Instrument Currency, Recency of Flight Experience, and Proficiency

[FLA-MAV]

I am looking to find out how other instrument pilots are maintaining their instrument recency of flight experience (currency) and more importantly, how instrument pilots keep up their proficiency.. A lot time of times the weather won't cooperate (severe clear), I can't find a safety pilot, or I have problems scheduling a CFII in the airplane or in the simulator.

I have an FAA-Approved ATD at home, but I won't invite a CFII over to watch me fly for three hours.. I always seem to end up opting for another instrument proficiency check as the quick solution.

Regarding proficiency, besides practice in the plane and ATD, I read:

http://www.ifr-magazine.com/
This Forum
AOPA Weekly IFR Articles

Ideas?

See survey..

 

[EdFred]

You don't have the option of IPC and/or in lieu of 6+HITS.

 

[azure]

Yeah the poll doesn't really have what I've been doing, which is mostly going up in actual by myself and doing 6+HITS, but also going up with a CFII at times, like just two weeks ago. For lack of a better option, I voted "exclusively flying the plane".

Which reminds me, like an idiot I did everything for currency on that last flight EXCEPT a hold, which would have been super easy. So now I have to do it before the end of the month or lose currency. Where's that icon for kicking yourself?

 

[EdFred]

Yeah the poll doesn't really have what I've been doing, which is mostly going up in actual by myself and doing 6+HITS, but also going up with a CFII at times, like just two weeks ago. For lack of a better option, I voted "exclusively flying the plane".

Which reminds me, like an idiot I did everything for currency on that last flight EXCEPT a hold, which would have been super easy. So now I have to do it before the end of the month or lose currency. Where's that icon for kicking yourself?

Are you *sure* you didn't do one? I mean, really, really sure?

 

[azure]

Are you *sure* you didn't do one? I mean, really, really sure?

Yeah. I'm not going to log something I didn't do. Thing is, I was approaching the IAF for the RNAV at Troy from *exactly* a 90 degree angle and CHOSE to not do the HILPT. I actually forgot that I needed to do one for currency.

Kick, kick, kick.

 

[Hank S]

If I don't have enough actual approaches to count, I grab a safety pilot and make up the difference. This winter was bad, and I'm trying to move and was separated from the plane during mostly horrible weather there that was gorgeous and very flyable here. So I did an IPC. It was in the plane . . .

 

[MachFly]

I do my proficiency flights exclusively in the airplane, I do some sims too but I don't count it towards my proficiency or currency. I also think that 6 approaches every 6 month is not often enough to stay proficient, 6 approaches within 2 month sounds like a much better minimum.

 

[asgcpa]

Although I don't have my rating now, I have an Elite sim at home and a buddy who is a CFII that I let use the sim, and he will act as my CFII for currency when the time arrives.

 

[spiderweb]

Are you *sure* you didn't do one? I mean, really, really sure?

That's what I was wondering, myself.

In 13 years of flying, I've only ever been given a hold once, and that was as an option (the other being vectors). When the hold was given to me, the controller asked how I wanted to do it off of a given VOR. Easy, peasy.

 

[spiderweb]

I do most of currency in an airplane. Occasionally I'll use the Redbird with a CFII when I don't feel like spending tons of money. Redbird, of course, has the advantage of doing any approach, anywhere, so you can practice some of the more challenging ones.

I'd also suggest to the up and coming IR pilots--don't just get six in six; and also, try to get some approaches in IMC, as practicable.

 

[flyingron]

You don't have the appropriate answer. I use a combination of actual flying an an IPC when I can't keep up the flying enough (though I guess more often than not it's the latter).

 

[FLA-MAV]

Yeah. I'm not going to log something I didn't do. Thing is, I was approaching the IAF for the RNAV at Troy from *exactly* a 90 degree angle and CHOSE to not do the HILPT. I actually forgot that I needed to do one for currency.

Kick, kick, kick.

Azure,

It happens. It could have been your subconscious actively working to get you back in the plane sooner.

 

[Dan H]

Combination of flying, safety pilot, and IPC's. In the 5yrs since earning the rating I've only been non-current once, grabbed my II and knocked out an IPC.

 

[rbridges]

I'm fortunate to have a friend that is instrument rated. We go up and safety pilot for each other.

 

[jordane93]

I'll probably end up going with up with dad who is CFII. Maybe do it in the simulator

 

[peerlesscowboy]

Combination of flying, safety pilot, and IPC's. In the 5yrs since earning the rating I've only been non-current once, grabbed my II and knocked out an IPC.

That's pretty much my recipe too. Actual supplimented by going up with a safety pilot and a combined IPC/BFR every two years.

 

[slavinger]

That's what I was wondering, myself.

In 13 years of flying, I've only ever been given a hold once, and that was as an option (the other being vectors). When the hold was given to me, the controller asked how I wanted to do it off of a given VOR. Easy, peasy.

I went about 7 years w/o an assigned hold, then got 2 in one day. Now get them occasionally flying out east. I used to obsess about the proper entry, the truth is that it's easier to visualize the entry and use any entry you like as long as you stay in protected airspace.

 

[Martymccasland]

That's what I was wondering, myself.

In 13 years of flying, I've only ever been given a hold once, and that was as an option (the other being vectors). When the hold was given to me, the controller asked how I wanted to do it off of a given VOR. Easy, peasy.

I too have only been given 1 "real" hold. 4-5 planes showed up to the same little airport at the same time with skies at minimums. We just stacked up in holds and peeled off one by one. Never have gotten one in big/busy airspaces, even with dicey Wx.

The simplicity, rarity, and benign nature of holds makes me wonder why they are mandated for currency. Seems like simulated instrument failures, an ASR approach using only a compass, power off landings, etc. - i.e. something that might actually save your life -- would make more sense to be in the 6 month rotation.

 

[dukeblue219]

You don't have the option of IPC and/or in lieu of 6+HITS.

You may be touching on a question I had recently. As we all know, you need the 6+HITS within the last six calendar months to be current. For the next six months you can knock them out with a safety pilot. After that you need an IPC.

My question is, does that IPC give you a fresh 6 months of currency or, if you haven't done any approaches in the last year, do you also need to fly those with the instructor as well?

61.57(c) clearly states that "a person may act as pilot in command under IFR...only if..." and then lists the various requirements (6+HIT). It goes on to state in 61.57(d) that "a person who has failed to meet the instrument experience requirements of paragraph (c) for more than six calendar months may reestablish instrument currency only by completing an instrument proficiency check."

So my point is that nowhere does it state that you're current if you've flown 6+HIT *or* done an IPC, so while an IPC is clearly required to regain long-expired currency, it may not be the *only* requirement and you would also need to do the 6 approaches during the IPC. Yet, this doesn't seem to be the way it works in practice...

 

[EdFred]

An IPC does not need to incorporate the 6+HITS. The IPC is the equivalent of doing them.

You flew 6+HITS in December 2013 (or some other manner of maintaining currency).
Assuming you fly no approaches after that:

You are current until June 30, 2014.
After June 30, 2014 you are no longer current and can either do 6+HITS with a safety pilot, or get an IPC - the 6 month clock re-starts from that point.
After December 31, 2014 you can only get an IPC to regain currency - the 6 month clock re-starts from that point.

You do not have to do an IPC and 6+HITS. I believe the last IPC I had I only did 3 approaches. But did do unusual attitude recovery.

 

[poadeleted20]

In 13 years of flying, I've only ever been given a hold once, and that was as an option (the other being vectors). When the hold was given to me, the controller asked how I wanted to do it off of a given VOR. Easy, peasy.

I'll bet you've done quite a few holding patterns in lieu of procedure turns as part of instrument approaches, and per the AIM:

The holding pattern maneuver is completed when the aircraft is established on the inbound course after executing the appropriate entry.

I do an HPILT under actual/simulated instrument conditions, and that's a "hold" for IFR currency in my logbook. I don't demand another lap around the pattern before logging it.

 

[poadeleted20]

An IPC does not need to incorporate the 6+HITS. The IPC is the equivalent of doing them.

Correct, according to the FAA Chief Counsel some time back. The Chief Counsel has also said a practical test for instrument privileges (i.e., instrument rating, ATP, CP-Airship, etc) also resets the 6-month clock.

 

[Marauder]

Disregard... Just found a thread on the topic.

 

[spiderweb]

I'll bet you've done quite a few holding patterns in lieu of procedure turns as part of instrument approaches, and per the AIM:
I do an HPILT under actual/simulated instrument conditions, and that's a "hold" for IFR currency in my logbook. I don't demand another lap around the pattern before logging it.

Agree on the HPILT, and you're right--every time I go up for currency, I do a few as part of one or another procedure I'm practicing.