Locked in a box

Ok, the pressure is on. One thing I am finding with this IFR course is that it is a pretty steep learning curve. As each flight is quite expensive, the idea is to maximise the learning potential every time we go up flying. So what does this mean? Pressure. There are no chances to learn something new, then go out and practice it. Each flight builds on what was learnt last time, so while learning something new you are also demonstrating what you were shown before. To be honest it is a bit of a terrifying concept, and yesterday was no exception.

Yesterday was my first cross country IFR flight. The plan was to fly from Motueka to Westport via the Nelson VOR, and back again. Admittedly we didn't actually fly anywhere, but the pressure didn't feel much lighter. I did not really get much sleep the night before. So why did we not go anywhere? Well, for three hours I was locked in a box...

This is the synthetic flight simulator which enables us to log instrument time. The pilot sits at the left seat, while the instructor sits at the right seat and is able to act all god-like, making weather changes and repositioning the aircraft. As well as doing that, the instructor is also acting as airtraffic controllers for the exercise. So for three hours I was locked in a small soundproofed windowless room with my instructor.

Yep, I was a bit terrified with what was instore for me. We have been busy practicing all the procedures on the computers, and have been out for two flights each to practice holds and approaches into Nelson, so that part is coming along nicely. A cross-country flight however is different bucket of onions, as there are so many different radio calls to be made. I had been working hard to work out who I needed to talk to and when, and when it came down to it I found it okay. But at the end of the day I was locked in a box, and the real test will come next Wednesday when we do the real thing.

One advantage of practicing in the simulator is not having to wear this sexy little number...

This is the hood which enables the student to see
the instruments while blocking out the outside view. Yep, it's a big hat. Well I'm not here for a fashion parade.

This is a simple but effective solution to simulating IMC. Previously I have worn foggles, which look kind of like opaque glasses, but with a gap to see the instruments.

A word of warning though. These items will not make you look sexy, no matter who you are...

At the end of the day though I did enjoy the go-nowhere flight. For me, a lot of the mystery of IFR has been cleared up. Just follow the procedures. Of course, I'm currently flying a perfectly working single engined aircraft. The real test will begin in a couple of weeks when we start flying the twin, and the instructor will be throwing engine failures at us while we are midway through an approach.

Oh man, why do we do this? Have to keep the end goal in sight. This is short-term pain for long-term gain. I'll keep telling myself that. As Charlie "Nuwanda" Dalton recited,

Laughing crying, tumbling mumbling
Gotta do more, gotta be more.

Chaos screaming, Chaos dreaming,
Gotta do more, gotta be more.