IFR 3 - Aviate, Navigate...

...Communicate. I decided to reduce the number of variables and let the instructor do the talking. I just wanted to concentrate on flying...good basic airwork and solid navigation. We planned the GPS RWY 4 at Cherokee County (47A), my first ever GPS approach, followed by the Localizer RWY 19 at Cartersville (VPC) and finished with the VOR/DME RWY 9 at home (RYY).

The GPS is pretty straight forward, once you get the 'knobology'. Its almost like dialing your cell phone while driving a stick shift in stop and go traffic. Its easier if you have speed dial set up, so I need to learn all of the short cuts to get the Garmin 430 set up quickly. The simulator really helps, and the instructor was able to polish that knowledge a bit more with some good advice. (Direct/enter/enter). My airwork was good. I was able to stay ahead the whole flight without any problems, much better the IFR2.

LOC Rwy 19 was also good. I need to polish my procedures here. Get all of the necessary checklists done (MICEATM), and insure all of the timings are started correctly. I was ahead of the plane, and had not listened to ATIS or CTAF. I need to organize myself better, but overall the approach went well. No longer chasing the needle, instead I put a correction in and wait for effect (about 3 scans) before correcting again. Also, I talk to myself the whole way down stating target heading and next target altitude. That really works. Level off OK, but he suggested I add a bit more pitch up (about one pipper) to really stop the altimeter. Will incorporate that next time.

VOR back home was easy. The approach leaves you way out in 'left field' so it might be dicey in actual conditions, but I had no problems flying it as published. All checklist complete and squeeek on the landing! We covered 95.6 miles in what was a really good confidence builder. Now I need to learn how to talk again.

Time = 1.2