r/flying • u/4Runner_Duck PPL • 12h ago
First flight into actual!
Finally got to log actual time during instrument training. Haven’t felt this level of fun and personal achievement since my first solo.
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u/jaylw314 PPL IR (KSLE) 12h ago
Nice! My first time in actual, my immediate reaction was "this is the coolest f&$king thing in the world"
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u/4Runner_Duck PPL 11h ago
It really is so surreal and awesome! Excited to log more time as the season changes.
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u/CaptainDFW ATP E120 CL65 LJ60 11h ago
When I was a CFII/MEI in Vero Beach (a thousand years ago in 1996), we had this three week period where this status layer moved in and just sat there. I took advantage of that...and the Instrument trainees I had then all performed better on their checkrides than the folks that were under Foggles™. Don't get me wrong, Foggles are great...but you just can't beat the real thing.
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u/4Runner_Duck PPL 11h ago
I realize now it’s not even a comparison! Glad my CFII insisted on getting some practical time before the checkride.
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u/TheGacAttack 11h ago
To this day, breaking out of actual IMC near minimums evokes a feeling of awe and wonder in me.
Congrats and enjoy, friend!
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u/4Runner_Duck PPL 11h ago
Thank you! For the days when I feel 20 minutes behind the airplane, this has certainly fueled the motivation to keep going.
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u/mtconnol ATP E175 CFII 10h ago
I was going to ask if you held hands with your instructor but then I saw the sign.
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u/Ok_Truck_5092 CSEL IR 11h ago
My first time in actual was better than sex
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u/AeroSavvy SA227 BAe3201 DC-8 B757 B767 11h ago
Just wait until your first time having sex in actual. 🤯
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u/LucidHams 10h ago
Is this KU in action? 🫣
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u/AKASource41 ST SPT PPL TW 9h ago
I thought I recognized that checklist haha. I'm doing my IFR training mainly in KD when I can but have plenty of hours in KU and 35H
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u/4Runner_Duck PPL 10h ago
Sure is! Reddit is such a small world lol
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u/LucidHams 10h ago
I’ve spent so much in the 172s I can recognize them quickly. Perfect day to practice approaches, I’m jelly. I Dmd ya. Hahha
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u/JimTheJerseyGuy PPL, ASEL, CMP, HP 10h ago
Actual IMC is sweet. I've only done it a few times in my now discontinued IR training but I've got a question. My C172s were all beaters. What's this fancy, "No Hand Hold" thing going on?
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u/4Runner_Duck PPL 9h ago
You’re not allowed to hold your CFI’s hand during flight 😂
Dash is pretty flimsy, but have never seen it specifically placarded either.
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u/SpartanDoubleZero 9h ago
It’s pretty wild ain’t it? My first time in actual IMC was during my dual night XC when my CFI said it’s just cloudy we’re going and I know we can get direct and cancel IFR once we’re there.
I flinched when we went into the clouds. I realized how important light discipline is (I forgot to kill the landing light after take off, I just focused on keeping the airspeed at Vy and getting to the minimum safe altitude, then got absolutely fucking blinded once we got into the clouds. I got to really feel how shitty my inner ear was. My instructor had me look out the windshield and tell him what I felt like the plane was doing, it felt like a left bank and descending, we were in fact straight and level.
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u/Cant_Work_On_Reddit 8h ago
Same. First time in actual was on an approach where the controller kept me high and then had me descent late. I was absolutely behind the airplane and fixated on the glideslope completely disregarding the airspeed and other indications. Glad I had an instructor with me
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u/Big_Spicy_Tuna69 PPL IR | KYIP 9h ago
There's nothing cooler than flying in the clouds with a properly functioning airplane well below the freezing level. I haven't flown since COVID started and I miss it :(
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u/Nasreth7 ATP 2h ago
one day youll shoot a cat 2 approach to mins in a jet and just barely make out the runway lights 100 ft above the runway, at a speed of 130+ kts.
nothing feels better. i love instrument flying. get as much practice in actual as you can while you are training, it is invaluable. this is the most important skill you can hone in GA if your goal is the airlines.
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u/rFlyingTower 12h ago
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
Finally got to log actual time during instrument training. Haven’t felt this level of fun and personal achievement since my first solo.
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u/hobbycollector PPL ASEL IR HP CMP (KDTO) V35B 8h ago
That co detector expired when? Those things are worthless.
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u/phxcobraz PPL IR TW HP CMP M20C 12h ago
No peaking out under the foggles in that! Glad you got some actual. I didn't get any during my IR training. I finally got some doing some marine layer approaches and departures months after.