That is good thinking.I've been lurking through these forums and the general consensus seemed to be that I shouldn't fly XCs under the hood w/safety pilot until I get a few lessons with a CFII so I don't waste money unlearning bad habits.
That's a good idea.Should I just spend my money on getting to about 40 to 45 hours of XC time before I really start training
Trying to fly hooded XC's after only a couple of instrument training flights would be premature.or should I go up a few times with a CFII to develop some basic instrument flying skills before attempting the hood time?
No. Building XC PIC time now would be your best course. You might also start looking for a training buddy with whom you can swap hooded practice time once you start the training.Or should I not do anything at all?
There is no reason you can't build XC PIC time during instrument training -- all you have to do is include a landing more than 50nm from home on each training flight. You can then practice what you learned on that flight on another flight with a safety pilot and include one landing more than 50nm away to get more XC PIC time. You'll build XC PIC and total instrument time quickly that way, and by interleaving the training and practice flights, but learning things correctly the first time (Law of Primacy) and then practicing those correct techniques and procedures (Law of Exercise) between lessons.I was thinking of just doing some XCs with the instructor under the hood to build the necessary XC time.
I think that's what I'm gonna do. I think my only clarification: my XC PIC time will not count if it's a flight with an instructor, right?
While I have no experience with the Part 61 route, I have to agree with Henning's ideas about an intense concentrated path. My training, (USCG) was a seamless flow from basic to final type. It was a bit like drinking from a firehose, but when you do nothing but eat,sleep, and breath flying it digs deep furrows in your brain. At least it did for me.
I know that this may not be a possibility for many, but if you can keep your instruction condensed into a regular schedule and stick to it I suspect you will progress quickly. I might add, don't expect to do well if all your concentration begins when you walk into the FBO. Spend as much time as you can at home reading your study materials and anything else that will advance your knowledge. There is no such thing as knowing too much about instrument flying.
Here's a comparison:
Private pilot - on my own (poor) dime: Flying three times a month. Result? Private pilot in 9 months and 72 hours including one busted checkride.
I then flew for several years and several hundred hours so when I started the instrument I had plenty of X/C time.
Instrument and commercial (using GI bill for 60% reimbursement): Flying 3 or four times a week. Result? I passed both rides on the first attempt, and wa actually "ahead" of the syllabus in ability but we flew the full programmed amount anyway.
The more frequently and the more consistently you train, the quicker you learn. I got my multi in five lessons over the course of a week. I got my CFI right on "schedule" too.
For every hour I spent in the airplane I spent at LEAST two studying at my desk or sitting in the airplane (for free) running touch drills.
And brown shoes are the pinnacle of Coasties!