IPC - What is it?

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drhunt

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Are there any other regulatory definitions as to what constitutes an Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC) other than this from § 61.57 Recent flight experience: Pilot in command ?

(d) Instrument proficiency check. Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, a person who does not meet the instrument experience requirements of paragraph (c) of this section within the prescribed time, or within 6 calendar months after the prescribed time, may not serve as pilot in command under IFR or in weather conditions less than the minimums prescribed for VFR until that person passes an instrument proficiency check consisting of a representative number of tasks required by the instrument rating practical test.
 
Do a search for Ed Guthrie's previous post on this topic. I think he gave an extensive report on IPCs.
 
drhunt said:
Are there any other regulatory definitions as to what constitutes an Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC) other than this from § 61.57 Recent flight experience: Pilot in command ?
Click to expand...

Yes. Look at the TASK table within the instrument PTS (page 16) and note the last column (IPC). The PTS is available here:

http://www.faa.gov/education_research/testing/airmen/test_standards/media/FAA-S-8081-4D.pdf

I highly recommend IPCs in lieu of the 6 approaches, holds, & tracking method of maintaining currency. Foremost, if you've held the instrument rating for more than a year or so your first IPC will demonstrate how rusty you've unknowingly become. Second, I no longer have to do the bloomin' 6 month moving window search to see if I'm IFR current or not--now I just look to see if my IPC is more than 6 months old. Third, I swear an IPC is the lowest cost option. If you are on top of the IFR game and don't mind drinking from a fire hose it is possilbe to do a complete IPC in two approaches, a missed to a hold between them, and a circle to land afterwards, with some partial panel & unusual attitude flgiht stuffed in between approaches. Maybe 1.2 flight hours all told. No way to do six approaches and a hold within 1.2 hours in an aircraft.

I forgot to mention this, but just in case it isn't obvious from other references, an IPC is done with a CFI-IA.
 
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Thanks so much!
 
Dr. B,

I've read the accolades of your IPCs and would love to check it out someday but it is a long way from MT...if ever you're in the neighborhood....

1.0??? Hmmm...I'm hearing 4+ hrs from a local CFII (who told me that I'd be his first IPC) which is why I'm checking on content, etc. I see that ATP will fly a glass cockpit DA40 to you and do the IPC for $695 so they can't be planning on a lot of training hours plus their travel to/from. I understand clearly that the goal is proficiency.
 
drhunt said:
Dr. B,

I've read the accolades of your IPCs and would love to check it out someday but it is a long way from MT...if ever you're in the neighborhood....

1.0??? Hmmm...I'm hearing 4+ hrs from a local CFII (who told me that I'd be his first IPC) which is why I'm checking on content, etc. I see that ATP will fly a glass cockpit DA40 to you and do the IPC for $695 so they can't be planning on a lot of training hours plus their travel to/from. I understand clearly that the goal is proficiency.
Click to expand...

I'm certain that Bruce is assuming the pilot is already pretty competent on the gauges if he's going to complete an IPC in an hour. Anyone that's a bit oxidized will no doubt take longer. Perhaps your CFII was thinking of an IPC where the pilot needs to become current rather than demonstrate currency. AFaIK that (the become choice) is far more common.
 
Thanks Lance. Since this is the first time the CFII has done an IPC that might be part of it. In fact he originally believed that you still needed to do 6 approaches. I've done the 6 in 6 (with actual approaches intermixed) for three years but wanted to check into an IPC since it has been a while.
 
And again, I liked the suggestion that even one-ups the IPC every six months: just go up with your CFII every month or so for a grilling.
 
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