Baron, because of this guy (Eric) I flew my Cherokee Six down to Saint Aviation from Denver, CO as well and picked one of them up. I thought of you guys while I was down there this past week. I just flew the bird back to Denver yesterday with the Dynon, Trutrak, and Avidyne systems freshly installed. Like my mechanic tells me, "it's only money, don't worry about it!" LOL
@@BaronPilot Yes, the Avidyne is incredible. I also watched your videos since you first got it installed and introduced it to us. Let me know if you are ever in the Denver area so that I can take you to my restaurant (Jabanero's Mexican Grill) in Aurora, CO. Thanks for your videos also. All of you guys are my cable TV LOL.
Flying at 150+ mph with no forward visibility, is just always going to freak humans out. The learning process is learning to trust all of the abstract (to your autonomous nervous system) devices and procedures that will keep you safe in a situation that every fiber of your body is telling you is extremely dangerous.
As an experienced pilot (over 18000 hours) it was interesting to watch your procedures. In IFR. Your autopilot is your friend and gives you the ability to better monitor rather than concentrating on hand flying. Very good job on a NPA also smart to bring along an observer on your first IMC actual flight. Having this video to review after is also very reassuring for you to understand your capabilities. One last thing good job at picking the right weather conditions to get your feet wet. Safe flying.
I could feel the IMC dread going down my spine just watching your facial expressions! Unfortunately there’s no cure for it, you can only try to manage it. During my instrument training, we lost the vacuum pump as I was setting up an LDA approach in low IFR (My CFII wrote a Kindle ebook about it!). That experience really scarred me but it was my single most valuable flight training lesson to this date. First, Don’t wait until you’re in the soup to transition to instruments. That sudden move from VMC to IMC is always unsettling. Second, focus on your breathing. Explore yoga breathing, it’s really effective (and I don’t even like yoga!) And finally, try to build as much actual IMC hours as you can. Flying under the hood just doesn’t have the same psychological effect of flying in actual IMC. Love the videos! Keep ‘em coming.
My very first time in the left seat of a Piper Warrior during a "get hooked on airplanes" flight we departed from KSEE in the early afternoon, around 2pm and headed north to mess around a bit, scattered clouds that day so CFI Brian decided to climb and get high. We then headed NE and worked our way up to 9,000 feet, which in the Piper took a little while as that trusty IO360 labored her way up. We eventually leveled off, pulled back the power in glass-smooth air with sparkly sun and killer blue sky. I realized I had been kind of holding my breath all the way up, so I finally relaxed, settled into the seat, looked around, (basically because I had been flying the plane, for the first time in my life) and felt this euphoric wave of peace settle over me. I looked over at Brian and said something like "Wow...I get it, this is it, this is why..." trailing off in I don't know... first-time pilot/flying bliss. Brian paused for a moment then laconically said "Yup". Basically, because there was nothing more to be said. You don't know until you know. There's only one way to find out and that is to go there. Well, simply put, the hooks were set deeply and permanently. That was five years ago, and in my mind, five minutes ago. So I was high on aviation. Upon reflection, perhaps a bit low on O2 also, I had become very accustomed to breathing chunky SanDiego sea-level air, and popping up to 9,000 feet was a bit of a shock to the system. Maybe that was part of the plan. In any case, we were only going to be up for an hour - it was time to head home so we made a long right turn to the SW to head back to KSEE. Now if you have ever done west coast flying there's this thing called the "Marine Layer". We were looking down at a solid, and I mean solid floor of clouds. It took literally 20 minutes to move in from the coast and totally sock in everything. Of course, I'm still flying the plane. I glance and Brian and say "ummm, ok, clouds,...now what?".. He says "just hold this heading, start descending at 500 fpm, and give me that book in the pouch by your left leg"... He starts flipping pages looking for the KSEE IFR approach plate. Then he says "well, it looks like your first time up will also include an IFR approach and landing at Gillespie". I was like "COOL!, what do I need to do?" "Just fly the plane for now, while I do some radio work". Meanwhile, we're still descending and approaching the muck. I'm a little worried, but confident in Brian's abilities, and I hear over the radio that ATC gave us a new heading. Brian says "OK, time for me to fly, I have the plane". I reply "you have the plane". I sit back and watch him get really busy in a quiet business-like way. Then I look outside and everything goes gray and murky in an instant. At that moment, that very moment, I felt this huge wave of calm and peacefulness wash over me as the universe got small and intimate. The big crazy world and all its randomness went away and in an instant, I was in this little world that made total sense to me. I had all these fascinating steam gauges, (backed up by a byzantine Garmin GS430 full of mysteries) and it all was immensely reassuring. Not a worry or care at all. Honestly, I liked this part more than the VFR, because now I had total control, and could trust the instruments, instead of my eyes. It seems strange but that's how I felt. Instantly comfortable, and at home like this is where I was always supposed to be, and I never knew it, because how could I? You don't know until you know. We worked our way down through the various turns and approach points finally dropping below deck, perfectly lined up with 27R, not far ahead, with a stable rate of descent, flaps set, about 70kts. We landed. Tired, and energized, relieved and happy, as only you can feel after an IFR approach and landing. Five years ago, five minutes ago. I miss it, dearly.
Great writing! I feel like I can relate, especially when I trained on glass avionics. I never had a problem with flying in IMC because I felt more comfortable keeping my attention inside. In fact, it was hard for me to do standard private pilot maneuvers at first because I kept my head in the plane!
@@SoCalFlyingMonkey I think it'd called cycle breathing. Inhale for 4 secs. Hold 4 secs. Exhale 4 secs. Hold 4 secs. Repeat - it works really well for lowering heart rate, it's something we are taught in the service.
I really like the human aspect of your channel. The mistakes you make and the emotions you're having are all part of the learning process, instead of something to be embarrassed about.
Love the videos. I feel the same way when departing on a flight with IMC. Once I am in the soup, It takes me a minute or two (especially climbing into IMC vs. descending) to feel comfortable. Once I am comfortable, I feel a huge sense of accomplishment as a pilot at the end of a successful approach.
Can I just say how amazing it is when you show the tower calls on a map!! Thank you!! I suck at radio communication and seeing what I’m hearing is amazing. Thanks again!
As a "virtual safety pilot," that was probably one of the easiest IFR flights I have followed. Through your "thinking out loud," I was able to both view and hear each aspects of your phases of flight in order to stay ahead of the airplane. With this social distancing "thang" going on, I was able to pull up the chart before the flight. Once rolling, CRAFT and observing you as you transitioned through phases was really easy. Excellent video.
Never had that feeling. I m a PPL SEP VFR only...I ve stopped flying since 3 years now. But when I was still flying, I used to take a friend of mine who was checking for traffic outside while I willingly blocked my view in front of the plane to simulate IMC. I did a lot of approaches back to my home airport on ILS. I m a child of flight simulation so had a bad habits of flying with instruments when I started my PPL training so I struggled initally keeping my eyes outside susprisingly. But when it came to instruments flying, it felt natural to me because I simply trusted my instruments and forgot all my other senses just focusing on the instruments and relying them is the best thing you could do and you did it well. Thanks for this great video....love it!
My flight instructor was an old school Navy guy, and since we were flying in the Pacific NW, he would sneak in some time under the hood starting from my very first flight. Just a few seconds at first, then a minute, then a few minutes. He probably saved my life as I had a series of events that led me to being in full IFR on my student long cross country. This was all a long time ago, but the point is that my instructor was wise and made me comfortable with "the feeling" from the get go. Therefore, I always felt safe an in control in actual IMC when that came down the road in my IFR training and later flying. I highly recommend that teaching technique to any CFI's out there.
I was a CFI/II/MEI, and airline pilot for a very long time, and have been flying A320/21’s at my current airline for over 15 years and the proud owner of a PA32/300 (although east coast style, yo;) I STILL have pucker factor in the clouds when I’m by myself in my airplane. (010ovc is my personal min in my Cherokee)I think that will never go away for you. It hasn’t for me. Great videos!! My 13year old son and I love them and have been a subscriber.
In 1972, while at Camarillo High School, we towed my 1954 Chevy down that runway 'til it started ! Before it was Camarillo Airport but After it was Oxnard A.F.B. Great memories. Also, could do TWO touch and goes in a C-150 on each pass the runway was so long . 9,000 ft. Now it's about 6,000 ft. I think my dad flew at Whiteman in the late '40s and '50s. My brother in law drag raced a 1967 Camaro at Whiteman in 1969 or 70 (I was there). Small world, Nice flight and I have never been bothered by IMC but my instructors were Navy fighter pilots. They instilled large Cajones , FAITH in the instruments and a dose of common sense. Fun to see Southern Cal again from above the traffic . Thanks !
love the honesty regarding the IMC dread in this video...while it may be old, it serves as a good resource for pilots who suffer the same. Great commentary below as well. Good to see we are not alone lol.
I have had an IR for a decade but had not used it in actual until the last couple of years, after having more training. I also am anxious for a minute or two and then love it. Just found your channel and like the content. Thanks
Having everything set up with your fmc and not looking out your side window at cloud's moving will help stop your anxiety getting into the zone on your instrumentation is key also knowing your terrain gives you a sense of confidence
Heck, I am not a pilot just an aviation enthusiast in my 50's. I have flown with many friends as a passenger in their airplanes and every time we do enter the soup I feel that way. What's amazing is sometimes when we bust out of the clouds and boom there is the runway 1sm out I love it. Great Job sir may you and your family be safe. Getting the plates for the approach was awesome.
its a big deal! congrats! situational awareness is much better now that we have all those pictures on the instrument panel. I took my instrument in 1995 with JC Brown, the 86 year old CFI who gave Orville Wright his check ride in a DC3. (i kid you not). My oral was invaded by the FAA, AND MY ORAL took four hours. By the time the joker from the FAA had departed, the weather started to deteriorate. So we got half way through it and all of sudden we were solid IFR (which aint supposed to happen) So i flew the ILS down to 100 feet, had controllers screaming at me, did a VOR APPROACH, NBD, and did everything to perfection except a certain procedure turn AT THE END. it was a mess. At the end, JC Brown told me it was a pleasure flying with me, which was a high compliment. The key thing is proper planning. The more you understand before you kick the tires, the more relaxing it will be. So my first actual was my CHECKRIDE. GOOD LUK!
My first time in IMC turned into an ILS to mins. Foggy, low overcast, a serious day, rainy, no convection. Even experienced "the leans" first-hand, overpowering spatial disorientation, a great lesson in staying on the gauges.
Best Channel for GA, love your talk throughout the video,, my vote for best New up and coming TH-camr. really down to earth explanations and experiences.
I’ve been flying as a commercial helicopter pilot for the last 22 years. Actual IMC is a lot of fun when you are proficient and look to push yourself by practicing flying in the soup. It is definitely a tangible skill that can’t be taken lightly, by only doing it once in a while. I look forward to transiting to the fixed wing world as a private pilot. I really enjoy the graphics of your glass panel and how you show the overlays and actually how you will be navigating and flying the approach. Excellent video! Keep them coming!
Thanks for watching and thanks for the feedback about the graphics. They are on eof the more time consuming elements to add so it is nice to know that you enjoy them and reinforces that they are worth the effort. More to come soon!
I was surprised to hear that you as well get a sense of dread and have those thoughts of "I just want out" upon entering IMC initially. I too have faced this and it can be very intimidating, even though I know everything I need to know to stay safe. Thanks for being brave enough to admit that, it helps to know i'm not alone in that lol.
That was SUPER educational and thanks for showing a "real life" flight where your route wasn't perfect and you had to make some compensations. Good pacing in your video too. Well done as always!
Great content so far. (I just reached your question about entering IMC.) I don't necessarily have a sense of dread, but this moment is the most intense part of any IFR flight into actual conditions for me. Like you, after a couple minutes of intense scanning, I relax into it and thoroughly enjoy the experience. I get more nervous climbing into a low cloud layer then when shooting an approach to mins. THIS is the critical moment of any IFR flight.
Simply excellent! Your sequence of and selection of shots, editing, captioning, and commentary, made this particular video both engaging and educational. Wow!
Subscribed after watching your video. I really liked how you explain things during the flight, many other videos do not and for us who are planning on going to school makes alot of difference. Keep them videos coming. Also, that HDX is awesome. I was all excited seing everything it can do
The production quality of your videos is simply fantastic...quality, humility, real life...best seen to date! As a fellow aviation enthusiast...thank you for sharing.
Great video and yes on the dreading the thought of entering IMC and especially hand flying the aircraft and on old steam gauges...the worst. Once I punched my IFR ticket, every flight I took for 4 months was solid IFR end to end. However, much the same experience. Once in the IMC and settled down, I'd get in the zone and actually enjoy the flight. I enjoy the coverage of an IFR clearance that I pretty much always file IFR...and they close my flight plan 😋
I am only 14 hours into getting my Private license up here in NorCal. I don't know from experience but I think I will enjoy flying in the clouds. Your videos always make flying in any situation look fun.
Great video! Refreshing to watch a video which shows your honest reactions and mistakes and not just some edited flight which goes perfectly well. And the new avionics rig just adds another level of situational awareness to the whole flight.. Subscribed
Really enjoyed your video. I think you did a good job on the VOR-A approach. I had similar experiences into KPOC and it was IMC the whole time from KLGB to KPOC (ILS), got vectored around many times so spatial disorientation is real and these video's are a great example. Was flying CE-172SP G1000 but felt hypoxic without seeing a horizon. At a situation when I should have gone missed floating down the runway I choose to land coz my brain couldn't handle the missed approach. Its always safe to fly with another pair of eyes let alone another pilot.
Brief, brief and brief. My dread pretty much ended when someone explained anxiety is really just facing the unknown. With IMC I worried that I would be overwhelmed if I didn't prepare for the variables. So I started looking at all the most likely scenarios (yes there are a few of them) but.... you learn what to expect because there is still only so many things a controller can throw at you. I think that is where a little arrogance can be a good thing. If you know you honestly briefed the flight and did it correctly its fair to approach it with a bit of bravado. The secret is to do enough different approaches to keep it fresh and interesting and learn the possibilities so you have a expanded tool set in your brain. All this became fact to me when I have on occasion failed to brief the flight and that anxiety sneak in because I rushed it and knew it. I didn't brief so i didn't know what to expect. IFR is now more of a serious Game and interesting to see what surprises happen.
I share your sentiments about entering IMC conditions, I’m apprehensive every time, as if I can feel my blood pressure rising. Makes me focus on my scan and after a minute or so I’m completely relaxed. I’ve had an IFR rating for about three years now. I really enjoy your videos, nice job!
I would like to comment on the last statement you made about trusting the data. Always back up the data with situational awareness. Just to give you a small example I had the GPWS go off (too low terrain) climbing through 7000 feet in a 737 on a dark and dirty night ,IMC since rotation. Now did we climb what was giving us bad information. First clue the rad alt was reading Zero feet , both alts were reading seven thousand feet, final conformation the cabin pressure alt was showing a cabin differential. I know that modern equipment is very reliable but always keep your head in the game. I am glad that as a successful person you are taking your journey into flying is such a professional way. Cheers
I am really enjoying your channel found it last week keep up the great videos stay safe out there
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I don’t know how many IMC hours you already have but your skills are excellent. As far as I am concerned, with my nearly 300 hours in IMC (with more than 1500 total time) I am still always focused on instruments each time that I fly in IMC. In my case it is not stress but a state of maximum concentration to remain very vigilant on the conditions encountered (temperature, icing, engine, ...). It is perfectly normal in the clouds to experience a different sensation. It is this situational awareness that keeps your ability to make relevant decisions and which keeps you alive. Fly safe 🛩😎
Thank you for sharing. This is a great video. Yes entering clouds is always nerve racking but focusing on the instruments and planning ahead helps to over come those feelings. Your videos are very helpful!
You keep my flame for aviation alive when I am forced to wait :3 amazing content! I aspire to have the same life style. Thank you for keeping me company and upload the amazing content!
It is def fun to have it...there is something I miss about the steam gauges and I think it's having exactly what you need in front of you- no more, no less. This display has A LOT of great info but a lot of it is superfluous for portions of the flight. I really love it but occasionally get nostalgic for the traditional 6 pack.. :)
I appreciated your opening line "I must overcome my IMC nerves". Fact is, initially everyone has them as others have said. You would have to be a kinda crazy not to since its not natural to fly without outside reference. But we mostly have the tools to make it perfectly safe. Embracing that fact and adding to it the mental picture of what a flight would look like (+/-) before I left the ground gives me a different challenge on the task at hand. That kind of focus changes my approach to IFR to really look forward to the challenge. I think there is also a little overemphasis during VFR training (rightly so) to demonize inadvertent flight into IMC. That said, you could never over prepare for flight into IFR. It also makes me a better pilot since I am over prepared (hopefully) for every flight. Rock on!
Preparation is definitely key. I try to think about the whole flight on the way to the airport and run through the likeliest scenarios in my mind. I always look over the approach plates thoroughly on the ground and just get as familiar as possible with everything.
New to your videos. Beautiful review of the Dynon. Great job updating the 6. Keep the comedy, love your taste. Love your chart overlays and markups and narration. What a welcome addition to the flight tubing community!
Yep, right when I transition from VMC to IMC, I’ve started transitioning to gauges well in advance while still in VMC as that seems to make the actual transition less an issue.... Good job!!!
I feel EXACTLY like that when entering imc. I've found staring hard at the instruments as I approach the clouds keeps my seat dry. Wearing a ball cap like a practice hood while in the clouds keeps me more calm too. Haha I thought I was the only one. Thanks for sharing. Cheers
Nice job! Totally normal "errors" on that approach. Didn't hear your landing checklist though... excellent situational awareness and a beautiful plane. Thanks for the video!
Some of earliest flying experience was as a young guy in the right seat under IMC in various light and medium twins, a sort of almost human auto-pilot! I copped loads of shit from flying instructors later about my use of instruments and not using the visual horizon. I loved IMC and still love it.
I get that feeling as well.. it never goes away... but when I am in the soup and I am handling the plane like a boss it reminds me I CAN DO IT!! and it feels awesome... I fly into socal quite a bit with my family... I own a Piper Navajo...before I had a cherokee 6XT and I loved it... take a flight up to Utah or when I come down to socal and let's go up in the Navajo... I'm sure you will love it
That IFR flying and approach was a joy to watch. I am hoping to start IFR training soon and maybe someday I will be enjoying a panel like that as well. Keep up the good content! and be safe in these unusual times.
Thank you! IFR training was so difficult at first and then one day it totally just clicked. It can seem really overwhelming at first so if that happens to you, just stick with it!
Loved the video. I received my instrument rating 10 years ago on steam gauges and I just joined a flying club that has the same Dynon and an Avidyne 540 panels. Was it a difficult transition from analog to glass?
Eric, I've been watching your videos quite a lot to pre-learn the Dynon and Trutrak system. Happy to say that, thanks to you, I flew my Cherokee Six from Denver, CO down to Jesse and team at Saint Aviation the 1st of June and flew it back to Denver yesterday with the new Dynon, Trutrak, and Avidyne installed. While I was down there in Florida, I flew it down to Miami and picked up the coastal transition at 500 or below. The scenery was spectacular! I recorded the entire event and I'll let you know when I edit and post the new videos. Thanks a lot for helping me choose the best option. You were right, that Dynon HDX is amazing! I almost paid a whole lot more for a Garmin G3X.
Raul, I'm so glad my videos were helpful for you. I hope you enjoy that new panel!!! I have absolutely loved the HDX system. Just flew an IFR flight out of Santa Barbara today and all the awesome features of these systems were so helpful and made the flying so fun. Keep in touch and let me know your thoughts after a few months with it!
I own a steam gauge Cherokee 180, with an old Apollo IFR enroute GPS. I use my iPad with ForeFlight. My few times in actual IMC have been intense and exhausting. I can see that even a simple autopilot can greatly reduce workload. Ya, my hands started sweating a bit when you first went IMC. That Dynon/Avidyne system with the Tru Track looks awesome.
It's a great system. Having flown without an autopilot in hours of continuous IMC I can definitely say that an autopilot is a great asset. The TT does well to reduce workload.
@@SoCalFlyingMonkey very true , never flown an aircraft with that much kit , most i have flown is the Aspen EFIS unit , they are great , GPS steer is brilliant. I have done 3 flying holidays in the California area, favourite airfields are cottonwood, flagstaff, santa monica , . Visited many airfields, your blessed to fly in such a beautiful part of the states . Stay safe . Rob
The IMC dread feeling. I can definitely relate to it... I’ve found however the more you do it it kind of helps it alleviate it but still the feeling is always the same.
@@SoCalFlyingMonkey Same here... It just gets better overtime. At least you have electronic instruments which are more reliable than gyros when it comes to mechanical issues.
Nice Job! Keep up the good work, and don’t give up. I just got my instrument in sept, and now am trying to stay ahead of the currency game and get some IMC time. Anxiety is normal and expected. Use that AP more too, once you get more proficient hand flying. It is a huge help and even though mine is a single axis, I’m sooo happy I have it for instrument flying. You have the makings of a good instrument pilot, really you do, keep it up!
I had gone into IMC for about 10 seconds once and totally didn't see it coming. I also went into a bit of a panic mode really quickly (I don't have my instrument). I had autopilot set to heading and altitude mode so, I was about to change the heading to back 180 degrees because it was fine back there where I just was. Before I started to do that, I was out of it and I was relieved. I was in a class C airspace and was using flight following, I am just glad that I was. If you don't like what you see (or don't see) and you are uncomfortable, just turn around.
Great video. I also have and had dread going into IMC. I do about the same thing as you. Focus on the instruments and tell myself to relax, everything's good, relax and in a short period of time it goes away.
Yeah that dread feeling is very common. You are not alone there. It took me a while to overcome it too. One way is to not watch the clouds coming at you as you enter IMC. Just get into your scan even while you are still VMC. That will keep you on task and help eliminate that feeling.
Eric, excellent video. Nice editing and love how you talk about your anxiety that we all get when we don't do this as the day job. Thanks for sharing. It is very interesting to see how your setup and workflow is compared to garmin stack.
I was a student pilot back in 2012 and I was getting that dread feeling you are talking about just about every time I was going up. I was nearing my solo cross country flights and it just scared me too much. I never overcame my uncomfortableness and actually stopped flight training altogether. I miss it and wish I could have gotten over that hurdle.
I have similar dread climbing into clouds. I believe my most anxious feelings come at climb while getting turn vectors. I have only flown with other instrument pilots so I really hope this anxiety dissipates as I begin my instrument training.
Holy cow, I caught me holding my breath as you passed over VNY and made your turn towards KWHP. You probably don't get socked in as much in the valley, but still great you have your IFR license. Great video.
@@SoCalFlyingMonkey YUP! When we had the marine layer out at Camarillo, we would fly out to Fox Field to do training. Fun to go out there on a hot day and catch thermals.
Nice job. I really like that HDX!!
Thanks! Me too- it’s awesome.
Baron, because of this guy (Eric) I flew my Cherokee Six down to Saint Aviation from Denver, CO as well and picked one of them up. I thought of you guys while I was down there this past week. I just flew the bird back to Denver yesterday with the Dynon, Trutrak, and Avidyne systems freshly installed. Like my mechanic tells me, "it's only money, don't worry about it!" LOL
Raul Cartagena awesome!! I know you will love it! I’m sure you know how I feel about my Avidyne IFDs! 🍻
@@BaronPilot Yes, the Avidyne is incredible. I also watched your videos since you first got it installed and introduced it to us. Let me know if you are ever in the Denver area so that I can take you to my restaurant (Jabanero's Mexican Grill) in Aurora, CO. Thanks for your videos also. All of you guys are my cable TV LOL.
Raul Cartagena not sure when I will be in the area but I look forward to when I am 👍🏼
Not enough pilots talk about overcoming that overwhelming anxiety as you’re learning, and how to work through that. Thanks for sharing!
Flying at 150+ mph with no forward visibility, is just always going to freak humans out. The learning process is learning to trust all of the abstract (to your autonomous nervous system) devices and procedures that will keep you safe in a situation that every fiber of your body is telling you is extremely dangerous.
As an experienced pilot (over 18000 hours) it was interesting to watch your procedures. In IFR. Your autopilot is your friend and gives you the ability to better monitor rather than concentrating on hand flying. Very good job on a NPA also smart to bring along an observer on your first IMC actual flight. Having this video to review after is also very reassuring for you to understand your capabilities.
One last thing good job at picking the right weather conditions to get your feet wet.
Safe flying.
18K hours?! Holy F**K!
@@sandsrealestatewest663 Pretty normal for a career pilot.
I could feel the IMC dread going down my spine just watching your facial expressions! Unfortunately there’s no cure for it, you can only try to manage it. During my instrument training, we lost the vacuum pump as I was setting up an LDA approach in low IFR (My CFII wrote a Kindle ebook about it!). That experience really scarred me but it was my single most valuable flight training lesson to this date.
First, Don’t wait until you’re in the soup to transition to instruments. That sudden move from VMC to IMC is always unsettling. Second, focus on your breathing. Explore yoga breathing, it’s really effective (and I don’t even like yoga!) And finally, try to build as much actual IMC hours as you can. Flying under the hood just doesn’t have the same psychological effect of flying in actual IMC.
Love the videos! Keep ‘em coming.
SO many great tips in this comment Thank you!
My very first time in the left seat of a Piper Warrior during a "get hooked on airplanes" flight we departed from KSEE in the early afternoon, around 2pm and headed north to mess around a bit, scattered clouds that day so CFI Brian decided to climb and get high. We then headed NE and worked our way up to 9,000 feet, which in the Piper took a little while as that trusty IO360 labored her way up. We eventually leveled off, pulled back the power in glass-smooth air with sparkly sun and killer blue sky.
I realized I had been kind of holding my breath all the way up, so I finally relaxed, settled into the seat, looked around, (basically because I had been flying the plane, for the first time in my life) and felt this euphoric wave of peace settle over me. I looked over at Brian and said something like "Wow...I get it, this is it, this is why..." trailing off in I don't know... first-time pilot/flying bliss. Brian paused for a moment then laconically said "Yup". Basically, because there was nothing more to be said.
You don't know until you know.
There's only one way to find out and that is to go there.
Well, simply put, the hooks were set deeply and permanently. That was five years ago, and in my mind, five minutes ago.
So I was high on aviation. Upon reflection, perhaps a bit low on O2 also, I had become very accustomed to breathing chunky SanDiego sea-level air, and popping up to 9,000 feet was a bit of a shock to the system. Maybe that was part of the plan. In any case, we were only going to be up for an hour - it was time to head home so we made a long right turn to the SW to head back to KSEE. Now if you have ever done west coast flying there's this thing called the "Marine Layer". We were looking down at a solid, and I mean solid floor of clouds. It took literally 20 minutes to move in from the coast and totally sock in everything. Of course, I'm still flying the plane. I glance and Brian and say "ummm, ok, clouds,...now what?".. He says "just hold this heading, start descending at 500 fpm, and give me that book in the pouch by your left leg"...
He starts flipping pages looking for the KSEE IFR approach plate.
Then he says "well, it looks like your first time up will also include an IFR approach and landing at Gillespie".
I was like "COOL!, what do I need to do?"
"Just fly the plane for now, while I do some radio work".
Meanwhile, we're still descending and approaching the muck. I'm a little worried, but confident in Brian's abilities, and I hear over the radio that ATC gave us a new heading. Brian says "OK, time for me to fly, I have the plane".
I reply "you have the plane". I sit back and watch him get really busy in a quiet business-like way. Then I look outside and everything goes gray and murky in an instant.
At that moment, that very moment, I felt this huge wave of calm and peacefulness wash over me as the universe got small and intimate. The big crazy world and all its randomness went away and in an instant, I was in this little world that made total sense to me. I had all these fascinating steam gauges, (backed up by a byzantine Garmin GS430 full of mysteries) and it all was immensely reassuring. Not a worry or care at all.
Honestly, I liked this part more than the VFR, because now I had total control, and could trust the instruments, instead of my eyes. It seems strange but that's how I felt. Instantly comfortable, and at home like this is where I was always supposed to be, and I never knew it, because how could I?
You don't know until you know.
We worked our way down through the various turns and approach points finally dropping below deck, perfectly lined up with 27R, not far ahead, with a stable rate of descent, flaps set, about 70kts.
We landed.
Tired, and energized, relieved and happy, as only you can feel after an IFR approach and landing.
Five years ago, five minutes ago.
I miss it, dearly.
I love this story. It is so well written. Thank you for sharing it. I hope one day soon you can get back in a plane and enjoy the sky again.
Great writing
Extremely well written! Loved it!
Great writing! I feel like I can relate, especially when I trained on glass avionics. I never had a problem with flying in IMC because I felt more comfortable keeping my attention inside. In fact, it was hard for me to do standard private pilot maneuvers at first because I kept my head in the plane!
That is a busy and intellectual flight. It is amazing how much more we learn by reviewing the flight video we made. Enjoy the skies!
I control my breathing by inhaling and holding for two seconds and release and repeating till the anxiousness goes away. Works for me. Great videos
Good tip thank you!
@@SoCalFlyingMonkey I think it'd called cycle breathing. Inhale for 4 secs. Hold 4 secs. Exhale 4 secs. Hold 4 secs. Repeat - it works really well for lowering heart rate, it's something we are taught in the service.
I really like the human aspect of your channel. The mistakes you make and the emotions you're having are all part of the learning process, instead of something to be embarrassed about.
Thank you. :)
Love the videos. I feel the same way when departing on a flight with IMC. Once I am in the soup, It takes me a minute or two (especially climbing into IMC vs. descending) to feel comfortable. Once I am comfortable, I feel a huge sense of accomplishment as a pilot at the end of a successful approach.
I'm right there with you. I guess that is one of the reasons I really love flying IFR/IMC. It is extremely rewarding.
Can I just say how amazing it is when you show the tower calls on a map!! Thank you!! I suck at radio communication and seeing what I’m hearing is amazing. Thanks again!
Thank you for commenting on that. It is so great to know that this is useful and I should continue in the future. Thanks for watching!
@@SoCalFlyingMonkey Very useful!! Hardest part for me for some reason.
As a "virtual safety pilot," that was probably one of the easiest IFR flights I have followed. Through your "thinking out loud," I was able to both view and hear each aspects of your phases of flight in order to stay ahead of the airplane.
With this social distancing "thang" going on, I was able to pull up the chart before the flight. Once rolling, CRAFT and observing you as you transitioned through phases was really easy.
Excellent video.
Never had that feeling. I m a PPL SEP VFR only...I ve stopped flying since 3 years now. But when I was still flying, I used to take a friend of mine who was checking for traffic outside while I willingly blocked my view in front of the plane to simulate IMC. I did a lot of approaches back to my home airport on ILS. I m a child of flight simulation so had a bad habits of flying with instruments when I started my PPL training so I struggled initally keeping my eyes outside susprisingly. But when it came to instruments flying, it felt natural to me because I simply trusted my instruments and forgot all my other senses just focusing on the instruments and relying them is the best thing you could do and you did it well. Thanks for this great video....love it!
I love how you overlay your clearance on the map for us. No one else does it and it’s such a great visual for student pilots. 👍
Thanks for that specific feedback. It's great to know!
Agreed! I feel the same way flying into IMC. After a few minutes, it's like I'm not even moving. All my focus is in the airplane.
Outstanding video showing so much of what a pilot faces when in IMC.
Instant subscribe!
Thank you for the sub!!
Good video. Your honesty on your initial feelings upon entering IMC are appreciated. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for the comment. I appreciate it!
My flight instructor was an old school Navy guy, and since we were flying in the Pacific NW, he would sneak in some time under the hood starting from my very first flight. Just a few seconds at first, then a minute, then a few minutes. He probably saved my life as I had a series of events that led me to being in full IFR on my student long cross country. This was all a long time ago, but the point is that my instructor was wise and made me comfortable with "the feeling" from the get go. Therefore, I always felt safe an in control in actual IMC when that came down the road in my IFR training and later flying. I highly recommend that teaching technique to any CFI's out there.
I was a CFI/II/MEI, and airline pilot for a very long time, and have been flying A320/21’s at my current airline for over 15 years and the proud owner of a PA32/300 (although east coast style, yo;) I STILL have pucker factor in the clouds when I’m by myself in my airplane. (010ovc is my personal min in my Cherokee)I think that will never go away for you. It hasn’t for me. Great videos!! My 13year old son and I love them and have been a subscriber.
In 1972, while at Camarillo High School, we towed my 1954 Chevy down that runway 'til it started ! Before it was Camarillo Airport but After it was Oxnard A.F.B. Great memories. Also, could do TWO touch and goes in a C-150 on each pass the runway was so long . 9,000 ft. Now it's about 6,000 ft. I think my dad flew at Whiteman in the late '40s and '50s. My brother in law drag raced a 1967 Camaro at Whiteman in 1969 or 70 (I was there). Small world, Nice flight and I have never been bothered by IMC but my instructors were Navy fighter pilots. They instilled large Cajones , FAITH in the instruments and a dose of common sense. Fun to see Southern Cal again from above the traffic . Thanks !
Thanks for sharing your story. It must have been super fun to fly around that area back then!
Love your channel....love your honesty!
Thanks so much!
love the honesty regarding the IMC dread in this video...while it may be old, it serves as a good resource for pilots who suffer the same. Great commentary below as well. Good to see we are not alone lol.
GREAT video, important to face the anxiety of IMC with total clarity
Thanks!
I have had an IR for a decade but had not used it in actual until the last couple of years, after having more training. I also am anxious for a minute or two and then love it. Just found your channel and like the content. Thanks
I hope that tense feeling never goes away because it prevents complacency. Thanks for watching!
It was great to see an IFR approach to my home airport for the first time. Awesome!
Having everything set up with your fmc and not looking out your side window at cloud's moving will help stop your anxiety getting into the zone on your instrumentation is key also knowing your terrain gives you a sense of confidence
Exact same response, especially the “I don’t want to be here” feeling but then settle in and love it.
It's nice to know others have the same process!
Yes! I felt this anxiety for the first time in an accidental VFR into IMC situation. The feeling of dread and panic at first is overwhelming.
Heck, I am not a pilot just an aviation enthusiast in my 50's. I have flown with many friends as a passenger in their airplanes and every time we do enter the soup I feel that way. What's amazing is sometimes when we bust out of the clouds and boom there is the runway 1sm out I love it. Great Job sir may you and your family be safe. Getting the plates for the approach was awesome.
its a big deal! congrats! situational awareness is much better now that we have all those pictures on the instrument panel. I took my instrument in 1995 with JC Brown, the 86 year old CFI who gave Orville Wright his check ride in a DC3. (i kid you not). My oral was invaded by the FAA, AND MY ORAL took four hours. By the time the joker from the FAA had departed, the weather started to deteriorate. So we got half way through it and all of sudden we were solid IFR (which aint supposed to happen) So i flew the ILS down to 100 feet, had controllers screaming at me, did a VOR APPROACH, NBD, and did everything to perfection except a certain procedure turn AT THE END. it was a mess. At the end, JC Brown told me it was a pleasure flying with me, which was a high compliment. The key thing is proper planning. The more you understand before you kick the tires, the more relaxing it will be. So my first actual was my CHECKRIDE. GOOD LUK!
I salute your RT discipline. Its the best I've yet to hear on TH-cam!
Thanks!
My first time in IMC turned into an ILS to mins. Foggy, low overcast, a serious day, rainy, no convection. Even experienced "the leans" first-hand, overpowering spatial disorientation, a great lesson in staying on the gauges.
Best Channel for GA, love your talk throughout the video,, my vote for best New up and coming TH-camr. really down to earth explanations and experiences.
Wow, thank you! I truly appreciate the positive feedback.
I’ve been flying as a commercial helicopter pilot for the last 22 years. Actual IMC is a lot of fun when you are proficient and look to push yourself by practicing flying in the soup. It is definitely a tangible skill that can’t be taken lightly, by only doing it once in a while. I look forward to transiting to the fixed wing world as a private pilot. I really enjoy the graphics of your glass panel and how you show the overlays and actually how you will be navigating and flying the approach. Excellent video!
Keep them coming!
Thanks for watching and thanks for the feedback about the graphics. They are on eof the more time consuming elements to add so it is nice to know that you enjoy them and reinforces that they are worth the effort. More to come soon!
I got in the habit a long time ago of turning on pitot heat whenever I entered IMC regardless of temperature just to build in the muscle memory.
Love the graphics combined the clearance on the charts. Really helpful for those of us outside the area
Thanks for the feedback on that detail. It's nice to know those touches are appreciated and useful.
Great dramatic editing during your confession of feeling dread entering IMC.
Yes I have felt that anxiety upon IMC.
always good to know im not alone on this one!
I was surprised to hear that you as well get a sense of dread and have those thoughts of "I just want out" upon entering IMC initially. I too have faced this and it can be very intimidating, even though I know everything I need to know to stay safe. Thanks for being brave enough to admit that, it helps to know i'm not alone in that lol.
Glad it was helpful. It happens every time. I kind of like it because then each time it feels like an accomplishment when you overcome it. LOL
That was SUPER educational and thanks for showing a "real life" flight where your route wasn't perfect and you had to make some compensations. Good pacing in your video too. Well done as always!
Wow. A humble pilot. Great video. All the best to you.
Thanks! I appreciate that. 😀
Great content so far. (I just reached your question about entering IMC.) I don't necessarily have a sense of dread, but this moment is the most intense part of any IFR flight into actual conditions for me. Like you, after a couple minutes of intense scanning, I relax into it and thoroughly enjoy the experience. I get more nervous climbing into a low cloud layer then when shooting an approach to mins. THIS is the critical moment of any IFR flight.
I agree. Climbing into IMC is the worst for me. If I am straight and level it is a lot easier. Descending into it is also a bit easier.
Simply excellent! Your sequence of and selection of shots, editing, captioning, and commentary, made this particular video both engaging and educational. Wow!
Wow, thank you!
That was cool, thanks for taking us along on that trip. Your honesty really helps the shared experience, cheers!
Subscribed after watching your video. I really liked how you explain things during the flight, many other videos do not and for us who are planning on going to school makes alot of difference. Keep them videos coming. Also, that HDX is awesome. I was all excited seing everything it can do
Glad you liked it. Yeah the HDX is great! Lovin it!
The production quality of your videos is simply fantastic...quality, humility, real life...best seen to date! As a fellow aviation enthusiast...thank you for sharing.
Wow, thank you!
Great video and yes on the dreading the thought of entering IMC and especially hand flying the aircraft and on old steam gauges...the worst. Once I punched my IFR ticket, every flight I took for 4 months was solid IFR end to end. However, much the same experience. Once in the IMC and settled down, I'd get in the zone and actually enjoy the flight. I enjoy the coverage of an IFR clearance that I pretty much always file IFR...and they close my flight plan 😋
I am only 14 hours into getting my Private license up here in NorCal. I don't know from experience but I think I will enjoy flying in the clouds. Your videos always make flying in any situation look fun.
Great video! Refreshing to watch a video which shows your honest reactions and mistakes and not just some edited flight which goes perfectly well. And the new avionics rig just adds another level of situational awareness to the whole flight.. Subscribed
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!
Really enjoyed your video.
I think you did a good job on the VOR-A approach.
I had similar experiences into KPOC and it was IMC the whole time from KLGB to KPOC (ILS),
got vectored around many times so spatial disorientation is real and these video's are a great example.
Was flying CE-172SP G1000 but felt hypoxic without seeing a horizon.
At a situation when I should have gone missed floating down the runway I choose to land coz my brain couldn't handle the missed approach.
Its always safe to fly with another pair of eyes let alone another pilot.
Brief, brief and brief. My dread pretty much ended when someone explained anxiety is really just facing the unknown. With IMC I worried that I would be overwhelmed if I didn't prepare for the variables. So I started looking at all the most likely scenarios (yes there are a few of them) but.... you learn what to expect because there is still only so many things a controller can throw at you. I think that is where a little arrogance can be a good thing. If you know you honestly briefed the flight and did it correctly its fair to approach it with a bit of bravado. The secret is to do enough different approaches to keep it fresh and interesting and learn the possibilities so you have a expanded tool set in your brain. All this became fact to me when I have on occasion failed to brief the flight and that anxiety sneak in because I rushed it and knew it. I didn't brief so i didn't know what to expect. IFR is now more of a serious Game and interesting to see what surprises happen.
You have some good points here. I think knowing what to expect was a huge part of catching on to IFR flying.
Thanks for the videos, it was a pleasure and is making up my mind to purchase the Skyview
I share your sentiments about entering IMC conditions, I’m apprehensive every time, as if I can feel my blood pressure rising. Makes me focus on my scan and after a minute or so I’m completely relaxed. I’ve had an IFR rating for about three years now. I really enjoy your videos, nice job!
Thanks for confirming I'm not alone in that. It's such a weird process but I kind of like the whole drill of being terrified then loving it...
I would like to comment on the last statement you made about trusting the data. Always back up the data with situational awareness. Just to give you a small example I had the GPWS go off (too low terrain) climbing through 7000 feet in a 737 on a dark and dirty night ,IMC since rotation. Now did we climb what was giving us bad information. First clue the rad alt was reading Zero feet , both alts were reading seven thousand feet, final conformation the cabin pressure alt was showing a cabin differential. I know that modern equipment is very reliable but always keep your head in the game. I am glad that as a successful person you are taking your journey into flying is such a professional way.
Cheers
Thank you for the thoughtful comment. I agree trust but verify.
I am really enjoying your channel found it last week keep up the great videos stay safe out there
I don’t know how many IMC hours you already have but your skills are excellent.
As far as I am concerned, with my nearly 300 hours in IMC (with more than 1500 total time) I am still always focused on instruments each time that I fly in IMC.
In my case it is not stress but a state of maximum concentration to remain very vigilant on the conditions encountered (temperature, icing, engine, ...).
It is perfectly normal in the clouds to experience a different sensation. It is this situational awareness that keeps your ability to make relevant decisions and which keeps you alive.
Fly safe 🛩😎
Thanks for the compliment and the comment. I do love the concentration that is required for this type of flying. Its really fun!
I owned a racehorse named Suana. She was named after that waypoint and was bred by famous aviator Allen Paulson. Great video and nice panel!
I'm going to think of that every time I cross that waypoint! LOL
It takes a lot of courage to make and post a video like this. Thank you!
Greetings from Phoenix, AZ.
Thank you. :)
That was a great flight, thanks for inviting us along.
Thank you for the feedback!
I always get excited goin into IMC and when breaking out!
It's just about my favorite kind of flying.
Thank you for sharing. This is a great video. Yes entering clouds is always nerve racking but focusing on the instruments and planning ahead helps to over come those feelings. Your videos are very helpful!
Glad you enjoyed this one too!
You keep my flame for aviation alive when I am forced to wait :3 amazing content! I aspire to have the same life style. Thank you for keeping me company and upload the amazing content!
Thank you for watching. :)
I wish I had this type of panel when I started flying in 1986. LOVE IT.
It is def fun to have it...there is something I miss about the steam gauges and I think it's having exactly what you need in front of you- no more, no less. This display has A LOT of great info but a lot of it is superfluous for portions of the flight. I really love it but occasionally get nostalgic for the traditional 6 pack.. :)
I appreciated your opening line "I must overcome my IMC nerves". Fact is, initially everyone has them as others have said. You would have to be a kinda crazy not to since its not natural to fly without outside reference. But we mostly have the tools to make it perfectly safe. Embracing that fact and adding to it the mental picture of what a flight would look like (+/-) before I left the ground gives me a different challenge on the task at hand. That kind of focus changes my approach to IFR to really look forward to the challenge. I think there is also a little overemphasis during VFR training (rightly so) to demonize inadvertent flight into IMC. That said, you could never over prepare for flight into IFR. It also makes me a better pilot since I am over prepared (hopefully) for every flight.
Rock on!
Preparation is definitely key. I try to think about the whole flight on the way to the airport and run through the likeliest scenarios in my mind. I always look over the approach plates thoroughly on the ground and just get as familiar as possible with everything.
Excellent choice of Updating Avionics for hard IMC conditions
Thanks. I have been really impressed with the Dynon HDX.
New to your videos. Beautiful review of the Dynon. Great job updating the 6. Keep the comedy, love your taste. Love your chart overlays and markups and narration. What a welcome addition to the flight tubing community!
Thanks so much for the supportive comment! I really appreciate it!
Love the editing and quality of the video! Keep it up, these videos deserve more attention
Thanks so much for the supportive comment. I really appreciate it!
Yep, right when I transition from VMC to IMC, I’ve started transitioning to gauges well in advance while still in VMC as that seems to make the actual transition less an issue....
Good job!!!
Thanks!
@@SoCalFlyingMonkey
Been catching up on your videos and just subbed this morning!!
Great video work! Very engaging on the comments and so true! Flew Socal for many years, nice to see the familiar places are still popular!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you
I feel EXACTLY like that when entering imc. I've found staring hard at the instruments as I approach the clouds keeps my seat dry. Wearing a ball cap like a practice hood while in the clouds keeps me more calm too. Haha I thought I was the only one. Thanks for sharing. Cheers
yeah wearing a hat and using the brim to block out the changing light/picture out the window can be helpful!
Nice job! Totally normal "errors" on that approach. Didn't hear your landing checklist though... excellent situational awareness and a beautiful plane. Thanks for the video!
My first time in IMC was awesome. I was smiling the whole time
it is fun for sure. :)
Some of earliest flying experience was as a young guy in the right seat under IMC in various light and medium twins, a sort of almost human auto-pilot! I copped loads of shit from flying instructors later about my use of instruments and not using the visual horizon. I loved IMC and still love it.
Another great video sir, I’m happy to see you using the hdx in instrument conditions and seeing what this puppy is capable of
Thank you! Yeah the system is amazing and I am really enjoying all the features especially in IMC now!
great videos. Just passed my written working on my instrument hours- I get the same feeling glad to hear it "goes away" lol
congrats on passing the written. The instrument rating is SO rewarding. Some equate the level of difficulty to passing the Bar.
Great job. Love your new panel. Thanks for producing and sharing.
Thank you! It has been really fun creating these videos.
I get that feeling as well.. it never goes away... but when I am in the soup and I am handling the plane like a boss it reminds me I CAN DO IT!! and it feels awesome... I fly into socal quite a bit with my family... I own a Piper Navajo...before I had a cherokee 6XT and I loved it... take a flight up to Utah or when I come down to socal and let's go up in the Navajo... I'm sure you will love it
I'd love to check out the Navajo. I hear they are great planes!
SoCal Flying Monkey lest go flying let me know
email me pilotdavid42@gmail.com
Dude, highlighting the route was awesome.
Thank you- I'm glad you enjoyed that detail!
Thank you for being frank about being in clouds.
Thanks for watching!
That IFR flying and approach was a joy to watch. I am hoping to start IFR training soon and maybe someday I will be enjoying a panel like that as well. Keep up the good content! and be safe in these unusual times.
Thank you! IFR training was so difficult at first and then one day it totally just clicked. It can seem really overwhelming at first so if that happens to you, just stick with it!
Loved the video. I received my instrument rating 10 years ago on steam gauges and I just joined a flying club that has the same Dynon and an Avidyne 540 panels. Was it a difficult transition from analog to glass?
A great video, thank you for making and posting. That was really good of your friend to come along as a safety pilot.
Eric, I've been watching your videos quite a lot to pre-learn the Dynon and Trutrak system. Happy to say that, thanks to you, I flew my Cherokee Six from Denver, CO down to Jesse and team at Saint Aviation the 1st of June and flew it back to Denver yesterday with the new Dynon, Trutrak, and Avidyne installed. While I was down there in Florida, I flew it down to Miami and picked up the coastal transition at 500 or below. The scenery was spectacular! I recorded the entire event and I'll let you know when I edit and post the new videos. Thanks a lot for helping me choose the best option. You were right, that Dynon HDX is amazing! I almost paid a whole lot more for a Garmin G3X.
Eric, BTW, do you have a video on the Avidyne gps? If not, please make one. I find it so easy to learn from your videos brother!
Raul, I'm so glad my videos were helpful for you. I hope you enjoy that new panel!!! I have absolutely loved the HDX system. Just flew an IFR flight out of Santa Barbara today and all the awesome features of these systems were so helpful and made the flying so fun. Keep in touch and let me know your thoughts after a few months with it!
I do no have a video on the Avidyne GPS. I may try to make one after I get a few of these other fun concepts out of my head and into reality. :)
Your friend is a great addition to the cockpit. I need a duplicate friend for my IFR flights! haha Loved the video.
Thanks for watching! It's fun flying with friends especially if they love it as much as you do. :)
I own a steam gauge Cherokee 180, with an old Apollo IFR enroute GPS. I use my iPad with ForeFlight. My few times in actual IMC have been intense and exhausting. I can see that even a simple autopilot can greatly reduce workload. Ya, my hands started sweating a bit when you first went IMC. That Dynon/Avidyne system with the Tru Track looks awesome.
It's a great system. Having flown without an autopilot in hours of continuous IMC I can definitely say that an autopilot is a great asset. The TT does well to reduce workload.
Great job , single pilot IMC is hard work, the autopilot is your friend and takes away 95% of the stress
I'm still getting used to using it after only hand flying for a few years...its a great tool!
@@SoCalFlyingMonkey very true , never flown an aircraft with that much kit , most i have flown is the Aspen EFIS unit , they are great , GPS steer is brilliant. I have done 3 flying holidays in the California area, favourite airfields are cottonwood, flagstaff, santa monica , . Visited many airfields, your blessed to fly in such a beautiful part of the states . Stay safe . Rob
The IMC dread feeling. I can definitely relate to it... I’ve found however the more you do it it kind of helps it alleviate it but still the feeling is always the same.
Yes it is getting easier each time but I can't shake that initial feeling! :)
@@SoCalFlyingMonkey Same here... It just gets better overtime. At least you have electronic instruments which are more reliable than gyros when it comes to mechanical issues.
I'm a pilot studying from Mexico! I like your channel! Greetings! Nice job!
Awesome! Thank you! Best of luck in your aviation training and studying.
@@SoCalFlyingMonkey Thank you! Safe and fun flyings!
I just started my instrument training, I have 7 hours in a 172S and 5 in an FAA ATD. This was fun to watch!
Glad you enjoyed it. Good luck on your instrument rating. It is fun and challenging.
Nice Job! Keep up the good work, and don’t give up. I just got my instrument in sept, and now am trying to stay ahead of the currency game and get some IMC time. Anxiety is normal and expected. Use that AP more too, once you get more proficient hand flying. It is a huge help and even though mine is a single axis, I’m sooo happy I have it for instrument flying. You have the makings of a good instrument pilot, really you do, keep it up!
I had gone into IMC for about 10 seconds once and totally didn't see it coming. I also went into a bit of a panic mode really quickly (I don't have my instrument). I had autopilot set to heading and altitude mode so, I was about to change the heading to back 180 degrees because it was fine back there where I just was. Before I started to do that, I was out of it and I was relieved. I was in a class C airspace and was using flight following, I am just glad that I was. If you don't like what you see (or don't see) and you are uncomfortable, just turn around.
enjoyed the video! thanks for ATC in the background
Great practice to take safety pilot along.
I agree!
Great video. I also have and had dread going into IMC. I do about the same thing as you. Focus on the instruments and tell myself to relax, everything's good, relax and in a short period of time it goes away.
Great video, know the feeling
Nice video! I like the way you show the clearance on the paper map, really helps to see how that translates.
Glad you like it! Thanks for the feedback!
Your videos are Rad! Thank You! See you up in MMH.
Omg bro yes yes I have the same damn feeling and I hate it! I thought it wasn't common. Thanks for sharing!
Yeah that dread feeling is very common. You are not alone there. It took me a while to overcome it too. One way is to not watch the clouds coming at you as you enter IMC. Just get into your scan even while you are still VMC. That will keep you on task and help eliminate that feeling.
thats a great tip thanks Russ.
Eric, excellent video. Nice editing and love how you talk about your anxiety that we all get when we don't do this as the day job. Thanks for sharing. It is very interesting to see how your setup and workflow is compared to garmin stack.
Thank you! I would be curious to fly with a Garmin system and understand the finer points of each system
SoCal Flying Monkey I don’t have the Garmin AP yet but I have a student who does. I’ll see if I can get it setup for a video
I was a student pilot back in 2012 and I was getting that dread feeling you are talking about just about every time I was going up. I was nearing my solo cross country flights and it just scared me too much. I never overcame my uncomfortableness and actually stopped flight training altogether. I miss it and wish I could have gotten over that hurdle.
I have similar dread climbing into clouds. I believe my most anxious feelings come at climb while getting turn vectors. I have only flown with other instrument pilots so I really hope this anxiety dissipates as I begin my instrument training.
Holy cow, I caught me holding my breath as you passed over VNY and made your turn towards KWHP. You probably don't get socked in as much in the valley, but still great you have your IFR license. Great video.
Actual IMC days are not too common but we get a really nice marine layer in June for good practice.
@@SoCalFlyingMonkey YUP! When we had the marine layer out at Camarillo, we would fly out to Fox Field to do training. Fun to go out there on a hot day and catch thermals.