Need some thoughts on this one.
Nothing pressing, but Kelly's working this weekend so I'm effectively grounded. I do a lot of planning and hangar flying on these types of days. Much easier to accept when the forecast is for low overcast. These CAVU days that I can't fly are torture. Anyway, here are mental musings for the day.
I'm sort of slopping my way through my Instrument Rating. I've got a great CFII at Doylestown who has become as much a friend as a mentor. However, I've come to the conclusion that I really can't commit to it with any consistency right now. My work schedule is going to get ugly this fall with my upcoming clinicals for my Master's being added to the equation. Childcare has been crazy. And my to-do list has been out of control, even on days when I can get away to the airport. It pains me to turn down the opportunity to get this rating with Travis.
Here's where it gets interesting. One of my best friends, Jason, is an ATC guy. He works at NY TRACON directing lots of heavy iron in and around NYC. He's a Private Pilot with a MEL rating, but no IR. We've talked for years about going to an accelerated course in Florida some winter and just banging out our IR in 10 days. We've been talking a lot lately that this idea is getting legs. He and I would have blast, and he really knows his flying so he's be a great partner in this pursuit. My dilemma is that I don't have the cash for the rating and a parnership, towards which I have redirected my savings efforts.
So what would you do???
1. Pursue the rating at the local field with the known CFII, realizing that doing so would preclude a partnership. Also run the risk of family/work commitments impeding the progress and potentially not competing the rating.
2. Go to Florida this winter and get the rating. Stick with the rental line for the forseeable future.
3. Find a partnership and fly like crazy. Become the best VFR pilot that I can be but postpone the IR for the forseeable future.
Thoughts? I may post this one up on the Red Board. I would expect the responses to be interesting, to say the least.
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I've committed more to becoming a more frequent VFR flyer and going for the IR later. Whether that is in a year, or 5, I don't know yet. I do know that I love flying regularly and the cost really pushed me towards the partnership opportunities. Till I'm flying long trips like Gary and Mary, I think VFR flying will be enough. Now, that being said, I want to learn the IR stuff slowly, so I'll safety pilot or even get a lesson with a CFI to shoot an ILS at Reading or something under the hood.
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