IFR now or wait for NextGen

[JOhnH]

I was reading about all the changes coming with NextGen and it sounds like it will make an awful lot of what I already know about IFR flight obsolete. So, does it make sense to wait a few years to get the rating? The article said NextGen will be up and running in a large part of Florida where we do most of our flying.

 

[dukeblue219]

If you've got any use for the rating, and have the time and money, go ahead and get it. Don't try to wait for something coming in the future. Most of what you learn is how to fly the plane precisely, navigate, understand weather, and plan a trip. The specific details of how you interact with "the system" might change in the future but its not at all like your IFR training will be obsolete.

 

[Bob Noel]

Get it now.

Various flavors of NextGen has been coming Real Soon Now for over 20 years.

 

[poadeleted20]

What Bob said. If you wait for NG, you may be waiting forever.

 

[nosehair]

OK, I'll say it. I'm still flying with "6-pak" instruments and vor/adf nav.

What's NextGen?

 

[John Collins]

OK, I'll say it. I'm still flying with "6-pak" instruments and vor/adf nav.

What's NextGen?

You will still be able to operate /U after Nextgen, but there will be fewer Victor airways and airports with approaches using ground based Navaids which may limit some operations. Upgrading to a WAAS GPS will eliminate most of those issues. You will have to remain under 10000 MSL and clear of Class C and B areas to not require ADSB.

 

[NoHeat]

Airways and VORs will mostly vanish.

I wonder how long the FAA will take to update the knowledge test -- many of the questions presently center on the airways and the navaids that are going to be eliminated.

 

[douglas393]

I am a newbie just got my IFR but I do not see VOR's and airways vanishing anytime too soon. I could be wrong, but I hope not. I think it has been demonstrated that GPS is great as long as it is functional, but even so the FAA has demonstrated pretty clearly that plan B's are a must. Certainly, they are still making new ILS's, I know at my home airport has one being built over the next year or so. Existing VOR's are relatively cheap, and if the GPS system, which I believe is still controlled by the military, goes out suddenly (for example maybe from an unexpected solar flare) and there is no ground based back up, the chaos would be unbelievable.

Maybe I am wrong.

As to the OP why would you want to wait. Even if it does change 10 years from now, who cares? You are flying now. It would be like saying not to fly a six pack because glass screens are available.

Doug

 

[denverpilot]

Learn to fly safely with whatever is in your airplane today that works. Learn whatever it changes to in the future.

It ain't about the equipment. Equipment will always change.

It's about the pilot and the aircraft they're sitting in right now.

 

[kgruber]

I'm still waiting for the "pilot shortage."

 

[ScottM]

I'm still waiting for the "pilot shortage."

I understand this is the proposed solution for short pilots.

As for the OP, what dukeblue said.

 

[Velocity173]

Learn to fly safely with whatever is in your airplane today that works. Learn whatever it changes to in the future.

It ain't about the equipment. Equipment will always change.

It's about the pilot and the aircraft they're sitting in right now.

Agree. Concentrate on flying instruments with the aircraft at hand. Let the flight school worry about meeting the requirements of NextGen. I plan on holding out for a few years before complying with ADS-B out. I'm hoping that the Feds will help with paying for our end of it. Wishful thinking.