I am pursuing my instrument rating at this time, training with an exceptional instructor who has ignited a high level of enthusiasm in me with his approach to teaching this material. The intent of this thread is to discuss instrument flying, specifically in the 180/182 series. Any tips, tricks, words of caution, etc...?

Specifically, at this time I am very interested in what speeds and power settings those of you who fly instruments in the 180s and 182s are using for different flight scenarios: cruise, slow cruise (holding), climb, descent and "I'm way too high, must get down"?

In my 182 j At 5000' airports I use 20 level, 15 for 500fpm descent for ILS and 13 for 800 foot descent non precision down to minimums then 18 with a little flap. Firewalled for climb.

Not knowing where your volcanoes are located, keep in mind that you'll actually have to adjust the throttle if you're lower than Nosedragger's or my elevations. We generally firewall both the prop and the throttle, and then pretty much leave the throttle alone, but when I would fly at lower areas of the country, I usually used 21" for cruise. Otherwise, ND's settings are about right.

One thing, though: when I took my IR ride eons ago, I had been taught 80 knot approach speeds. The DE criticized that and told me to learn to make faster approaches, in case I might be carrying ice. Consequently, I learned to make my approaches much faster, but that took a bit of practice. Now I fly instrument approaches between 95 and 105 knots. Once you've become accustomed to the higher airspeeds, it's actually easier.

You should get a pretty good handle on power settings as you do your Pattern A and Pattern B exercises. Every airplane is a bit different, so your airplane may vary some from other 182s.

Cary

My training in 182's mirrors the above good advice...

Except we used Vref + 30 KIAS to establish an approach speed and then rounded up to get an easy clock calculation for back-up precision and non-precision approaches with a FAF to MAP time. Vref was just the standard Vso, Vs1, or Vs (pilot decision based on conditions) multiplied by 1.3.

Where are "volcanoes" located? I would like to spend next winter working on my instrument and thought about going somewhere for vacation/training. I've yet to find an instructor that has "sparked enthusiasm" and that would be awesome to find a good instructor I could work with in my C-180.

I am in central Oregon. There is often reasonable flying weather in the winter here. Let me know if you want my instructor's info, and I'll pass it along.

Shop for a good DPE during training and discuss what he/she thinks about the subject of an added instrument rating. I have learned a lot doing check rides and orals from DPEs. I would travel far to get a DPE that I trust.

I did my instrument check ride with a FAA examiner. Being really low on funds it saved me about $400. But, the check ride was an in-house training mission for (3) FAA trainee inspectors and it took about 7 hours total. The aircraft was heavily inspected and failed a few placards, which I used a Brothers label maker I borrowed during the lunch break to fix and the FAA maintenance inspector who was assigned to me was OK.

My only area that concerned the inspector was partition panel compass timed turns. There was no piloting function issues, just I was sweating in the hot Hawaii Sun and I was about 5 hours into the examination. He said I looked burned out and I was getting really tired. But, I passed.

I got my instrument rating in a 182 and just did my IPC in another 182.

I have always used (and it has served me well) 1" of MP for every 100FPM descent. Typically I like to slow the plane and trim it for 100kts in the hold and keep the airspeed between 100 and 90 on the ILS. Keep in mind that you do need to slow the airplane down and be ready for landing (that is a desirable outcome) and I usually use the inner markers as my airspeed landing and flap check point. This gives me a chance to stabilize the airplane and configure it for landing. Last thing you want (and I have done it) is to breakout at or near mininums look down at the airspeed and you are doing 120kts and 1200fpm.

On a no precision approach with no vertical guidance (GPS-A into Grants Pass) you have to be aggressive with the descent. So I like to get the airplane slow (90-80) just as I pass the fix and then swoop down to the next fix and be slow again before crossing.

Good point on using 90 KIAS both for traffic flow and to deal with potential icing.

This implies you would carry out an ILS flapless, to avoid tailplane stall if you are carrying ice.

I would suggest that at one dot fly up before intercepting G/S you might reconfigure to 20 degree flaps and fly the ILS at 90 knots - flapless if you are in potential icing. Although if you were caught out with ice, flapless at 100 knots may be more comfortable. An ILS runway is long enough to approach at 100 knots in a 182.

On non precision we are required to fly CDFA (constant descent final approach), if not higher minima apply. This is in Europe.