INSTRUMENT RATING COURSE SUMMARY
GROUND TRAINING AND KNOWLEDGE EXAM:
Note: This section does not apply if the student has already passed
the FAA instrument rating knowledge exam before beginning his training with
Prairie Air Service.
The ground training for the
knowledge exam will be primarily self study by the student, assisted by
approximately 20 hours of video materials. The materials used will prepare the
student for the FAA knowledge exam (formerly called written exam) and cover the
aeronautical knowledge areas required by FAR 61.65 (b)(1) - (10). The course
books used are the Instrument/Commercial Manual by Jeppesen Training Products,
in conjunction with the 5 video tapes of the Jeppesen Instrument/Commercial
Pilot Video Training System. Additional preparation for the FAA knowledge exam
uses the King Schools Instrument Written Exam video course, in conjunction with
King Schools computerized exam review software and knowledge exam study books by
Gleim Publications.
If a student needs additional
assistance with any of the required subject areas it will be provided by an FAA
certified instrument flight or ground instructor. This additional instruction is usually part of the ground
school received in conjunction with the flight training portion of the
instrument rating course. Our experience has shown that the knowledge exam will
be easiest for the student after he/she has completed about 75% of the
instrument flight training course and is able to use his/her flight training
experience and associated ground training to further enhance the knowledge
gained during self study.
FLIGHT TRAINING: The instrument flight training will be
conducted in accordance with the requirements of FAR 61.65 (c)(1) - (8) and will
prepare the student for the instrument rating flight test and applicable
tolerances as per the FAA Instrument Rating Practical Test Standard (PTS
FAA-S-8081-4B or applicable revised edition). The Instrument Flight Training
Manual by Peter Dogan is used as reading material for the flight training
portion of the instrument training, supported by additional material compiled or
written and supplied by us. The Sporty's Pilot Shop Instrument Rating Video
Course and various King Schools and Jeppesen single subject video tapes,
totalling approximately 25 hours, are used to provide additional operational
information. The flight and ground training will be given by FAA certified
flight instructors with an instrument airplane flight instructor rating and/or
FAA certified ground instructors with an instrument ground instructor rating as
applicable.
The instrument flight training
will take place on an ATC-610 flight training device equipped with a plotter
that records the flight path simulated by the trainer, and in a twin engine
Piper PA23-160 "Apache", which is equipped with dual VOR and VHF
communications, ILS, ADF, DME, marker beacon receiver, VOR-DME RNAV, LORAN, a
Bendix HSD 880 HSI/RMI indicator and intercom.
If a student desires to take his
instrument flight training in a single engine airplane, a Piper PA28R-180
"Arrow" will be used. It is equipped with dual VOR and VHF
communications, ILS, ADF, DME, marker beacon receiver, Loran and intercom.
The flight training consist of 6
hours of ground school and briefings, 16 hours of flight training device
instruction and 25 hours of flight instruction arranged in 5 phases as
described below. Usually the ground school and flight training device
instruction of phases 1 and 2 is completed before the actual flight training in
the airplane begins. We will attempt to expose the instrument student to some
actual instrument weather conditions, as long as it is safely possible to do so,
considering ceiling and visibility, icing, thunderstorms and student skills. The
flight lessons of phases 2, 3 and 4 can be conducted in actual instrument
weather conditions. It is not practical to conduct the training flights of phase
1 in IMC, and safety considerations make visual weather conditions mandatory for
phase 5.
PHASE 1: Attitude
Flying and VOR, NDB and Airway
intercept and tracking: 2 hours ground school, 5 hours ATC 610 flight
training device, 4 hours airplane. This phase covers basic aircraft control
solely by reference to instruments: Climbs, descents, turns, airspeed changes
and configuration changes, as well as intercepting and tracking VOR radials and
NDB bearings and Airway Segments outbound and inbound. [Ref. FAR
61.65(c)(4)&(5)]. Typically each lesson will conclude with simulated vectors
to an instrument approach
PHASE 2: Instrument approaches, holding patterns and procedure
turns: 2 hours ground school, 9 hours ATC 610 flight training device, 6
hours airplane. During this phase
the student will become familiar with the different types and configurations of
instrument approach procedures, such as VOR, VOR-DME, NDB, ILS and LOC-B/C, as
well as different initial approach transitions and procedure turn variations;
missed approach procedures, deviations to unplanned alternates, and different
holding patterns (VOR, intersections, radial/DME, NDB). [Ref. FAR
61.65(c)(1)(2)(3)(6)&(7)]. Emphasis will also be placed on wind correction
with wind speeds of up to 40 knots. During this phase instrument approach
procedures will typically be flown at uncontrolled airports with the instructor
simulating ATC communications, and the student practicing IFR phraseology. If
actual IFR conditions are encountered, the instructor will handle ATC
communications.
PHASE 3: ATC
Communications: 1 hour ground school, 5 hours airplane. During this phase
the student will handle Air Traffic Control communications. The flights
typically take place at Wichita Mid Continent airport and/or Hutchinson airport
(these are the only 2 tower controlled civilian airports within a 50 nautical
mile radius of Benton) and involve both radar vectors and pilot navigation
approach transitions, as well as published and/or ATC assigned missed approach
procedures. The instructor will assist as necessary with the communications.
Emphasis will be placed on proper prioritizing of the tasks of aircraft control,
navigation and communications.
PHASE 4: IFR Cross
Country Procedures: 3 hours ground school, 3 hours airplane. During this
phase the IFR training cross country flight of 250 nautical miles with 1 ILS,
and 2 non precision approaches at three different airports will be conducted.
The flight will be conducted on an IFR flight plan, and the enroute navigation
phase will cover VOR airway and direct segments, as well as STARs and SIDs as
assigned by air traffic control. [Ref. FAR 63.65(d)(2)(iii)].
PHASE 5: Emergency procedures and Flight Test Preparation: 2 hours ground school, 2 hours ATC-610 flight training device, 7 hours airplane. This phase covers partial panel (i.e. no gyro) procedures, recoveries from unusual attitudes, lost communications, simulated engine failures and simulated engine out instrument approaches (for the multi engine instrument training course)[Ref. FAR 61.65(c)(7)]. At the end of this phase the student will take the instrument rating practical test.
Dale L.
Coleman,
MS, CQE, RAC
Adjunct
Professor of Engineering and Technology Management
2000
April 21
Mr.
Herb Pello
Prairie
Air Service
Benton,
Kansas 67017
Dear
Herb:
I wish to express
my sincere gratitude for the flight instruction received at your school over the
last month. Your training program provided me with my multiengine, instrument,
and commercial ratings in only four weeks at a cost that no other school could
possibly match.
It will interest
you to know that my training has already been put to the test less than a week
from returning from your school. I took a business trip from Burlington,
Vermont, to Toronto in intense instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). I
flew the gauges for over three solid hours and successfully completed an ILS
approach into Toronto International Airport.
On the way back,
conditions were no better. Midway through, my attitude indicator started telling
me that my nose was decreasingly pointed down, despite my steady airspeed and
altitude. Knowing there was something wrong with this picture, I glanced at the
suction gauge - zero! Your training prevented panic or even serious concern;
cross-checking the instruments had prevented an unusual attitude, and ATC was
most helpful. I declared an emergency and performed a no-gyro approach into
Watertown, New York, 45 miles away. I got the vacuum pump replaced and completed
my trip that afternoon - all in IMC.
While getting
home is always rewarding, I was especially touched when the line crew that met
me gave me a very crisp salute. (It seems that several at the FBO were betting
heavily that I wouldn’t get the plane back in time and would be stuck
somewhere for the weekend as the weather shut down the Northeast.) I pass that
salute along to you and Kenny for a job well done.
I was thankful
that my training was so fresh in my mind, and that we took whatever time it took
to get it right. It impressed upon me the need to keep those skills current with
frequent refresher training. You can therefore expect to see me again.
In conclusion, it
is with great pleasure that I recommend Prairie Air Service as a fine and
affordable flight school for those who intend to challenge the sky on a less
than fair-weather day. I also wish to express my gratitude and provide my
heartfelt recommendation to instructor Kenny Hultman. His efforts during ground
and simulator training were instrumental to my success.
Sincerely,
(Signed)
107 Woodbine Road, Shelbume,
Vermont 05482 USA
802-985-1066 dcoleman@ieee.org