IFR or VFR?

[AlleyCat67]

Mostly VFR for local and longer XC South of Virginia unless IMC conditions. Always IFR going into the NE and the fun of getting "amendments to your route".

That's funny - I'm just the opposite. If I have to go through NY airspace I prefer VFR to avoid the terrible routings out to Scranton and back East. Plus I hate the idea of trying to ask for deviations during summer thunderstorm season when you can't get a word in among the chatter.

 

[M20K]

This came up in another group. Here's the EASA reference. Their rough equivalent of our 61.51, FLC.050, includes as a logging task, "Operational conditions, namely if the operation takes place at night, or is conducted under instrument flight rules." It looks like there are a few qualifications or prerequisites which require the pilot to have a certain number of hours "under IFR."

Hmmm.... So what might resolve that moonless night over the desert or ocean question if I can log it as Actual. Maybe the FAA will look into that logging option.

(For those reading this that actually don't know, yes you can log it as Actual if there are really NO references.)

 

[midlifeflyer]

Hmmm.... So what might resolve that moonless night over the desert or ocean question if I can log it as Actual. Maybe the FAA will look into that logging option.

(For those reading this that actually don't know, yes you can log it as Actual if there are really NO references.)

I doubt it's a substitute for "actual." Apparently, EASA thinks time in the system is at least some measure of someting. Besides, if I understand the EASA rules correctly, a revalidation with an Examiner is required every year. You don't get to fly forever on an instrument rating by flying the same approach to the same airport over and over and over and... Come to think of it, time in the system might be a better measure of true instrument proficiency that a bunch of approaches.

 

[unsafervguy]

about 99.9 percent, but i don't have much choice under 121 at fl350. zero percent for personal flying.

 

[MackMooney]

Hmmm.... So what might resolve that moonless night over the desert or ocean question if I can log it as Actual. Maybe the FAA will look into that logging option.

(For those reading this that actually don't know, yes you can log it as Actual if there are really NO references.)

yes, it counts. if you've actually been in the situation you wouldn't even ask, worse than being in a cloud

 

[M20K]

yes, it counts. if you've actually been in the situation you wouldn't even ask, worse than being in a cloud

Flying back from BID or ACK a few times it got very disorienting sometimes. In the daytime I'd just be within gliding distance of the shore, so if you were up high, you could pretty much go direct to ACK over the water. But at night I'd stay closer to the shoreline and then pending which way FRG was landing I'd make a jog to the south side of Long Island. There were times you could look to the right and see all the lights, but if you were just looking straight, the door and/or wing would block the lights and it was pitch black. The way the south shoreline kind of bent around you could also get a visual disorientation where you knew you should fly one way, but you kept banking to the left.