Did you ever feel this way?

sorrygottarunway

Well-Known Member
Gosh... This is gonna sound mega corny, but please bear with me. In fact, I'm just throwing this out because I am wondering if anyone else had the same experience.

Yesterday was my first actual filed IFR flight with my instructor. Nothing big, I already am used to the talking, my instructor's squawking, and the turbulence knocking. But as we climbed out through 5000 feet my instructor said "you can take off your hood now." A bit puzzled, I obliged... and there before me was the broken deck of clouds not more than 700ft above us. "We're going through that?" "Yep..."

I could do nothing but stare at the clouds coming toward us, the anticipation building as the clouds- not the airplane- seemed to be moving towards ME. Within a half a second the world went white, we continue climbing, and emerged not more than a minute later above the deck. It was eerie- everything turned quiet, the "continuous moderate chop" stopped- everything glass clear, Bradley departure calmley giving headings and changes to other aircraft.

Very wierd feeling being on top there. I had to take a picture. Its one thing being an airline passenger and seeing out of a porthole-sized window. But this was amazing... and it was just an innocent broken layer!

Now... I at first said "nothing big," but somehow this is bigger to me than my first solo back a year ago for some reason- I don't know why. Sort of like a first kiss with a good boyfriend/girlfriend? Sort of like joining a secret society of pilots "that fly above the clouds?"

Ok, sorry... very corny. I'm pretty much still a very new pilot, so things like this really get me going.

Ok thanks for reading, I'm gonna go back to studying.

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6000 hrs. later and I still love the feeling of going through cloud decks. The best part is doing it at 250 KIAS and climbing at 3000+ fpm in a bank when you punch in or out.
 
Corny !!! No Way. I cannot wait to climb up through an overcast layer. I have heard from others that they experience the same feeling. I look forward to it. B.T.W. how far along are you in your IFR training? I have my IFR stg3 check next week.
 
I'm doing part 61, so I have no idea where in a syllabus I am. But, I have 36 of the required 40 hours of instrument time. The problem is, I fall short of the 50 hours of cross country PIC. Thats the problem- so I am now doing all of my training flights to far away airports. It will be good for my nerves to when I finally go in for my checkride to have done so many filed-IFR flights I hope.
 
Heck....I felt the same way going through my first deck of clouds. It's like a totaly different world up there!
 
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uhh ok I guess I have 39.6 simulated instrument after yesterday's flight.

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Do .4 in the simulator!
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Sort of like a first kiss with a good boyfriend/girlfriend?

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You should see the kiss you get when you take your girlfriend up over that layer!!!

That's awesome, man! Congrats! Nothing corny about that one.
 
I know exactly how you feel. I was out with my instructor yesterday working on IFR stuff and we were on our way back to the airport doing a localizer approach. He said to me go ahead and take off your foggles and I was like why? Then I looked and saw that we were going to go through a cloud. It was awesome. I had a stupid grin on my face all the way to the ground.
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That's an awesome feeling. First time I popped through a layer on-top was great. It was a dreary and drizzly morning in San Diego, and I was going to head back to AZ to do a lil visiting. The drive to the airport was depressing... Everyone piling up on the freeway trying to get to work under a 900 foot overcast. But once I popped up on top, the sun was shining and all I could think was "life is good." Have fun!
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Wow that is awesome.... I haven't done that yet hope to actually fly in/above clouds soon.

Weather here in OH. isn't actually kind to pilots in training so haven't been able to fly alot this winter.

Furthermore when I move back to AZ. I prolly won't be flying through or above clouds that often as it is hardly ever cloudy in AZ.
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Absolutely NOT corny! Great experience! Next time, take you eyes off the white and get that scan going.
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I still love flying in IMC when I have to. I don't go looking for it, but it does give me a sense of pride and accomplishment to know that I can handle myself and the aircraf in the clouds.

Great post!! Best of luck with the IR!!!

R2F
 
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Weather here in OH. isn't actually kind to pilots in training so haven't been able to fly alot this winter.

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I know how that is. Here in Iowa I've only flown 3 times since I came back from break.
 
Not corny at all, I have one experience in a GA aircraft, piper malibu, we took off from KSNA at about 3:30 local time on an overcast day. Broke out around 7500 ASL, the guy I was flying with taught me how to properly scan, but I couldn't keep my eyes off the white below me, I love it.
 
Wait untill your first approch to minimums, that's a rush
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In the mean time have fun.
 
I agree, the first actual IMC and then coming out above it is very memorable. It's like another world up there.
Where do you fly out of? DXR? I fly at ASH and I'm nearing the instrument rating. I went to DXR once.

Nick
 
I enjoyed my instrument training more than getting my private license. Flying in IMC for the first time is a thrill and a challenge. It can be quite different from flying in simulated instrument conditions, since the windows are still there to "distract you". The hood/foggles allow you to focus on the instruments without having to block the extraneous information from the windows.
 
Nothing cooler that flying blind. Take off, travel 100's of miles and land..all while seeing nothing. Or busting your first clouds
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Just as cool. I am lucky. Got to do the required "hood" time for my private in actual. I was sitting there with the instuructor saying..."so we can intentionally fly into these clouds and he's like yeah ..all no-cholantly <--spelling. Meanwhile I'm totally pysched!
 
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