tailwheel private pilot to instruments rating

[scarybus320]

Hi all, I have been flying tail wheels for 3 years with about 150 ish hours, not much, but enough to be in currency for renting airplanes. i have flew on cessna 140 and citabria the most, I have never flew anything 6packs instruments airplane. besides flt sim on pc just for fun and a demo flight before my private license training. how hard will that be for someone like me who has never used an attitude indicator or a gps on an airplane to learn instruments rating? I just have my 50hours of cross country time, and it's time to do something new. what are the best ways for me to get a head start before flying with instructors? i have been told i can learn it by myself from watching videos and figure it out on flt sim, is self taught a good way to get things start up with?

 

[Fearless Tower]

If you haven't already started with a computer flight sim, then don't. They have a place, but if you have no previous instruction, you can develop bad habits.

Go schedule a flight with a CFII and see how you do. It us a different kind of flying, but I don't think you'll have a problem. Once you get some instrument instruction, then you can use a flight sim to reinforce what you are learning.

 

[ZeroPapaGolf]

The best thing to do by yourself in preparation is to study the Instrument Flying Handbook so you know what your instructor is talking about in terms of procedures and methods. Beyond that, you're likely only to form bad habits if you try to practice any flying in the sim or in real life beforehand. I doubt if it will be more of a problem for you to learn than anyone else. It may be easier because you'll have fewer bad habits to break.

 

[jnmeade]

I agree - read the IFL and get an hour or two with a good CFI-I before you develop any bad habits. Then ask the instructor for suggestions on further study.
Why not spend some time and money on other certificate expansion if you don't have a specific IFR need? Floats are fun. Upset training or intro to aerobatics could be fun. Gliders are a hoot. Only saying there are other ways to throw money around that don't involve quite such a rigorous course and that might have as much immediate application - depends on your preferences.

 

[OkieAviator]

Watch the Sporty's videos... Go do a couple Instrument lessons... practice on Flight Sim... then rinse and repeat process as needed. At no point did I feel overwhelmed in the 4-5 months I spent getting my Instrument rating.

 

[scarybus320]

thanks for the replies.
in the mean time, I went to local fly club and spoke with an instructor, he will run me through on operating the 172 in a 6pack. he have recommended me to start reading the faa published ifr books and have a good idea on it. looking at start my full time training on Jan, which is still two months away. i will take the advise to not to develop bad habits from flt sim, and wait to get some instructions first. i have done acrobatic and upset trainings on the citabria 7kcab and the super D . it was so much more fun flying acrobatics. i would love to fly on gliders after the instruments rating.