SINGLE ENGINE INSTRUMENT TRAINING:
Our specialty at Prairie Air Service, Inc. has historically been multi
engine flight training, which is reflected in our general information letter. We
do however also operate two nicely equipped four place single engine airplanes
which are very well suited for single engine instrument training: a Piper
PA28R-180 "Arrow" and a Cessna 172.
Our Arrow is equipped with dual KX-155 Nav-Coms with dual glideslopes,
KR-87 ADF, KN-64 DME, KT-76A Transponder with mode C, KY-92 Audio panel, Apollo
Flybuddy Loran, a marker beacon receiver, and a Telex intercom. The Cessna 172
has almost exactly the same equipment, except for a KR-86 ADF and no DME.
If you are planning to pursue a career in aviation, we strongly recommend
instrument training in a complex airplane such as the Piper Arrow. This will
better prepare you for the demands and discipline required later on as you
progress up the ladder toward faster and more complex airplanes. While it is
possible to relatively inexpensively obtain an instrument rating in a Cessna 150
or 172, these airplanes are very basic and slow, requiring no fuel or airspeed
management and no landing gear operation. This may make it difficult for you
later on to cope with the higher speeds and increased complexity of high
performance and multi engine airplanes. If you plan to fly mostly for recreation
and use your instrument rating in low speed fixed gear airplanes like Cessna
172's, instrument training in a Cessna 150 or 172 will prepare you adequately.
One of our specialties is instrument training in a multi engine airplane
(a very well equipped Piper Apache), which is not offered at most flight
schools. This way our students are able to
log about 25 hours of multi engine time during their instrument training,
which may make them more insurable and employable in multi engine airplanes
later on in their flying career. If you would like to know more about our multi
engine and instrument rating program, just let us know and we’ll gladly send
you that information.
Complex Single Engine
Instrument Rating Course, $ 3750.00:
(with knowledge exam passed). Note: You
must have at least 45 hours cross country pilot in command time.
Approximately 2 - 3 weeks, depending on the weather. Includes 16 hours ATC-610
flight training device instruction, 25 hours instrument flight instruction in
Piper PA28R-180 "Arrow", 10 hours of ground school (pre and post
flight briefings and oral exam preparation), and airplane for the flight test. $
200.00 examiner's fee additional. Sales tax is included.
Basic Single Engine
Instrument Rating Course, $ 3420.00:
(with knowledge exam passed). Note: You
must have at least 45 hours cross country pilot in command time.
Approximately 2 - 3 weeks, depending on the weather. Includes 16 hours ATC-610
flight training device instruction, 25 hours instrument flight instruction in
the Cessna 172, 10 hours of ground school (pre and post flight briefings and
oral exam preparation), and airplane for the flight test. $200.00 examiner's fee
additional. Sales tax is included.
The above training programs are based on average aptitude and a fair
amount of self study. If additional training should be required, it will be
billed at $ 114.24 per hour of dual flight instruction in the Arrow,
$ 101.60 per hour of dual flight instruction in the
Cessna 172, $ 40.53 for dual on the ATC-610 flight training device, and
$30.00 per hour of ground instruction.
INSTRUMENT RATING COURSE SUMMARY
GROUND TRAINING AND KNOWLEDGE
EXAM:
Note: This
section does not apply if the student has already passed the FAA instrument
rating knowledge exam before beginning his training with Prairie Air Service.
The ground training for the knowledge exam will be primarily self study by
the student, assisted by approximately 20 hours of video materials. The
materials used will prepare the student for the FAA knowledge exam (formerly
called written exam) and cover the aeronautical knowledge areas required by FAR
61.65 (b)(1) - (10). The course books used are the Instrument/Commercial Manual
by Jeppesen Training Products, in conjunction with the 5 video tapes of the
Jeppesen Instrument/Commercial Pilot Video Training System. Additional
preparation for the FAA knowledge exam uses the King Schools Instrument Written
Exam video course, in conjunction with King Schools computerized exam review
software and knowledge exam study books by Gleim Publications.
If a student needs additional assistance with any of the required subject
areas it will be provided by an FAA certified instrument flight or ground
instructor. This additional
instruction is usually part of the ground school received in conjunction with
the flight training portion of the instrument rating course. Our experience has
shown that the knowledge exam will be easiest for the student after he/she has
completed about 75% of the instrument flight training course and is able to use
his/her flight training experience and associated ground training to further
enhance the knowledge gained during self study.
FLIGHT TRAINING:
The instrument flight training will be conducted in accordance with the
requirements of FAR 61.65 (c)(1) - (8) and will prepare the student for the
instrument rating flight test and applicable tolerances as per the FAA
Instrument Rating Practical Test Standard (PTS FAA-S-8081-4B or applicable
revised edition). The Instrument Flight Training Manual by Peter Dogan is used
as reading material for the flight training portion of the instrument training,
supported by additional material compiled or written and supplied by us. The
Sporty's Pilot Shop Instrument Rating Video Course and various King Schools and
Jeppesen single subject video tapes, totaling approximately 25 hours, are used
to provide additional operational information. The flight and ground training
will be given by FAA certified flight instructors with an instrument airplane
flight instructor rating and/or FAA certified ground instructors with an
instrument ground instructor rating as applicable.
The instrument flight training will take place on an ATC-610 flight
training device equipped with a plotter that records the flight path simulated
by the trainer, and in a twin engine Piper PA23-160 "Apache", which is
equipped with dual VOR and VHF communications, ILS, ADF, DME, marker beacon
receiver, VOR-DME RNAV, LORAN, a Bendix HSD 880 HSI/RMI indicator and intercom.
If a student desires to take his instrument flight training in a single
engine airplane, a Piper PA28R-180 "Arrow" will be used. It is
equipped with dual VOR and VHF communications, ILS, ADF, DME, marker beacon
receiver, Loran and intercom.
The flight training consist of 6 hours of ground school and briefings, 16
hours of flight training device instruction and 25 hours of flight instruction
arranged in 5 phases as described
below. Usually the ground school and flight training device instruction of
phases 1 and 2 is completed before the actual flight training in the airplane
begins. We will attempt to expose the instrument student to some actual
instrument weather conditions, as long as it is safely possible to do so,
considering ceiling and visibility, icing, thunderstorms and student skills. The
flight lessons of phases 2, 3 and 4 can be conducted in actual instrument
weather conditions. It is not practical to conduct the training flights of phase
1 in IMC, and safety considerations make visual weather conditions mandatory for
phase 5.
PHASE 1:
Attitude Flying and VOR,
NDB and Airway intercept and tracking: 2 hours ground school, 5 hours
ATC 610 flight training device, 4 hours airplane. This phase covers basic
aircraft control solely by reference to instruments: Climbs, descents, turns,
airspeed changes and configuration changes, as well as intercepting and tracking
VOR radials and NDB bearings and Airway Segments outbound and inbound. [Ref. FAR
61.65(c)(4)&(5)]. Typically each lesson will conclude with simulated vectors
to an instrument approach.
PHASE 2:
Instrument approaches, holding patterns and procedure turns:
2 hours ground school, 9 hours ATC 610 flight training device, 6 hours airplane.
During this phase the student will become familiar with the different
types and configurations of instrument approach procedures, such as VOR, VOR-DME,
NDB, ILS and LOC-B/C, as well as different initial approach transitions and
procedure turn variations; missed approach procedures, deviations to unplanned
alternates, and different holding patterns (VOR, intersections, radial/DME, NDB).
[Ref. FAR 61.65(c)(1)(2)(3)(6)&(7)]. Emphasis will also be placed on wind
correction with wind speeds of up to 40 knots. During this phase instrument
approach procedures will typically be flown at uncontrolled airports with the
instructor simulating ATC communications, and the student practicing IFR
phraseology. If actual IFR conditions are encountered, the instructor will
handle ATC communications.
PHASE 3:
ATC Communications: 1 hour ground
school, 5 hours airplane. During this phase the student will handle Air Traffic
Control communications. The flights typically take place at Wichita Mid
Continent airport and/or Hutchinson airport (these are the only 2 tower
controlled civilian airports within a 50 nautical mile radius of Benton) and
involve both radar vectors and pilot navigation approach transitions, as well as
published and/or ATC assigned missed approach procedures. The instructor will
assist as necessary with the communications. Emphasis will be placed on proper
prioritizing of the tasks of aircraft control, navigation and communications.
PHASE 4:
IFR Cross Country Procedures: 3 hours
ground school, 3 hours airplane. During this phase the IFR training cross
country flight of 250 nautical miles with 1 ILS, and 2 non precision approaches
at three different airports will be conducted. The flight will be conducted on
an IFR flight plan, and the enroute navigation phase will cover VOR airway and
direct segments, as well as STARs and SIDs as assigned by air traffic control.
[Ref. FAR 63.65(d)(2)(iii)].
PHASE
5: Emergency procedures and Flight Test Preparation:
2 hours ground school, 2 hours ATC-610 flight training device, 7 hours airplane.
This phase covers partial panel (i.e. no gyro) procedures, recoveries from
unusual attitudes, lost communications, simulated engine failures and simulated
engine out instrument approaches (for the multi engine instrument training
course)[Ref. FAR 61.65(c)(7)]. At the end of this phase the student will take
the instrument rating practical test.