From icing risk to Thunderstorms, from Spain to the Czech Republic, I flew almost 6000nm – mostly thanks to the incredible Instrument Rating. I successfully revalidated my Instrument Rating, I made the decision to cancel flying due to severe weather and this year started off a side project I hope to complete in the coming months. Standard Operating Procedures.
Watch the Video Review
Or read the blog: https://www.theflyingvlog.uk/the-flying-annual-2022/
Whilst many trips didn’t happen, the Instrument Rating truly showed its capabilities. I completed 31 successful take-offs and landings, across 29 flights, finishing the year with 374 hours and 20 minutes flown.
Let’s hope 2023 is the biggest yet…
thanks to the incredible Instrument Rating
This is truly amazing, what an achievement.
As a little add-on, one thing you don’t really mention, is the one thing you lose on a IR trip. It’s called freedom 
374 hours
Astonishing!
the one thing you lose on a IR trip. It’s called freedom
One can always cancel IFR
the one thing you lose on a IR trip. It’s called freedom
Or the opposite. With an IR you gain the freedom to choose. IFR easy navigation without hassles of airspace etc… and VFR for pure flying like you do.
That is very true, the airspace is a big place and you get a lot of freedom.
Dan wrote:
This is truly amazing, what an achievement.
As a little add-on, one thing you don’t really mention, is the one thing you lose on a IR trip. It’s called freedom
What I really meant is that all that glitters is not only gold… IFR flying, lest we forget, has a lot of constraints, I’ll list a few that come to mind:
Nearly 30 years of pro IFR flying taught me that if not having to fly, I’d rather enjoy the freedom of sometimes choosing my destination in flight, diving into interesting canyons, caressing puffy clouds, looping or rolling around others, jumping this ridge, barely overflying this summit… in short, freedom. Opposed to staring at instruments and watching the AP flying me around in the clag on a predetermined route.
What about looking outside, admiring the wonders of the Planet? What about experience the 3rd dimension in flying? What about flying?
Yes, an IR rated pilot has the freedom to do this as well, but few do… and unfortunately the tone of IR flyers on EuroGA can sometimes be elitist.
Yes the free pilots are usually instrument bush taiwheel aeros mountain rated..let’s hope they are not trying all in same flight
374 hours ! Outstanding.
These are that stats that set me free with my IR;
I did 47 long trips last year.
22 needed the IR. VFR didn’t exist at some point.
I elected to do 8 more IFR so I could sit back and enjoy the ride without having to fight my way around a dozen airspace issues UK to the south of France
On a couple of trips the TAF was out of line so much the lack of an IR would have been a real issue
I had to scratch six trips to limits ;
4 for icing
2 for fog
Plus one trip going tech.
But I still think the main is this; Unless I have to ‘think’ about the weather, I never have to think about the weather. The IR, technically and practically is the best thing I ever did. Even in complete crap, it’s a relaxing and exciting trip. It opens up proper long range travel. Longest one so far Oxford to Hammerfest right at the top of Norway. Even though we managed 80 percent VFR, when we needed the IR we surely needed it.
If you can, get one.
Snoopy wrote:
Or the opposite. With an IR you gain the freedom to choose. IFR easy navigation without hassles of airspace etc… and VFR for pure flying like you do.
For me, the big advantage (and indeed, freedom) with the IR is that I don’t have to worry about marginal or uncertain VFR conditions in forecasts. Maybe 80% of my IFR flights could have been done VFR but in many cases that wasn’t clear from the forecast. (Could probably have been done VFR, I wasn’t down low so I can’t know for sure.)
Dan wrote:
Yes, an IR rated pilot has the freedom to do this as well, but few do… and unfortunately the tone of IR flyers on EuroGA can sometimes be elitist.
I know I’ve been a big advocate for the IR, but I do hope I’ve not come across as elitist. Thursday I was checking on my airplane (which is getting an avionics upgrade), and the guy next to me in the shop was there changing the oil in his 60s era tailwheel Robin. His mission was a completely different one: to enjoy nice weather days in an airplane that’s fun to fly. This is a totally valid mission, and for him an IR is not worth it.
The IR is a tool to open up possibilities, to increase dispatchability, and to make longer journeys less problematic. For those who dream of using an airplane for reliable travel, I would absolutely say that getting the IR is nearly essential, and I do take issue with those who say otherwise. So many times I’ve made a trip where the weather was forecast to be severe clear, only to have to use my IR to get in or out due to unforecast cloud. And I probably wouldn’t plan trips like I took to Norway where I brought friends along without having an IR, because the chance of disappointing them is much higher. Even on your transatlantic trip you needed your IR a few times.
