What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

I am IFR rated!

RFazio

Well Known Member
I wanted to post a plug for GATTS, General Aviation Training in Manhattan Kansas. I've been training for over two years for my IFR rating. It felt like I would never finish. I had to take the written again because I went over two years. The written course instructor recommended GATTS and I decided to do it. They have an IFR finish up course. $3500.00 includes a room, car and a hanger for your plane. You pay $1000.00 down and don't pay the rest till you pass. I trained in my own RV-6. I flew out there from NY, 9.9 hours and trained for 4 days of intense training with Mike, my instructor. The first day was 4.5 hours and 14 approaches. The remaining 3 days were all about 4 hours and 10 or 12 approaches. Day 5, I passed the check ride. I flew home IFR. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to get their IFR rating.
 
+1 on positive experience at GATTS! I trained with them for my instrument and commercial. Both were obtained on time and on budget! For my instrument rating I used their C172 RG with dual 430's. It was a great experience. For my commercial a couple of years later the C172RG was down for a new engine and we used K-State's flying club 200hp Arrow. That airplane was less to my liking, put that is likely mostly a personal problem! The supplied car and housing is of good quality and Manhattan KS is a nice city if you have any down time. The accelerated instrument is pretty much full on flying and study, the commercial was a little less intense. KMHK is also located very near Ft Riley and I was able to try a PAR (precision approach radar) type approach there, which was fun and different.

The only "risk" I can see is that you will be working with one instructor for your course and if you and the instructor do not get along well that could be an issue. I did not have that problem, both instructors were good and easy to work with. One thing I would recommend is to have a telephone call or two with the instructor that will be assigned to you, that would give you an idea whether you are compatible.

In summary - good training operation and methods, good housing, good enough airplanes. They also were able to provide a hanger (no charge) for my airplane for the time I was there.
 
I've lived in a few places where actual IFR meant either icing conditions or thunderstorms, and of course, the rating didn't do a whole lot of good there. But what is really neat is that IFR means that you don't have any cloud clearance rules. I've done a bunch of IFR X-C where IFR got me the altitude I wanted that would not have been legal VFR; or flying in really scary VFR and hoping that I'd get to fly through a cloud along the way.

The caveat, though, is that if you're IFR, you have to be ready for no foolin' real IFR, which can happen at any time, even if you thought you were just going "IFR Light."

Enjoy!

Ed
 
Congratulations

An excellent extension to have on to your pilot certificate. Proceed with caution on your new expanded boundaries but by all means proceed!
 
Be sure to incorporate instrument approaches when you are out flying around in VMC. It is very common where newly minted IFR pilots slowly stop practicing IFR procedures because it is easier and more flexible to tool around VFR.
 
welcome to status of real pilot. now you need permission to do everything when in the system. nice to see you filed on your return trip. ;)
 
Back
Top