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Old 06-14-2010, 06:09 AM
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Default Currency ???

I don't have much actual IFR time and actually try to get up when the days aren't great but not exactly ugly. So for the 6 approaches in 6 months my question is:

Exactly how bad does it have to be to count?
-If it is mostly VFR and I file an IFR flight plan, fly it as if I were IFR talking to ATC and all and then shoot the approach under ATC clearance is this good enough to count as 1 approach?

Or is there a written or unwritten rule about how bad the conditions have to be? I have found that even though I try to fly on bad weather days that most of the time the entire flight isn't IFR.
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Old 06-14-2010, 06:25 AM
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Originally Posted by Duksrule
I don't have much actual IFR time and actually try to get up when the days aren't great but not exactly ugly. So for the 6 approaches in 6 months my question is:

Exactly how bad does it have to be to count?
-If it is mostly VFR and I file an IFR flight plan, fly it as if I were IFR talking to ATC and all and then shoot the approach under ATC clearance is this good enough to count as 1 approach?
No, that would not count unless you are under the hood.


Originally Posted by Duksrule
Or is there a written or unwritten rule about how bad the conditions have to be? I have found that even though I try to fly on bad weather days that most of the time the entire flight isn't IFR.
The unwritten rule is kind of fuzzy, basically low enough so that nobody would ever call you on it. I would venture that VMC at the marker is too high.

I think the FAA official policy is all the way to minimums, I heard they issued a legal opinion on that but I have not seen it.

I have not heard of any aggressive enforcement on this, which would be hard to do as long as appropriate Wx existed at the time of the flight. They could bust you if you claimed IMC on a severe clear day, but if the metar said 05OV who's to say it didn't drop down to 02OV when you shot the approach.

Just wear a hood.
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Old 06-14-2010, 06:40 AM
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If I am IMC at the IAF I have been logging it as an instrument approach. Is that good enough? I don't think I would ever get out of the 6 month window because I do try to get up on bad weather days but just wanted to see what everyone's take on this was. I am trying to get more weather under my belt easing into the bad stuff.
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Old 06-14-2010, 06:46 AM
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Rick -

I thought I heard at some point that you could log the approach as ACTUAL if you were IMC inside the FAF. Have you ever heard such a thing?

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Old 06-14-2010, 10:30 AM
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This is a synopsis of what's been said by the FAA on the topic...

How Much Actual Is Required to Log an Instrument Approach?
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Old 06-14-2010, 10:40 AM
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Originally Posted by NoyGonnaDoIt
This is a synopsis of what's been said by the FAA on the topic...

How Much Actual Is Required to Log an Instrument Approach?
I like the rule of reason
I think that I'll stick with mine then.
As an aside point - the second article under the primary in that link was good too. Too bad I wasn't better informed in thr past.
I could have made my appraches even easier!
May a CFII Log Student Approaches Flown in Actual IMC?
Yes.
The long-argued controversy over this question is ended.
In this 2008 FAA Legal opinion, the FAA Chief Counsel's office formally adopted the officially disowned Part 61 FAQ's response to the question, saying:
The Chief Counsel's office agrees that the earlier guidance reflects the appropriate interpretation of the regulations. The regulations expressly permit an authorized instructor conducting instrument instruction in actual instrument flight conditions to log instrument flight time (61.51(g)(2)). The only remaining issue is whether, even if properly logged, the approaches are considered to have been "performed" by the instructor within the meaning of section 61.57 (c)(l). The FAA views the instructor's oversight responsibility when instructing in actual instrument flight conditions to meet the obligation of 61.57(c)(1) to have performed the approaches.
We never logged the appraoch if the student was flying.

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Old 06-14-2010, 04:41 PM
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Originally Posted by USMCFLYR
I could have made my appraches even easier!
Some would say that having to be responsible for someone else's approaches in an instructional environment would make it harder.

Not really the point though. The FAR requirements are bear minimums for legality, never to be confused with safety. IMO, whether a CFI in that situation is getting the benefit of the approach depends a lot on the CFI and the CFI's own learning (or teaching style).

But I guess that's why the point was argued for so long and so hard.
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Old 06-14-2010, 04:58 PM
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Originally Posted by USMCFLYR
We never logged the appraoch if the student was flying.
We didn't either. I don't think you should...I suspect that some instructors might not be able to maintain adequate currency by watching someone else do it. That gets you 90% there, but you might need that last 10% someday.
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Old 06-14-2010, 05:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Duksrule
If I am IMC at the IAF I have been logging it as an instrument approach. Is that good enough? I don't think I would ever get out of the 6 month window because I do try to get up on bad weather days but just wanted to see what everyone's take on this was. I am trying to get more weather under my belt easing into the bad stuff.
Personally I shoot for a little lower than the marker.
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Old 06-14-2010, 06:54 PM
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Originally Posted by NoyGonnaDoIt
Some would say that having to be responsible for someone else's approaches in an instructional environment would make it harder.
I was refering to the logging of my approaches for currency.
The IPs were not allowed to log the approaches flown by students.

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