An Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) Rating is an invaluable aid to all pilots whether old hands or fresh from the PPL course. The rating permits flight in a much wider range of weather conditions including cloud and poor visibility, useful given our country’s changeable conditions!
An IMC rating extends the privileges of a PPL (A) holder to be able to fly in the UK

This rating will give any pilot the confidence to explore far and wide secure in the knowledge that navigation in unfamiliar territory can be accomplished in a precise, safe and easy manner. Situations such as channel crossings and hazy summer days will present no problems.

Full Sutton Flying Centre is ideally situated to provide IMC training, close to several suitable airfields where full instrument approaches can be practised.

So what is Fast Track?

You will undertake the course on an intensive basis flying anywhere from 3 to 5 hours per day depending on you. Experience has shown us that the learing and retention rates increase dramatically when training is conducted in this manner. You will have one instructor and one aircraft for the duration of the course. We also find this helps enormously as you do not have to spend valuable time getting to know the minor differences between aircraft, not to mention having to put up with lots of different instructors! We will aslo ensure that an examiner is available immediately after completing your course to ensure you get your licence with minimum fuss.

The Course

The course consists of a minimum of 15 hours flying (with a minimum of 10 hours solely on instruments), and a minimum of 20 hours ground instruction. On completion of the course there is a flight test and a ground examination.

The training will be conducted in simulated or real instrument conditions and is split into 2 phases:

Phase 1

Basic general handling skills on instruments to include:

• Full panel work developing the necessary skills and techniques required for straight and level flight,    climbing, descending and turning.

• Limited panel instrument work, simulating the loss of the vacuum pump, which drives the Attitude    Indicator and Direction Indicator.

• Recovery from unusual attitudes full panel and limited.

Phase 2

• The use of radio navigation equipment, such as VOR, ADF, DME, VDF and RADAR. With these    mastered let downs to local airfields will take up much of the course combined with using the skills    already gained to navigate in the local area whilst liaising with ATC in an IMC environment.
  
Practical Tests

Once the required standard has been achieved a flight test of about 1.5 hours is taken. The examiner will discuss the route with you and you will be asked to brief the examiner on the forecast/required weather for the route, minima to which you will fly the approaches and  alternative aerodrome choice. The CAA has laid down limits on the flying accuracy required, however allowance is made for adverse weather conditions.

Theory (Ground) Examinations

Ground examination follows a format similar to the PPL navigation exam and consists of 25  multiple choice questions. Suggested reading for this aspect of the course is Volume 5 of Trevor Thom’s series and/or Oxford Aviation IMC CD Rom. The following topics will be examined:

• Physiological Factors

• Flight Instruments

• Aeronautical Information Service

• Flight Planning

• Privileges of IMC Rating

• IMC Rating Theory Examination

Why not enrol on our IMC Theory course and pass the exam first time with confidence!

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