If you’re like many pilots, you’ve plotted some vacation time and plan to use the family flying flivver for a summer-sunshine, blue-sky getaway. Good idea—that helps keep the skills as sharp as possible—but there’s probably not much IMC you want to fly in during the summer and most of your flights will be in daytime. Remember, though, that as sure as summer follows spring, fall and winter will arrive, bringing with them fewer blue skies and shorter days. That translates into more IMC with a better chance some part of your flight will occur in nighttime conditions. What better time than summer to sharpen those least-used skills—instrument and night flying?
Summer flying rarely provides all the thrills and chills of winter. But we can still get in some valuable training over the next couple of months, prepping ourselves for what’s to come. All you really need to make this happen is the airplane and a friend to act as safety pilot or, even better, your CFII. And just to make it more interesting, why not practice some basic IFR stuff you may not have tackled lately? Here are seven basic IFR skills you can use to help knock off some rust and shine up your edge in specific areas while helping identify those most needing improvement.
