Instrument currency versus instrument proficiency

Pilot’s primer
by Donald Talleur

The issue of instrument currency versus instrument proficiency has received much attention in the past. While it is true that regulations clearly guide the maintenance of instrument currency, it is not so clear that simply following regulations will keep you a pilot proficient.
There are several factors to consider when determining what activity is required to maintain proficiency. The first step is to meet the minimum regulatory requirement. But after that, we need to analyze the type of instrument flying we do in order to determine the best course of action for maintaining proficiency. Most pilots simply meet the minimum requirement and then rationalize that this alone means they are proficient. This is not necessarily so! Experience level, type of flying conditions, type of aircraft, and personal minimums are probably the most important considerations when determining how proficient a pilot really is.
"Experience is the key…" I once overheard this while passing through an airport office. I thought to myself that this guy was absolutely right. Those seasoned old airline and military pilots have so much experience that they don’t need to practice as often as us neophyte pilots. Right? Well, in reality, many of those seasoned old pilots don’t operate in the general aviation environment any better than the rest of us. Why not, you ask? The reason is that these folks tend to be out of their element when in a light aircraft, pressing ahead through the murk at 150 kts. Light aircraft do not handle turbulence, updrafts, wind, ice or any other weather in the same way as a large aircraft; and it is not a safe assumption that because a pilot can handle a large aircraft safely, they can therefore handle a smaller one. Accident reports are full of examples to back up my claim. So, don’t let experience cloud your judgment when it comes to proficiency. When you become comfortable with your level of proficiency, you will probably have exceeded the minimum regulatory requirement.
What type of weather do you fly in? Is your instrument rating an insurance policy to get you out of a bad weather situation, or do you fly in instrument conditions regularly? If you fly in the "soup" often, your proficiency is probably already quite high. In this case, make sure you practice the instrument tasks you may not do so often. Unusual attitude recoveries and holds are usually not practiced as regularly, so you might consider devoting extra time to those. If you use your instrument rating to sneak into airports with bad weather or only when in a bind, be particularly careful about maintaining proficiency. You are not getting regular exposure to the instrument flying system, so strict adherence to a regiment of practice instrument flights is called for. Remember to get some instruction from time to time as well. While self-evaluation is important, it is also important to get a second opinion of your skills from a qualified instructor.
The type of aircraft you fly is also an important consideration when determining what level of proficiency is necessary. Proficiency in a light, slow, single-engine aircraft may not require the same level of practice as in a medium twin-engine aircraft. There is a difference in the instrument scan required, and there is usually a difference in aircraft equipment. More complex aircraft may have wing levellers, autopilots, HSIs, RMIs, etc., all of which reduce the pilot’s workload if they are used correctly. Unfortunately, most pilots who have these nice features in their aircraft practice with them turned on.
I’ve had the opportunity to fly with dozens of pilots who regularly fly these types of complex aircraft. It is interesting to note that when most of these pilots don’t have all the nice "toys" to do the work for them, instrument flying becomes significantly more difficult. If you are truly proficient, you should be able to turn off the autopilot or wing-leveller and hand fly it equally as well. Don’t accept any less from yourself!
On the issue of personal minimums, we address both weather minimums that you feel proficient to handle and, more importantly, personal physical and mental minimums.
The weather part is simple – the more proficient you are, the lower you may feel your personal visibility and cloud ceiling minimums can be set for your planned flight (within legal limits). If you don’t fly regularly, don’t use the absolute minimum as your personal minimum. Give yourself a "fudge" factor. When it comes to your personal health, please do not fly in any weather conditions (visual or instrument) if you are not up to par physically or mentally. Instrument flying, in particular, is a highly procedural task and requires clear mental faculties. Physical ailments are at minimum a distraction, and may be enough to cause an otherwise proficient pilot to err.
Maintaining instrument proficiency is the key to being safe, and simply meeting the minimum regulatory currency requirement may not be sufficient. Consider your experience, aircraft, weather and all the rest when making a decision about your own proficiency. If you consider these aspects of maintaining instrument proficiency, there will be little question that you are both current and proficient.

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