bam@sdchema.UUCP (Bret Marquis) (11/29/85)
I earned my Instrument rating 2 weeks ago. I seriously considered the weekend ground school approach and opted to do it on my own mostly because I would have had to travel out of town for that weekend. Well, working on my own with the FAA test guide and the Jeppesen book I was ready in 2 weeks. 80 on the written and I aced my oral. The flight test itself was the easy part At the same time, a friend who was also working toward his IFR rating did go thru the Accelerated Ground School course and received a 92 on his written test but failed his oral exam. With coaching his second attempt got him his ticket. His opinion on the course was that the weekend courses will do exactly what they say: You will pass the written exam. Period. But he did not feel at all prepared for the oral. One of the members of the flying club I'm with, went thru the PIC program. The 10 day Instrument course where they send an instructor to you. He arrives with a simulator and you spend 10 days of intensive flight training. Most of it simulator time, the rest in a plane of your own selection. He touts it as the best course he's ever had. Says he feels more comfortable and in control of the plane than ever before. The course cost him though. $250 per day (for 10 days) PLUS the cost of the plane. The rating didn't keep me from being stuck in Las Vegas this week though, I was trying to return to San Diego after a week at Comdex. Water spouts, severe turbulence, thunderstorms and especially moderate to severe rime icing from the MEA to 20000 feet. A VFR flight to avoid icing was completely out due to very low ceilings and equally low visibility. I stayed on until tuesday. I saw others depart, some VFR. Nor did I read about anyone going down in that storm. Maybe flight service was being too pessimistic. I'm curious, if anyone did make the flight from Vegas to a Southern California destination sunday night or Monday, I would certainly like to hear how it went! Bret Marquis (sdcsvax,ihnp4)!bang!bam bam@NOSC.ARPA