Originally posted by brabus:

Why exactly would you rather fly IFR unless there were actual IMC concerns? In GA, it's useful on those days/nights, but if I don't have to, screw it, I'm flying VFR.

I find the two best reasons are the precision you learn to fly with...translating to VFR flying seeming a lot easier than you remember...and second, "priority"...i.e., when I can get vectors to the ILS and dudes flying their C-152 are getting extended downwind.

Any experience you get in a jet will help you in pilot training. I wouldn't focus on getting the rating itself, but exposure to instruemnt flying will help out. Nothing else, grab a text book and get famaliar with terms, ideas etc. Also, I would take the money i saved from not getting a rating and use it on an airplane that went upside down and pull G's. Get your body used to that feeling. Last, fly a plane that goes faster. it force your mind to think faster and farther ahead. And then bascially you will have completed pilot training before even going there.

And then bascially you will have completed pilot training before even going there.

Or something... :confused:

BENDY

If you can afford it...........get it, in my 2 T-38 IP tours I did see a big diff with those that had one and those that didn't.

I would suggest you save the money. You are young. It will be a lot of money 40 years from now.

You will not need an instrument rating for pilot training. The USAF will teach you how to fly instruments.

Think about how many dumbasses have learned to fly instruments. Keep thinking about it...

OK, so how hard can it be.

People don't wash out of UPT very often (if ever) because they aren't instrument gods.

There are many ways to get familiar with instrument flying without paying for it.

If it makes you fell any better, I had 0.0 hours of any type when I went through flight school. Ronald Reagan was president and the USAF was washing out 40-50% of the UPT students each year. I did just fine with my 0.0 hours and you will too.

Instrument flying is not that hard, don't listen to anyone that says it is. Most people who say instrument flying is hard are people who just got their civilian instrument rating holding court with other people who don't have an instrument rating.

Instrument flying is just part of what you need to do to get the job done, like T/O and landing and taxiing around. You can kill yourself if you don't pay attention but very few people don't pay attention. Darwin sorts it out.

Save the money, it will be worth a lot more than an instrument ticket someday.

I had my instrument ticket before I started nav training. I think it has helped me alot in recognizing plates, reading enroute charts, and other little tricks (flying an arc, holding patterns, etc).

However...this is only a personal, small gain. My classmates with no IFR time whatsoever are doing just as well as I am with it. Its not worth the thousands of dollars if UPT is your only motivation to do it.

HOWEVER (pt. 2) if you plan to do alot of civilian flying, I would definately recommend it.

Previous poster quote: "A guy with bricks for hands could fly a spam can......It takes good hands (and feet) to fly a taildragger and I'm sure the same goes for AF flying....maybe I'm wrong....we'll see shortly"

Indeed we will.

Nothing you can really do now will get you THAT far ahead here at UPT. You have to be quick on your feet (and mind.) Any advantage you have on general instruments knowledge will evaporate in a week and it will just come down to how well you fly the plane. And the T-6 isnt exactly your uncle harry's RV-8 either- just have a humble heart coming in

It takes good hands (and feet) to fly a taildragger

Want a real challenge? How about learning to fly an Air Force Tail Dragger? Now that takes some serious skill...

Well, it has been a while and my local bartending job has given me some money that I wan't to spend on some flying.

It has been a while since I flew last and I need to get my bi-anual/prof check w/ an instuctor at my flying club. With this I wanted to get checked out in our complex C172RG w/ a manditory 10hrs (for insurance) and I can also bang out some instrument time during that.

Not sure how much time I want to train (spend $) w/ an instuctor... Does anyone have any suggestions I should focus on that would help for UPT prep during this flying time?

Also... What is the best T-6 Flight Sim out there?

(I know..UTFSF, but there is some new t-6 sim stuff that is coming out and I'm seeing if anyone knows of the best.)

Thanks,

Cucci

[ 20. December 2006, 03:33: Message edited by: Cucci92T0 ]

^^^^^ Some of the best advice I've seen on here. Read & heed.

Originally posted by SnakeT38:

If you can afford it...........get it, in my 2 T-38 IP tours I did see a big diff with those that had one and those that didn't.

What about guys with considerable ratings before? Like guys with their CFI and a few hundred hours?