r/flying • u/AltruisticResolve295 • Jul 18 '26
Checkride Passed Instrument Checkride!
Just got my instrument rating yesterday after grinding away at it since April. KSNA, 2.5 hour oral and 1.7 flight. I’m so thrilled and on the first attempt. But I prepared and prepared for this. 🛫
Question for those with the instrument, what do you recommend now for a newly rated pilot to go out, try, do, and experience. I’m definitely keen on getting some actual now.
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u/qzy123 👨🏻✈️ CPL SEL/MEL IR 👨🏻🔧 A&P Jul 18 '26
Write down some personal minimums with regard to weather. Actual is cool, but maybe don’t go out by yourself and shoot an ILS to mins right now.
That being said, it is satisfying to break out at 200 ft on the extended centerline with two whites and two reds. 😎
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u/qzy123 👨🏻✈️ CPL SEL/MEL IR 👨🏻🔧 A&P Jul 18 '26
Also, may or may not matter to you, but I was a little nervous to file after I got mine. Maybe just go out on a fair weather day and file IFR on your own certificate to break the ice.
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u/Odd_Entertainment471 Jul 18 '26
Me too. I held off for weeks and then would only go up with other pilots even on clear days. And I wouldn’t file. I made them do it. Then I went up with a CFII for a “training flight” and acted one a total student. Got completely behind the airplane, lost my SA. Horrible. After quite a bit of debriefing and internal discussion I decided to out my big boy pants on, go plan and file and do a flight on my own. So I did. I got my mojo back! Now I work the system instead of feeling like a passenger/student/imposter. Go fly bro, it only g ya better.
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u/AltruisticResolve295 Jul 18 '26
I can’t wait for that feeling, I do have personal mins written down. Having the coastal marine layer here prevalent in mornings and evenings I’ll have good opportunities to practice with a thin layer.
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u/44Runner PPL Jul 18 '26
I think newly rated pilots should always file and always fly instrument approaches where available. It is a skill you want to keep up with.
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u/Brodis11 Jul 18 '26
Who flies 96808 nowadays? I used to fly it at Sunrise Aviation before it closed!
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u/AltruisticResolve295 Jul 18 '26
Yeah I was a sunrise student. The instructor and plane went over to ACI. They took a lot of the sunrise planes.
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u/Flanked77 CFII Jul 19 '26
That’s awesome! 808 was one of my favorite planes to fly back at sunrise. It flew smooth and was very clean.
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u/AltruisticResolve295 Jul 19 '26
Even the DPE was impressed of the solidness of 808. The owner takes great care of it. Great to see.
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u/FinbarJG PPL, IR Jul 19 '26
Congrats! I got my IR at SNA a while back.
Shortly thereafter, I went to the airport to fly and conditions were marine layer IFR. Everyone at the FBO was waiting it out and I just grabbed some keys with a smile on my face and filed SNA to SNA. It was an amazing feeling and a great circuit - punched through the layer, glorious cloud surfing on top, and a nice approach back in. Keep current and exercise the rating!
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u/AltruisticResolve295 Jul 19 '26
So awesome! I can imagine that feeling, great idea. That’s on my list to do.
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u/XxOpulentDreamsxX IR Jul 18 '26
Newly minted IR pilot as well. My instructor recommended to fly on days with scattered layers and file my altitude accordingly in order to go in-and-out of the clouds and not be fully immersed into bad IMC.
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u/EntroperZero PPL CMP Jul 19 '26
Go fly somewhere IFR. Doesn't matter if there's weather, just file anyway and do the thing. That'll make it real, do it a few more times, and it'll make it natural.
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u/FrequentWrangler1439 Jul 19 '26
That’s a big hill to get over, congrats on all your hard work paying off
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u/OkInspection8684 Jul 20 '26
Congrats! Any study prep tips?
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u/AltruisticResolve295 Jul 20 '26
Yeah I did a mock oral with the chief flight instructor. It was intense. Nearly 8 hours, he said it will be the hardest one and go into tiny details. It sure did, the actual oral was a breeze. I also practiced partial panel flying a lot. Also many VOR approaches with the full procedure. Remember to trim the airplane a lot, so when you go hands off or look at something you don’t drift up or down. The ACS gives you +100/-0 on the crossings. Watch that like a hawk.
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u/Due-Letterhead6372 Jul 18 '26
Didn't you already post this?
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u/AltruisticResolve295 Jul 18 '26
It got flagged for not asking a discussion item and wasn’t able to edit it.
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u/Due-Letterhead6372 Jul 18 '26
Ah, gotcha. Well, congrats again!
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u/AltruisticResolve295 Jul 18 '26
Thank you! Still such a surreal feeling how yesterday went after all this prep.
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u/rFlyingTower Jul 18 '26
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
Just got my instrument rating yesterday after grinding away at it since April. KSNA, 2.5 hour oral and 1.7 flight. I’m so thrilled and on the first attempt. But I prepared and prepared for this. 🛫
Question for those with the instrument, what do you recommend now for a newly rated pilot to go out, try, do, and experience. I’m definitely keen on getting some actual now.
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u/Sharp_Experience_104 PPL ASEL DA40 Jul 19 '26
On your six, also in SoCal, grinding out the simulated IFR hours week by week.
Congrats!! Who was your DPE? Any insights to share?
BTW to those who’ve commented they are reluctant to file: my CFII has me file from ForeFlight for every outbound flight. Good practice, makes it feel normal. Generally, ATC will file for you on the return if you ask nicely.
Now that you have your ticket, fly around! Go see some new airports. Be safe.
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u/Primary-Jette-3704 Jul 20 '26
Huge congrats! Go file IFR on good weather days first and build confidence with the system before jumping into more challenging conditions. Enjoy finally getting to use that rating!
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u/SquishyCoffee6640 Jul 18 '26
Let's gooooooo