instrument to visual transition

[Inept]

For all you instrument rated folks, how do you switch from instrument flight to visual flight?   For the instructors, how do you teach that transition?

   I find that when I'm flying instruments, whether actual or hoodwork, I keep flying on the instruments, even when I'm in the clear and am supposed to be flying visually.   am I the only one who has trouble with this, and does anyone know any good ways to fix this so that I don;t try another instrument Chandelle...

[Turbomallard]

I started on my COM not long after my instrument ticket and was still programmed into looking at the panel. At one point a CFI I flew with doing COM manuevers, after getting fed up with telling me to look outside, grabbed my sectional, unfolded it, covered the entire panel, and made me fly COM maneuvers that way. Astonishingly, I flew BETTER on those maneuvers that way. It took a while, but I got de-programmed from staring at the panel. Hope this helps.

TM

[C310RCaptian]

Turbo that’s exactly what I had to do. I would put sticky note over the instruments. Another thing I would do is screw up the altimeter, DG and attitude indicator so they ere nowhere near right. I also practiced landings without an airspeed indicator. Works wonders….and makes you a better pilot. Another option(if available) rent an airplane that has very few instruments. Just VFR only panel. That works too. To this day I still find myself looking at the gauges more than I really should but then again I am rarely not on an IFR flight plan. 

[fireflyr]

Yep, what Turbo says works wonders,  on more than one occasion I've taken a sectional, covered the entire panel and made the student learn the feel, sights,and sounds of all phases of flight and when they are comfortable with that, the transition back and forth becomes easy.  Go out and practice everything including takeoff and landing with your references completely outside the cockpit.
 
Now if you're talking about the transition at DH, the ONLY instrument you might want to cross check would be the airspeed indicator and since you've been in a stable approach all the way down the ILS AND if you've become comfortable with the above procedure, you won't feel compelled to look inside for anything other than an A/S check, if that!

Of course if you're doing a circling approach, you'll have to expand your scan to include the altimeter but that too will be easier if you're comfortable flying with your eyes outside.

[Turbomallard]

The other side of this, for me, was getting back on track with IFR skills. I never used the rating more than a handfull of times after I got it, and though I always kept current on paper so I could file in a pinch while aloft if I got into unexpected conditions, I was more than rusty. Then last fall I decided to go for my CFII and had to relearn everything. What a pain in the tail feathers! I spent over 20 hours getting back in the saddle. I've given 10-15 hours of dual for instrument work, and filed once for a simple flight in actual, but that's been it in the last two months since I got the rating. Next week I'm taking my Arrow on a trip from Illinois to Florida (assuming they get the damned annual done), and am quite intimidated about filing, should I have to... especially flying the last leg down the Florida coast to PMP. (Though to be realistic, that probably won't happen... if it's IFR weather, it will be due to storms, which will be a no-go anyway).

TM

[happylanding]

For all you instrument rated folks, how do you switch from instrument flight to visual flight?   

One of the fastest things you can do, without actually changing anything in the instrument, is placing a paper in front of them. before my PPL exam I was out making steep turns with an instructor, and it happened that I kept losing altitude because of the idea of looking at them instead of outside. I used some paper and some chewing gum. It actually worked out.

[Ted_Stryker]

I concur with the advice given... cover up the panel.

I bring some cling-film style instrument covers, which one should carry with you even after you have a rating.  If you get an instrument that goes inop on you, it can really help to just cover it up so you don't accidentally use bad information as input to your flying.  Case in point, an attitude indicator which is starting to fail can give a false reading without being in complete failure mode.  Being able to cover it up forces you to use your other instruments, and if you are in the clag for real, it can save your life.

I remember when I started my Instrument training... it was hard to remember to stay inside on the panel at first, then you go the opposite way... eventually one learns to switch around without difficulty, but it does take practice.  Hang in there

If you want some fun, have your CFII do a 0/0 takeoff with you (in VMC with you under the hood).  It'll get your attention!!  Then, go up on a day where things are close to minimums... and do it without the hood/foggles on.  My first time doing those items ... well... let's just say that my shirt was soaked with sweat... but both were lessons well learned

Most of all... have fun flying... that's why we do it in the first place, right?

[happylanding]

I concur with the advice given... cover up the panel.

Just do not forget that in summer it is quite hot...and a chewing gum is not really the best thing to scratch away from the panel

[Ted_Stryker]

I concur with the advice given... cover up the panel.

Just do not forget that in summer it is quite hot...and a chewing gum is not really the best thing to scratch away from the panel

Hmm... sounds like someone got some talking to by a maintenance crewperson 

Good things to use are 3M Post-It notepad paper, and the type I use that is the vynil plastic peel and stick which both come off clean, don't require licking (or chewing  ) , and are cheap.  I've even seen instrument dial shaped versions of the 3M Post-It notepads, making them even more user friendly.  Of course, the vynil peel and stick can be used over and over again.  Cost was a whopping $3.00 USD for ten of them.

Just curious... to remove the gum... did you try peanut butter?  The oils release the gum more easily, then you can simply use some glass cleaner afterwards... for future reference 

[Inept]

thanks for all the advice.   covering the panel is helping, but I still find myself glancing down to look at something, only to find a black cover, but it is coming along.   Thanks alot for the help.

[happylanding]

Just curious... to remove the gum... did you try peanut butter?  The oils release the gum more easily, then you can simply use some glass cleaner afterwards... for future reference 

No, it was just a scratch scratch with my nails!!! but I will remember about peanut butter if I ever need to use a chewing gum again to stick something and I do not have 3M in sight!!! 

[fliboye]

a Peek is worth a thousand crosschecks..


when you move your head don't move your hands. you have to train yourself to do this kind of like not looking at the keyboard when yopu type.

[fireflyr]

a Peek is worth a thousand crosschecks..


when you move your head don't move your hands. you have to train yourself to do this kind of like not looking at the keyboard when yopu type.

"like not looking at the keyboard when YUPO type"   HAAAHAAA   YUPO----good example!!!

[fliboye]

and when I learn to type I will be a pyliot