For you more experienced IFR Pilots

[JimNtexas]

As others have said, some vertigo is normal, it can to happen to anyone at anytime. It is great that your instructor let you fly in actual, not all of them will take students into IMC, and in fact not all of them have ever flown in actual themselves.

 

[desertdog71]

My CFI is Great, and I am fortunate to have him. I know for a fact I have experienced many things that most student pilots don't get to experience. He even told me to put the foggles on pre-take off and we did a simulated zero/zero takeoff.
I feel like these things give me an edge if and when I ever come across a real situation. He is the only CFI, that I know that does Power off 180's in the preparing private pilots.

Hey, thanks guys for the feedback, I really appreciate it. The overwhelminh majority of people have told me its normal. I was afraid that I was in the minority, but I fell better knowing that its common.

Thanks

 

[minitour]

The first time I got it bad was on my CFII training flight.

We were in actual, on vectors for ILS35R at KOKC....I'll neeever forget it.

We had been turned base and I was going through my checklist, teaching the instructor and explaining why. With all of the head movements, when I rolled out to our assigned heading, I got a wicked case of the leans.

It dawned on me and I said "wow....that's weird...never had the leans before".

It happens, just trust those instruments...I probably increased my scan rate a little bit trying to double check them, but realizing that "hey...they're right...pay attention" made it go away pretty quickly.

The last time I got it was just a little bit ago. Visibility was poor, probably 5 miles...we were VFR (stu and me) going into CLE from the west. As usual, got vectored out over the lake...into that "black hole" of overcast, moonless sky and dark lake erie waters...I had lots of head movements looking back to the city lights, which was the mistake....very gradually it looked like the lights were moving...I thought we were turning....cross-check...nope...straight and level....okay....not IMC, bad disorientation feeling...

Once you look at those instruments, know what they're telling you and stick to it, there are no problems...just takes some getting used to and practice.

Good luck and it sounds like you've got a good CFI...extra training (pwr off 180s for PPL, sim 0/0 t/o, etc.) is never EVER a bad thing. That's something I try to keep in mind and always teach the students more than what's required.

Keep the greasy side down!

-mini

 

[User546]

It's perfectly normal, and don't worry about it! Also, don't feel bad about it if it doesn't go away over time either. It doesn't make you any better or worse of an Instrument pilot, just ingrain it in your head "ALWAYS trust your instruments!"

I still get the "leans" on occasion. It'll happen about once a year and it'll come right out of no where when you least expect it. For me it seems every time it happens I'm making some kind of turn while hand-flying in IMC.

Just a couple months ago I was hand-flying a VOR Approach, and when I made a right turn, my body started screaming at me that we were in a steep turn bank, and descending rapidly. Quick glance at the instruments, and I was at 20 degrees bank, and mostly level. When I leveled the wings and started inbound, I remember feeling like I was in a small 5 deg or so bank, even though the AI was showing straight. I had to conciously tell myself to quit trying to make the small corrections to fix it. Just have to concentrate extra hard on the instruments, and verify they're giving you the accurate information.

My leans typically last for about 30 seconds to a minute then they'll disappear for another few months.

 

[Tonala2k]

I still get it. I first thought it was cool. I've just learned not to move my head so much. Looking left and right will create that yawing feeling. It's always worse in a new plane when I find myself scanning the entire cockpit 2-5 times for one thing. Why can't Beech make their planes more like Cessna?