Logging Instrument Time

[gringo]

IMC=Instrument Meteological Conditions

You´re getting hung up on the ´meteological´ portion. As posted above, meteological does not necessarily mean clouds, mist, fog or smog, although all of those would be, in fact, covered by the term. `Meteorological` simply means whatever weather condition exists which precludes being able to see a horizon, including a moonless night over featurless terrain. (The mere absence of ´weather´ in and of itself constitutes a weather condition)

Also, I´d like to point out, since basically you´re logging it on an honor system (it would be very hard for someone to prove you DIDN´T actually fly the flight under actual conditions- not impossible, but hard) I´ve found that based on my experiences, actual time usually constitutes about 10-15% of a pilots total time. That dosen´t mean that on any 1 hour flight only log 6 minutes of IMC- I´ve had many flights flying freight where we were IMC right after takeoff until breaking out at minimums 2 hours later, but many many many more flights where there was none. What I´m trying to say is, if you have 1000TT, you should have in the ballpark of 100-150 actual; 2000 hours, 200-300 hours. It all depends on what kind of flying you did, of course (freight dogs will have much more than a CFI, for instance), but if you show up to an interview with 1500TT and 600 IMC, some red flags will shoot up.

Again, if you think you spent 1/2 the flight IMC, log it as such. If you think you spent 1/4 the flight IMC, log it as such. Seems more important when you´re just starting out, but as your time builds, it becomes less of an issue. You can doo the stopwatch method if you wish, but it´s just too much of a hassle, with everything else going on in the cockpit (now where´s my Maxim? hmmm...)

 

[siucavflight]

When I was time building for my commercial, I would just start/stop the timer on the clock to track my IMC.

That seems like to much work, and if you did it that way how would you time your approaches?

 

[Kream926]

IMC=Instrument Meteorological Conditions

To me, that means in the clouds. The night over water, dark areas, undercast, etc...doesn't count toward actual instrument. Atleast that's the way I have always looked at it. My $.02.

ha you got it

im not expert and i amy be late in this one but "no ground refrence?"

c'mon people are you really that stupid VFR on top no visual refrences to the ground and what im reading from someof you is that thats IMC......go look it up

 

[A Squared]

ha you got it

im not expert and i amy be late in this one but "no ground refrence?"

c'mon people are you really that stupid VFR on top no visual refrences to the ground and what im reading from someof you is that thats IMC......go look it up

Uhhh, no, that is not what you're reading, or if that *is* what you're reading, you're not reading for comprehension. Nobody is claiming that VFR on top is Instrument time. (except perhaps the original poster, who was *asking* not claiming it)

 

[comander]

IMC its being a long time whats the M for or VMC for that matter? or maybe IM just to drunk to remember, any ways what is it insrtument mesured conditions? insrtument or visual mean conditions? ahhhh flcuk my spelling

 

[coloneldan]

I understand everything mentioned above. But to me, if I'm not in the clouds, I'm not gonna count it. It wouldn't be that much anyway, and since I use the....OOOOh about this much method, I wouldnt' be surprised if my actual time is way over or under. It's just not that important to me, anymore. I can see if you flew extended legs over the water, or desolate areas, very often, it could add up. The only time it would make a difference is in getting a rating, or meeting minimum time for a position. Then you can't be accused of overstating you actual instrument time if you stick to in the clouds. Whether that is an accurate indicator or not.

 

[coloneldan]

It's late. I hope that last post made sense.