CFI Central FLYING Magazine Pilot Proficiency

When VFR Turns Into IFR

Pilots should receive training in the transition between VFR and instrument conditions with an instructor before they fly in It themselves.

Friday, November 17, 2023 at 03:35 PM ET

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The Seattle Skyline encased in early morning fog with the Olympic Mountains in the background and evergreen trees in the foreground. [iStock]

Key Takeaways:

The author emphasizes the importance of gaining actual instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) flight experience, beyond simulated IFR, for better risk management and pilot confidence.
Pilots must learn to overcome spatial disorientation and various inflight illusions (e.g., The Leans, Coriolis) that arise when visual references are lost, by strictly relying on and interpreting flight instruments.
Consistent practice, including specific maneuvers like the 180-degree turn in actual IMC, is crucial for developing instrument scan skills and building confidence without view-limiting devices.
Even instrument flight instructors (CFIIs) may lack extensive actual IMC experience, highlighting the ongoing challenge for all pilots to maintain and enhance their IFR proficiency.

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I live in the Seattle area, where we have so much moisture the AIRMET for mountain obscuration is as common as a Starbucks on every corner. For this reason, when I pursued my instrument rating all those years ago I insisted on having at least 15 hours of actual IFR logged before I would take the check ride. I pursued the IFR rating as an exercise in risk management, and it didn’t make sense to me to get the ticket without ever going into the clouds.

This Article First Appeared in FLYING Magazine

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Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.