Simulated IFR

[FunkyMonkey]

Is there minimum equipment required for simulated IFR while in VMC?

My Taylorcraft has a venturi powered T&B and I was wondering if it is legal to log hood time provided I have a safety pilot and remain in VMC.

I can't find a reg addressing it so I'm assuming VFR-day required equipment is all that is necessary. Just thought I would check with you guys though.

[Dan Michaels]

Re: Simulated IFR

Is there minimum equipment required for simulated IFR while in VMC?

My Taylorcraft has a venture powered T&B and I was wondering if it is legal to log hood time provided I have a safety pilot and remain in VMC.

I can't find a reg addressing it so I'm assuming VFR-day required equipment is all that is necessary. Just thought I would check with you guys though.

Well where are you going? You should have at least a VOR unless you have an IFR approved GPS. You should not really look at hood time as OK I have the hours but OK I know what I am doing now. Keeping the plane right side up should be the easy part. Knowing where you are side to side and up and down is the tough part.

Dan

[Frank DeBartolo]

Re: Simulated IFR

You can log simulated instrument time. You can do timed turns, climbs, descents, timed climbing and descending turns and unusual attitudes. All on partial panel and it counts as simulated instrument time. Without any nav equipment, you will be unable to do approaches or holds. But the partial panel simulated instrument time on needle ball and airspeed still count.

Frank D
N43684

[skip]

Re: Simulated IFR

I have a c85-12 with an electric T&B. I have a radio and a portable GPS.
Each bi-annual I try to do 20 minutes or so under the hood. It is really just like normal partial-panel practice without having to mess up the panel with 3M postit notes over a bunch of instruments.
The good point is that if I ever DO stumble into something nasty, I have practiced enough to stay shinny-side up long enough to call someone and get vectored someplace where I can land.
The instructor and I log my time as simulated instrument time.

[DanBrown]

Re: Simulated IFR

That's Great I'll definitely make that a part of my BFR.
I remember doing partial panel work in a C210 assuming electrical and vacuum failure. Go south for minimum lag and correct turning indications on the mag compass. Then "fail" the altimeter & rate of climb -- learn the power settings and airspeeds to do timed climbs and descents to an altitude. It can be done with just compass, airspeed and engine instruments. It is a great confidence builder.

[lfries]

Re: Simulated IFR

If you are logging Simulated Inst. time to get an instrument rating you should make sure your doing more than just logging time. It generally takes almost 40hours with me for a student to be ready to take the practical test (be safe in the IFR system and IFR conditions). There are some exceptions but normally to get a person aviating - navigating and communicating at the same time and understanding what they are doing takes the whole 40 hours. Using only the turn and bank, vsi, altimeter, airspeed indicator and the mag. compass is excellent partial panel work. Fly approachs so that your really having to get the hang of using the compass. If you can't fly approachs then do lots of
mag compass turns to headings.

[FunkyMonkey]

Re: Simulated IFR

I already have my instrument rating. I plan on getting hood time with a safety pilot just for fun and practice. I dont plan on doing approaches without any navaids but I think if I can fly BAI well when partial panel in a Taylorcraft then it will make me a better pilot when im in an aircraft with an attitude indicator and DG. So from what I gather from the responses I'll be ok to log it as well.

[Joel Severinghaus]

Re: Simulated IFR

The tiny display screen on my handheld radio will show a CDI representation for a VOR... or a localizer. I've been tempted to call Approach and ask for practice no-gyro vectors onto the localizer, and then have them call out the step-down altitudes down the glideslope, because I wouldn't have approach plates in the Taylorcraft. Anyone ever tried that?

[FunkyMonkey]

Re: Simulated IFR

My Icom will recieve VOR's as well. Connected to my external antenna i've found it to be completely useless. I've never tried it with the stock rubber antenna but I assume it should be somewhat better.

[DanBrown]

Re: Simulated IFR

I think that the VOR signals work best with a horizontal antenna.

[FunkyMonkey]

Re: Simulated IFR

hmmm... i never thought about it. My antenna is mounted on the belly, maybe i'll try getting a bearing while banking 90 deg and note any improvement.

[DanBrown]

Re: Simulated IFR

And doing steep lazy eights down the glide slope will keep you from overrunning those slow jets.

[Dan Michaels]

Re: Simulated IFR

My Icom will recieve VOR's as well. Connected to my external antenna i've found it to be completely useless. I've never tried it with the stock rubber antenna but I assume it should be somewhat better.

My Sporties SP-200 pulls in VOR right from the house with just the rubber ant.

Dan

[FunkyMonkey]

Re: Simulated IFR

My Sporties SP-200 pulls in VOR right from the house with just the rubber ant.

Dan

haha, i've been looking for an effective means of navigating to the fridge at night

[flyguy]

Re: Simulated IFR

Please note that if you have a vertical antenna mounted anywhere near another vertical metal surface, like the tail fin or landing gear, you may well get an interesting directional pattern if the distance between the two turn out to be 1/4 or 1/2 wavelength at the frequency you are using.

We had a trainer (C-150) that had the com antenna fairly close to the vertical fin. Turned out you could talk to a station 75 miles or more away to the front of the aircraft and could not contact one 10 miles away to either side. No doubt in my mind that the tail was acting as a single element reflector that only works if the distance to the antenna is just right.

Darryl