IFR training without round gages

[Buggsy2]

VFR pilot ASEL...have considered getting an IFR ticket for years.

Building an RV-9A which will be all glass panel and I could easily make it IFR legal with the proper Garmin GPS.

Is it reasonable nowadays to get the IFR training on an all-glass panel? No round gages? I see no reason to train my brain to form a picture of my flight situation from round gages when I wouldn't use that in real life.

Sure, I couldn't safely fly other aircraft, I wouldn't be a real IFR pilot, blah blah. But would this kind of training be legal and would an examiner accept a flight test in an all-glass aircraft?

 

[jordane93]

Many people have done their IFR in all glass planes.

 

[FORANE]

Many have done all their instrument training in an RV and completed their checkride in that plane. You just need to find an instructor and examiner willing to do so. We are currently doing instrument training in our RV-9A and when it is time for a checkride, it will be in our RV.

 

[warthog1984]

Building an RV-9A which will be all glass panel and I could easily make it IFR legal with the proper Garmin GPS.

Sure, I couldn't safely fly other aircraft, I wouldn't be a real IFR pilot, blah blah. But would this kind of training be legal and would an examiner accept a flight test in an all-glass aircraft?

Flight test in an all-glass aircraft, yes. Flight test in an RV-9A, No.

 

[RotorAndWing]

I fly with young men and women who have never flown anything but glass. They love hearing me tell them stories of how we did it "in the old days".

I showed some of them pictures of the old B727-100's I flew (one was s/n 12, 1964) and all we had was 2 vor's, 2 adf's, 2 transponders and 2 DME's (no g/s readout), old style FD and second generation HSI's with dual RMI's. A couple of our planes even had the old 3 point altimeters when we got them.

"So Captain, how did you navigate with no IRS or GPS??" I showed them how we would fly off shore using NDB airways and crossfixing to VOR/DME check points.

I'm glad I did it and have the background, but I'll take a glass cockpit any day.

 

[jordane93]

I fly with young men and women who have never flown anything but glass. They love hearing me tell them stories of how we did it "in the old days".

I showed some of them pictures of the old B727-100's I flew (one was s/n 12, 1964) and all we had was 2 vor's, 2 adf's, 2 transponders and 2 DME's (no g/s readout), old style FD and second generation HSI's with dual RMI's. A couple of our planes even had the old 3 point altimeters when we got them.

"So Captain, how did you navigate with no IRS or GPS??" I showed them how we would fly off shore using NDB airways and crossfixing to VOR/DME check points.

I'm glad I did it and have the background, but I'll take a glass cockpit any day.

My dad flew the DC-9 for close to 10 years and was a check airman on it. The simulator was awesome. He loved flying that thing.

 

[frfly172]

Take your training and ride ,in what your going to fly. Find a DPE who is comfortable testing in just glass.

 

[BillTIZ]

Learning in glass, no problem. Know all failure modes of your system and backups.
Some pilots transitions from glass to round dials and no gps have some initial scan and navigation issues. But nothing that a little practice can't cure.

 

[poadeleted20]

Is it reasonable nowadays to get the IFR training on an all-glass panel? No round gages?

Absolutely, and I've trained quite a few folks for their IR on Avidyne Entegra and Garmin G500/G1000 glass panels, and a couple on non-certified glass in E-AB aircraft. If that's the plane and equipment you'll be flying IFR, I strongly recommended you do your IR training in that plane with that equipment.

Sure, I couldn't safely fly other aircraft, I wouldn't be a real IFR pilot, blah blah. But would this kind of training be legal and would an examiner accept a flight test in an all-glass aircraft?

Yes, and yes -- and it happens every day. Just make sure your instrument instructor is familiar with the equipment in your plane.

 

[poadeleted20]

Find a DPE who is comfortable testing in just glass.

It's been some years since I've heard of a DPE who is not comfortable giving an IR-A ride in a glass panel aircraft. If you have an unusual system in your E-AB aircraft, there may be some need for your instructor to work with the DPE to understand the system capabilities and limitations, and how to create the "primary flight instrument inoperative" condition, but that's about it.