After my 2 practice area solo flights, I enjoyed getting back in the plane with my instructor to begin our flight by reference to instruments. While climbing near cruise altitude, I donned the Foggles and leveled out at 2300 feet. Then my instructor had me do some maneuvers while concentrating on a specific instrument.

After flying straight and level with the Attitude indicator, for a while, he introduced maintaining altitude with the Altimeter. I spent my time working on a scan with those two instruments. Then, we added the Heading Indicator. With those three, I could maintain and verify straight and level flight. I was introduced to using the Turn Coordinator to maintain turns at a standard rate. We made a few turns, then we were close enough to do a GPS RWY 16 approach for DMW. My instructor asked if I wanted to try this and I jumped at the opportunity! I had to watch my heading, altitude and also the CDI which was slaved to the GPS. I had to intercept the line and maintain a crab. When the GPS said 0nm, I looked down and saw the runway. Very cool!

We then flew out of the area to set up for a 45 entry to the downwind for 34. My instructor had me slowly remove power, pitch for a specific airspeed and descend. I then had to stop descending at pattern altitude, which was a little more difficult to do under the hood than I thought. But then, we did a normal landing without vision obstructed.

It was really fun to fly without reference to instruments. However, this is practice in case I need to perform an emergency maneuver to get out of a cloud that I shouldn't have been in. We have 2 more hours of flight by reference to instruments as a requirement for the checkride. I'm thoroughly enjoying this and plan on getting more practice at it as I eventually work toward an instrument rating.

I'm scheduled for: