With My Head in the Clouds
By Tom Hoffmann, FAA Safety Briefing Magazine
Many people say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I agree in some cases, but I’d argue there’s great value in authenticity. Various businesses have touted that truth in campaign strategies over the years. A few that stand out to me are Coke (It’s the Real Thing), Wild Turkey (Accept No Imitations), and Porsche (There is No Substitute). It harkens to consumers having a “genuine” experience. While these are all fairly subjective regarding what is actually the best, there’s something to be said about enjoying or experiencing something that is the standard-bearer, or as many soda drinkers would affirm, the real thing.
In this IFR-focused issue, we point out the many ways and means that pilots have to gain flying experience when solely guided by instruments. It might involve simulation training firmly on the ground using a full flight simulator, flight training device, or an aviation training device. If it’s a nice sunny VFR day, it might involve launching into the air with a view-limiting device, or if the weather works out, flying in actual instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) — the real deal. While receiving training for my instrument rating during a New England fall, I didn’t have to rely much on the first two options as IMC was pretty plentiful. Up to that point, I had only received limited IFR training under a hood or view-limiting glasses. I have nothing against those at all, as I know IMC opportunities are difficult to seek out in some parts of the country. However, having the experience of real-world instrument conditions did make a big difference, in my opinion.
First, there are some visual, aural, and sensory experiences offered by IMC flight that are difficult to recreate in a simulated environment or with view-limiting devices. On the latter, they can help improve your instrument scan, but gaps in these devices can inadvertently clue in a student to the type of scenario or unusual attitude a flight instructor is attempting to present.
There are also a few subtle things you can only experience in actual IMC, like the buffet you might feel when you first enter a cloud layer, the sounds and varying levels of visual obscuration you might encounter when flying through precipitation, or simply just seeing your windshield completely enveloped in gray. To a novice flyer, these experiences could be quite startling and anxiety-inducing, especially during an initial encounter. I felt that having the ability to see, hear, and feel these subtleties during training provided me with an additional layer of confidence and preparation that I carried with me on subsequent IFR flights.
The gradual and often hard-to-detect onset of IMC conditions during flight is also difficult to simulate. Real-world inadvertent IMC encounters don’t typically mimic the binary situation experienced when donning a hood that instantly places you in the clouds. There’s value in being able to see and experience firsthand that gradual loss of visibility and ground reference leading up to IMC, and being able to correctly react before the situation worsens. Look no further than the sheer volume and fatality rate of VFR into IMC accidents to see the life-saving value of this experience.
The gradual and often hard-to-detect onset of IMC conditions during flight is difficult to simulate.
Yet another benefit is the ability to set more realistic personal minimums based on these real-world experiences. Personal minimums should be set to provide a solid safety buffer between the skills required for the specific flight you want to make, and the skills available to you through training, experience, currency, and proficiency. An essential step in establishing personal minimums includes assessing your experience and comfort level with certain flight conditions (e.g., low ceilings and visibilities).
Be honest in your assessment, but don’t be afraid to adjust those minimums as you gain experience with certain conditions. Having pre-set hard numbers based on specific personal parameters you’ve established with firsthand experience will make it much easier to make smart no-go or divert decisions than having a vague sense that you can “probably” deal with the conditions you’re in. It’s a case where having your head in the clouds can actually help you see more clearly.
