How to Fly an Airplane : Understanding the VFR & IFR Types of Flying

Learn about the two different types of flying, VFR or Visual Flight Rules, and IFR, or Instrument Flight Rules, in this free video series.

Expert: Dave Pressy
Bio: Dave Pressy has been a flight instructor in the St. Louis Area for over four years, and a pilot for more than seven years.
Filmmaker: Ross Safronoff

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• plane
• airplane
• pilot
• flyingplane
• flightinstructions
• survivalskills

[spuzzdawg]

No - my old instructor used to work in IT and decided around the age of 33 that he would prefer to to fly than deal with computers. If you're interested in flying as a hobby then it's definately not too late. It's not too late to start for a career either but you'd have to understand that people younger than you would have an advantage. You'd just have to work harder - also depends on how far you want to go. There is a big difference between flying 747's and a cessna 172.

[dpgtime]

I concur, I fly out of Van Nuys and the HZ can create almost IFR conditions. I tend to do the opposite than which this video suggest, when flying in SoCal. I use my instruments quite a bit and talk to Flight Following along the way for traffic advisories while in VFR. Hello fellow SoCal flier.

[justinmirasol]

This video explains everything clearly. Thanks

[tvoice1]

IFR sounds pretty hard

[petaboil]

@dpgtime hows phill?

[dingoklectos]

I agree with jmitterii2...my flight instructor though used to turn my GPS off and train m e the old school way to better my skills...but once you start flying solo, an additional GPS like Garmin Aera 560 will help...it will help with more than terrain or map - it gives airspeed altitude etc in case your aircraft vacuum pump fails. GREAT BACKUP

[dingoklectos]

Seeing white planes in the sun is hard sometimes and seeing trees at night is hard too...less emergency landing spots at night.

[dingoklectos]

One important point that he didn't mention though about VFR is that you have to always watch your AIRSPEED indictator, angle of attack, bank angle, etc to avoid stalling the airplane. A lot of fatal VFR crashes happen during the traffic pattern due to ignoring airspeed or attitude degree while take off or landing.

I generally prefer IFR altitudes (I have been there with a IFR pilot) since there is less traffic and often less worry about a mid-air collision with ATC commands and TCAS systems.

[jmitterii2]

Well VFR flying means you know the air space in which you will be flying and what frequencies to monitor. Also, GPS units today can aid in ensuring you keep away restricted areas. Along with an updated sectional chart. Both IFR and VFR can be dangerous if you don't take the necessary safe steps.

[spuzzdawg]

the most obvious advantage is time - it takes a long time for a pilot to graduate from little cessnas to jumbos and the younger pilot has the advantage if that is your ambition - that's not to say that it's not impossible, just an extra challenge. Learning to fly is usually an expensive ordeal and the older pilot is more likely to have family commitments and less spare time to study.

[juxong]

what are the advantage does the younger pilot has versus older person who is just starting out