Since the IMC Club began establishing clubs nationwide in November 2009, the organization has grown to 20 chapters with nearly 700 members.
IMC Club President Radek Wyrzykowski told AOPA that the club focuses on proficiency in a “fun and enjoyable form that is encouraged and rewarded every time and shared as an experience with the community of pilots.” One of the goals is to equip less experienced instrument pilots with the resources needed to gain confidence in flying in IMC instead of immediately electing to stay on the ground.
The club offers bi-weekly meetings in which pilots who have flown in instrument conditions debrief others on their experience. The groups discuss the flight and share insights and knowledge gained from flying in IMC. Wyrzykowski said he plans to create a database of safety speakers who would be available to talk about safety and instrument-related topics at local chapter meetings.
The rapid expansion of the club is piquing interest worldwide. The group is working to establish a chapter in Botswana, and pilots from Poland and Great Brittan also have contacted Wyrzykowski about the possibility of opening a chapter.