This is a question for the North Carolina pilots on the board (all two or three of you ).
My parents live in Raleigh and my mom recently told me that she is no longer going to continue training towards her Instrument Rating. Apparently, she scheduled a plane every Saturday and Sunday for December, January, and February and so far has only managed two flights with her instructor. She described NC weather as being either:
a) overcast days with low temps on the ground and thus ice in the clouds
b) clear skies but strong and gusty winds with wind shear
c) summer thunderstorms so you don’t fly in the clouds and stay VFR
If this is the case, how do you stay proficient flying instruments? Is an instrument rating useful? In California I am blessed with good flying weather and the IR is essential to getting into and out of my home airport. It is hard for me to imagine the IR not being useful, but perhaps it isn’t helpful in some areas?
Taylor
My parents live in Raleigh and my mom recently told me that she is no longer going to continue training towards her Instrument Rating. Apparently, she scheduled a plane every Saturday and Sunday for December, January, and February and so far has only managed two flights with her instructor. She described NC weather as being either:
a) overcast days with low temps on the ground and thus ice in the clouds
b) clear skies but strong and gusty winds with wind shear
c) summer thunderstorms so you don’t fly in the clouds and stay VFR
If this is the case, how do you stay proficient flying instruments? Is an instrument rating useful? In California I am blessed with good flying weather and the IR is essential to getting into and out of my home airport. It is hard for me to imagine the IR not being useful, but perhaps it isn’t helpful in some areas?
Taylor