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What would an instrument rating do for me?


tradford

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What would an instrument rating buy me when flying non-instrument rated helicopters? Someone suggested that an instrument rating would make me a safer pilot, but our R22s are pretty modestly appointed - instrument wise. I'm a casual daytime, nice weather flyer. Would I really benefit?

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You'll need it to get a job regardless of if you are flying IFR helicopters or not. It's like getting a bachelors degree. Nobody cares what your degree is in, you just have to have one.

 

If you don't plan on ever being employed, I wouldn't really sweat spending the extra $15,000

Edited by Flying Pig
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Just my humble opinion, if your going to be flying and spending the money anyway I think it's a good idea. It will make you a more precise pilot with better control of the craft. Also I think it's good for private "just for fun" pilots to keep flying with an instructor from time to time to avoid developing bad habits. Again if your going to do that why not give it some direction? If the cost would divert money away from "that trip" you've been planning or something of the sort it's not neccesary. And it's not going to help you survive an IIMC event when you don't stay instrument current and are in a R22 that maybe has an attitude indicator. It is a good next step though if you don't want your rotary wing education to stagnate and there's no rush to get it done. Take your time with it and keep doing the fun flights too.

Edited by Fred0311
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I think the most important skill you attain as a VFR-only pilot getting your instrument rating is a better understanding of how the IFR/ATC system works. Short of flying in the DC SFRA (where you are required to talk to ATC for every flight), I have taught quite a few pilots who had little or no experience talking to ATC outside of the three takeoff and landings at a towered airport they were required to do for their PPL. One of these pilots was actually a CFI himself.

 

If you plan on getting the commercial license anyway, it only makes sense to get the instrument rating "on the way" to getting the commercial license.

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What would an instrument rating buy me when flying non-instrument rated helicopters? Someone suggested that an instrument rating would make me a safer pilot, but our R22s are pretty modestly appointed - instrument wise. I'm a casual daytime, nice weather flyer. Would I really benefit?

My instrument training hasn't done sh*t for me flying the 22 day or night(not that I keep it current, and it won't make you a better pilot unless you keep it current). Even if I did find myself in IIMC it ain't got any instruments to help me anyhow.

 

A casual daytime flyer, don't waste your money, unless you're an owner and it'll lower your insurance rate.

Edited by eagle5
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Well I did an instrument helicopter rating back in 1982-83 when I made the transition to helicopters , never flown an helicopter instrument approach since the check ride, got the CFII at the same time, at the time I thought it would give me an edge, it did not, for awhile I was the only CFII for both airplanes and helicopters east of the Miss River! Flown nothing but vfr machines under vfr with helicopters, airplanes is a different story! Its a toss up in my opinion, nice to have but unless you maintain currency, it will not do you much good if you get backed into a corner, with helicopters if it looks like you are going to get trapped, you can always land, yea you might get some heartburn over it, better than a smoking hole in the ground! If you are going to make a career of it, yea its a got to have on the resume at least, actual use, those sort of jobs a very few and far between. If I could do it all over again, while I enjoyed the flying, I would not have spent the money, that just me and I spent way less for the transition than you youngsters will spend getting a private pilot certificate, and I didn't learn in an R-22!

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I never planned to use an instrument rating, and indeed I flew the first five years of my commercial career without one. It wasn't until I decided to go do a flight instructor certificate that I considered getting the instrument rating, because I had to have it.

 

In the decades since, I've used it a lot, including during a lot of VFR flying.

 

In many locations, flight at night is an instrument affair, regardless of the weather.

 

In some countries, night flight requires an instrument rating.

 

Regardless of the flying you do, instrument training and experience brings a different perspective to your flying and a much better understanding of your place in the national airspace system.

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An instructor of mine said he got into IIMC once in the r22 and got out ok using his AI to make a 180. No instrument rating. I'd say he was pretty lucky since most r22's I've seen don't have an AI, or TC!

 

If that's all you're going to fly, don't bother with the instrument rating. As it is you'd probably have to get it in the r44 which is way too much money for a rating you can't use!

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