March 17, 2015 (Nashua, NH) – PilotWorkshops has introduced a new video training and proficiency program for instrument pilots called, “Real World IFR”. The program employs a unique method of video training in which the student is looking over the shoulder of an experienced IFR pilot flying a series of challenging flights in IMC.
“Nothing compares with actually looking over the shoulder of a pilot flying through the IFR system,” says Mark Robidoux, founder of PilotWorkshops. “It provides a level of understanding you just can’t get from a book or a ground school because you’re seeing all that theory actually put into practice.”
Real-World IFR takes cockpit footage of a complete IFR flight, from startup to shutdown, and adds explanations, insights, and tips for improvement. The pilot and host, Keith Smith, flies some of the flights in his hotrod Lancair 360 and some on a simulator connected to live, human air traffic controllers. Smith’s Lancair flights range from residential airparks to New York City’s JFK international, so you can see techniques applied across the spectrum of IFR flying. Other flights are recorded in a simulator which allows the construction of specific scenarios, emergencies and challenges while flying in the system.
In all flights a heavy emphasis is placed on providing strategies for managing workload and ATC communications. As indicated in the title, the real-world nature of the flights means that mistakes, surprises and emergencies happen, and seeing how an experienced pilot deals with these incidents is a major part of the learning process.
Also included is a highly focused ground school that teaches key IFR concepts and situations that arise in the flight videos. The IFR Refresher Ground School is a useful online video library that pilots can use as needed to brush up on their IFR knowledge or help knock off the rust.