Working Toward an Instrument Rating in the Great Green North (of California)

Joshua Rosenfeld

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I live in Humboldt County and am finishing up my PPL in Southern California in between jobs. Assuming that I pass my checkride next week, I plan to start working toward my instrument rating as soon as I can (the coastal fog pretty much requires an instrument rating for the PPL to have meaning up here). Since, to my knowledge, there are no rental planes available north of Ukiah, and since the local flight school (yes, just one) has a 6 month waitlist, I am debating how best to build PIC and simulated instrument hours.

One of the thoughts I have had is buying something relatively cheap, trying to find a safety pilot in the area who has similar goals, splitting the actual flight costs with him/her, and slowly building up hours that way. I would greatly appreciate feedback from anyone who has done something similar.

Thanks in advance.
 
I live in Humboldt County and am finishing up my PPL in Southern California in between jobs. Assuming that I pass my checkride next week, I plan to start working toward my instrument rating as soon as I can (the coastal fog pretty much requires an instrument rating for the PPL to have meaning up here). Since, to my knowledge, there are no rental planes available north of Ukiah, and since the local flight school (yes, just one) has a 6 month waitlist, I am debating how best to build PIC and simulated instrument hours.

One of the thoughts I have had is buying something relatively cheap, trying to find a safety pilot in the area who has similar goals, splitting the actual flight costs with him/her, and slowly building up hours that way. I would greatly appreciate feedback from anyone who has done something similar.

Thanks in advance.

Whoa, 6 months waiting list! Buying something cheap sounds like the best plan. You may be able to find a free lance instructor to get you started.
Or you can come over here to Ohio, and you could be flying starting tomorrow. I bet the cost would also be significantly less.
 
Learning IFR...... isn't @SbestCFII out somewhere in Carolina?

If he is..... @Joshua Rosenfeld ..... you'd be well ahead of things to make his acquaintance. He is well regarded amongst many of the PoA gang for teaching instrument flight.
 
@sarangan: I would love to do an accelerated IR. Unfortunately, once I start my new job, I won't have a block of time to get it done without severely cutting into my "us time" with my wife. I feel pretty fortunate that she gave me the green light to finish up my PPL in that manner. The upside of getting a cheap hours builder is that I can at least get some of those x-c hours done flying her around for $100 hamburgers. Any thoughts on a good plane to start with?

@AggieMike88: Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately, the Carolinas are probably a bit on the other side of the country. If you know anyone in the Northern California or Southern Oregon area, I'm definitely game though.
 
Saw California thought Carolina.
 
I’m an IR student looking to build some X-country hours myself. It would be great if someone near the Sacramento area in similar situation.
 
Buy a Cessna 172 or Piper PA-28 140/160 with IFR capability, go to Redding Airport and find a CFI to work out training plan for late summer when the fog is not as bad. Each weekend you can commute there for each lesson and build hours. Since it’s mountainous where you are, no Cessna 150s.
 
@Geosync & @AggieMike88: Thanks for the thoughts. That sounds like a good way to do it.

@Auser6664: You should put it out there. You've got a ton of airports, planes, and pilots down your way. Worst case, you could probably rent, split the costs with another post-PPL student at your school, and do laps around the less busy portions of the Central Valley.
 
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