Instrument Ground School

This past week I started IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) ground school. Basically it consists of two weeks were the Navy tries to teach us everything we need to know about flying and navigating in bad weather. Above is a picture I took of what my bedroom floor looks like while I try to study. An incredible volume of knowledge is needed to be able to take off, fly into the clouds, navigate to a destination, approach and land safely without being able to see where you are going. Not only that, but the procedures for flight have to be closely regulated and monitored because of the massive volume of traffic in US airways. Its intimidating to start ground school because you realize just how much you dont know about flying. After the solo, you THINK you know how to fly. Now you realize, all you were doing was playing around at low altitude in good weather. Real pilots fly up high in all kinds of miserable weather conditions.

Flight school seems to be an endless cycle. First you realize how little you know about controlling an aircraft. Then, spurred on by a desire to prove yourself, you put your head down and learn massive amounts of material, pass the test/checkride and move on. Your confidence balloons as you master new skills in the air - only to be deflated all over again at the start of the next phase. I'm currently being re-humbled, for what certainly is not the last time.