First time in actual IMC today

[C5Engineer 1170]

Flew into actual IMC today on an instrument flight plan. Lots of work and very interesting when the cockpit goes dark as you enter the soup. I only got about 10 minutes with zero reference to the outside world. Not much but enough to know I never ever want to do it in an Avid! I have about 10 hrs now of the required 40 for my IFR rating.

[Av8r3400 1179]

It's scary as hell, isn't it, Joey.  I remember my first IMC very well too.

 

I also remember flying an Arrow at full power and slowly loosing altitude due to ice, in solid IMC over Cleveland, OH.  Chills thinking back on that one...

 

That trip was also my first crossing of Lake Michigan in a piston single.

[lostman 198]

I will never forget my first time at the controls into IMC either. 45 minutes of solid soup. I was overloaded at about 35 minutes and asked my flight instructor to take the controls for two minutes so I could get things to stop spinning. Vertigo has certainly set in. I have over 100 hours in the solid stuff now and it doesn't get to me anymore, but I'm with you on never wanting to go IMC in an Avid or anything without full instrumentation.

 

Congrats, keep us updated!

[birddog486 21]

Joey are you using anything as far as studying for the written or have you finished that?

 

I'm about the same, about 10 hrs. under the hood with a safety pilot but no true IMC. I've been working through the king school IFR program and its a wealth of info. I'm hoping to get everything finished up this summer in my cherokee. The required 50 mile cross countrys make the time fly by.

 

Travis

[C5Engineer 1170]

I am doing part 141 so I had to use their Cessna courseware which is done partially by Kings. I am using a current ASA test prep book for the written with only the correct answers highlighted which just makes it a huge memorization project. I will prep for the oral using other means. I am flying 2-3 days a week in a Cessna 172SP. Hoping to be check ride ready by May but not setting a hard date. I am also taking online Embry Riddle classes and still trying to stay proficient as a Flight Engineer and raise my family all at the same time.

[High Country 69]

or in other words if the "soup" doesn't make your head spin everything else will

good luck and congrats on continuing your aviation education I'm hoping to get started on my IFR training this fall   we shall see

[marksires 484]

I don't remember the first time I went into actual IMC, I don't recall being overly bothered by it.  I do vividly remember my first real IMC approach - popped out on final at about 600 feet on approach to Orlando Executive.  My first thought was 'hot dang, there's the runway right where it is supposed to be'  followed immediately by 'wow, I don't remember those buildings being so close there on the left!'.  There were where they were supposed to be, but they looked a lot closer at that moment!

 

It's the best rating you'll ever get.  Seaplane rating is the most fun though!

 

Mark

[akflyer 1427]

First time I went 0-0 was on a flight back from Port Alsworth in a 152.  Was flying along fat dumb and happy about 3 miles into a mountain pass at 500' AGL.  visibility was unlimited.  In less than 1 minute I was in the soup so bad I couldn't see the cowling.  I firewalled it and zoomed in on my track on the GPS and started climbing while staying within 50' of my track coming in through the pass praying I wouldn't find one of the rock walls that were on either side of me.  I broke out on top at 14,500.. the next day my know it all ~100 hr pilots stupid ass signed up for the IRF rating.  I was 5 or 6 flights away from taking the check ride when I moved to Hawaii and when I got back home 2 yrs later the flight school had closed up.  One of these days I will get back to it.

 

I found myself flying hard IFR in the Avid once... worst hour of my life.  I made it through and broke out about 2 miles from the lodge, but my buddy that was flying his Avid (and is a 20,000 hr AK bush pilot commercial guy) found a hole over the river and stayed the night at a lodge about 30 miles away.... I am pretty sure he made the better choice that day.

 

They say the big man looks out for the young and the helpless.. I think he sometimes looks out for the idiots too (its the only reason I can think of that I am still here today)

 

[C5Engineer 1170]

Passed my first two stage checks with the chief pilot yesterday evening. Moving right along. Should start getting into the cross country portion soon.