The instrument rating is one of the most challenging feats in aviation. Without visual reference to the surrounding environment, maintaining orientation in relation to up-down-right-left is a substantial challenge using only airplane cockpit instruments. Instrument flying requires extensive training, study, and effort.
There are many books and publications available—my favorite is the Instrument Flight Training Manual by Peter Dogan. The FAA’s Instrument Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-15A) is also valuable.
Nearly all published instrument training material and maneuvers are designed to help the pilot develop a consistent instrument scan and instrument interpretation, then apply appropriate control input to maintain aircraft control. I have discovered a maneuver very useful in instrument training that requires a constant instrument scan and control input to achieve the desired result: The purpose of this maneuver is to develop smooth, small control inputs while maintaining a constant instrument scan. Climb to precisely 4,000 feet agl and align on a cardinal heading (270 degrees works well). Set power that will achieve an approximate 500-foot-per-minute rate of descent (usually around 2,000 rpm in most single-engine training airplanes). Simultaneously initiate a standard rate turn to the left at that 500 fpm descent rate and start a timer. Maintain an exact standard rate turn and descent; upon reaching 180 degrees of turn (090 degree heading), roll smoothly into a standard rate turn to the right while maintaining the exact descent rate. Continue this procedure through a series of four turns; you should now be on a heading of 270 degrees, 2,000 feet agl, and exactly four minutes on the timer.
When properly executed, this maneuver requires very precise instrument scan and control input to achieve the desired results in time and altitude. In the interest of safety, it is important to have a safety pilot as well as ATC radar flight following to avoid conflict with other airplanes while performing this maneuver.
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