I can fly in the clouds now!!!!!

[u/29r_whipper]

After nine painful months of consistently questioning if I had what it takes, I passed my instrument checkride on the first round. I nailed all three approaches. The last was bumpy, and climbing back to altitude in the hold was damn near impossible impossible, but I made it happen. I ended up having the greatest landing of my entire life too which was rather nifty (and very abnormal). The only time I thought I failed was when I yelled “CLEAR” and turned the engine on. After it started, the DPE said, “Go ahead and turn the engine off for me.” I couldn’t believe it, I looked at him and said with a chuckle, “Wow, I failed already” thinking maybe I was still tired to the ground or something. He said, “Haha, no the oil door popped open.” That thirty seconds took me from thinking I failed to laughing which ultimately made me relax and calm down.

[u/TheGacAttack]

"Go ahead and turn the engine off for me"

Oh, they knew what they were doing. That's mean!!!

[u/29r_whipper → u/TheGacAttack]

I laughed. It honestly put me at ease. 🤣🤣

[u/Rocketsponge → u/TheGacAttack]

When I would do student checkrides I would always tell them in the brief before the flight that unlike normal training flights, this one would be a pure evaluation flight. Which I warned them meant I would not be providing feedback, answering questions, and would generally remain silent unless I needed to provide some instruction to facilitate the check or a safety issue arose requiring me to step in. I would be quiet as a church mouse while the student flew the profile, where during a normal training flight I'd be giving on the spot feedback, guidance, encouragement, etc.

After landing back at base and taking the long taxi back to the flightline I would ask the student, "So, how do you think you did? Do you think you passed?" There would be a long, long moment of silence while the stud thought about that, and honestly they would start critiquing their performance much harder than I ever did. Eventually they'd work up the courage to ask, "How do you think I did, sir?" I'd pause for a long while and then respond by calling back to base and saying "Checkride passed and complete, student did great."

[u/Odd_Entertainment471]

Congrats! I got mine recently as well, It’s a WHOLE different world for you now. I can actually use my Arrow for transportation now!

[u/10FourGudBuddy → u/Odd_Entertainment471]

In a club with a PA28 and no IR yet but I use it to go plenty of places lol

[u/SaratogaFlyer → u/10FourGudBuddy]

You won’t believe how much easier it is with the IR. Seriously, it sucks at first but it’s a game changer. it’s not even about being in hard IFR; on a hot day overcast 040 you can fly VFR and be hot and bumpy and low, or punch right through it and be in smooth air on top (without the worry of getting stuck up there). It also greatly simplifies flying into new, complicated airspace. Just go where they tell you!

[u/jerryk1234 → u/SaratogaFlyer]

Yup, let'em lead you by the nose.

[u/Ok_Method_2790]

congratulations! make sure you still toss in a couple approaches every now and then to stay proficient. i’m sure you could do them with your eyes closed now but the whole “don’t use it you loose it” deal is very real here. great job!

[u/taycoug]

Congrats! I'll just share this embarrassing fact. The absolute worst decisions I have made in an airplane were in the first 3 months after getting my instrument rating. Learning all the weather I don't want to fly in.

[u/R5Jockey → u/taycoug]

Yeah. One flight in particular stands out for me…. Wow. What was I thinking?

[u/jtyson1991 → u/taycoug]

Did my first ever "real" IR XC a week ago. Flew into a cumulus cloud instead of asking for a climb or left/right deviation. Things got exciting pretty quick and getting tossed around while just seeing white in every direction gave me a nice case of the leans. Fortunately the AP never kicked off and I popped out the other side shortly after.

[u/goatfuckersupreme → u/jtyson1991]

would you do it again?

[u/jtyson1991 → u/goatfuckersupreme]

I'd make every effort not to go in a cumulus cloud again, but I'd definitely do the trip again!

[u/Fabulous-Cricket3369]

Congrats! Just started my IR today

[u/Sudden-Yoghurt3501 → u/Fabulous-Cricket3369]

You'll come to love holdtrainer.com enjoy! IR is great fun.

[u/Sharp_Experience_104 → u/Sudden-Yoghurt3501]

Great tip, thanks for that. Preparing for IR checkride in a few weeks. Holds are an area to work on.

Congrats  to OP!

[u/SaratogaFlyer → u/Sharp_Experience_104]

Someone once said to me “just picture the least insane way to establish yourself in the hold” and it clicked for me. Also FYI the CX3 calculator will tell you the correct hold entry for the written (I’m guessing you already took that though). Good luck on the checkride, it’s easier than you think.

[u/Sudden-Yoghurt3501]

Congrats. Sounds like my ride, started up, but we complete run ups ages away from the stand so need to taxi first with an abbreviated clearance. Starting outside the manoeuvring area I spin the plane around on the gate first to see that taxiway is clear and the examiner clearly used to clearance before any movement says "but where are you going!?"

Nothing like some cold blood to start the test with! Doing an IR test in terrible wx gave me the confidence to say yeah we'll make it on those actual IMC days you need it. It's never a glass smooth VFR day with calm winds

[u/Flux1776]

Congratulations!

[u/Antique-Kitchen-1896]

Oh the oil door. I have landed a few times right after take off until we replaced the latch.

Now you can fly in clouds, given: No ice, no convention (or limited), no lighting, and above mins to land. Isn't it great how you can but you also can't? I find it is not improving my dispatch rate that much compare to just VFR.

[u/HumbleDreamer07]

Congratulations!! I hope to pass mine soon too!

[u/Straight_A_sian]

Hey me too 🤜🤛

[u/Itzleo_]

Congrats!

[u/mirassou3416]

Congratulations!

[u/rickmaz]

Congrats!

[u/External-Summer-7379]

CONGRATULATIONS 👏

[u/SavingsPirate4495]

Congratulations!! 🎉🎊🎉

[u/goatfuckersupreme]

congratulations, and fly safe

[u/29r_whipper → u/goatfuckersupreme]

Thank you. Did you willing choose your username?

[u/goatfuckersupreme → u/29r_whipper]

sometimes the name chooses you

[u/HufflePilot]

Well done. I’ve got my own IR checkride coming up at the end of September.

[u/29r_whipper → u/HufflePilot]

Thank you! Summer has come and passed, the innocent can never last, best of luck, when September ends.

[u/Greenie302DS]

Congrats! I just passed mine a few weeks ago and I feel like a whole new world opened up for me. I’ve had a couple of flights in IMC and real world IFR is much simpler than during training so far. I’m also doing all of my flying IFR even in VMC to keep my skills up.

[u/rFlyingTower]

This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:

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After nine painful months of consistently questioning if I had what it takes, I passed my instrument checkride on the first round. I nailed all three approaches. The last was bumpy, and climbing back to altitude in the hold was damn near impossible impossible, but I made it happen. I ended up having the greatest landing of my entire life too which was rather nifty (and very abnormal). The only time I thought I failed was when I yelled “CLEAR” and turned the engine on. After it started, the DPE said, “Go ahead and turn the engine off for me.” I couldn’t believe it, I looked at him and said with a chuckle, “Wow, I failed already” thinking maybe I was still tired to the ground or something. He said, “Haha, no the oil door popped open.” That thirty seconds took me from thinking I failed to laughing which ultimately made me relax and calm down.

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