter is running. You don't want to be spending £300+ an hour getting your basic handling skills up to speed in the Seneca before your instructor can get down to the serious business.
Remember that every hour in the twin = 3 or 4 hours in the single, so you have to make EVERY SECOND count towards the valuable business of learning IFR when that meter is running. You don't want to be spending £300+ an hour getting your basic handling skills up to speed in the Seneca before your instructor can get down to the serious business.
