HAA pilot here with Comm/IFR ratings who has worked a VFR base for 15 years. New company taking over the contract offering the pilots jobs with the expectation we can be IFR at 6 months, in a new airframe. Looking at the numbers I don't see how we can do IFR flight due to alternate/fuel requirements etc but thats another story.

I hear that HAA companies expect pilots reporting for IFR training to be ready to go and just train to currency. The guys at our base are not current. Two civilian guys have little to no actual and the other two of us haven't flown since our army days 15+ years ago in a two pilot ship.

We are willing to get on the IFR boat but don't feel the system with the 'minimum' training' will work for us.

Anyone else been through this?

but they are not just going to expect you to pass a check ride in six months. fly IFR every time you can VFR including getting clearances and flying approaches before training. The training will go much smoother.

(and why are we afraid to say which company it is?) they have (or had) a mentorship program. Only problem is that nobody at your base will be able to mentor you as you're all in the same boat. If you don't come with IFR experience or are prepared for the training, they will just send you home or you will likely fail the ride. Study chapter 5 (IFR) of the GOM and practice. PHI will probably let you do mentorship training at a nearby base. If it's available, by all means take advantage of it. 

I doubt PHI is taking over a VFR base and making it IFR. And that's coming from a PHI pilot who actually somewhat likes working for them.

If you're for real and would like some pro bono advice, email me at kpk4@hotmail.com 

Not trying to sell anything, just have some time on my hands and don't mind giving advice on this subject.

I've been vfr only since retiring from the military many years ago. I just went through SPIFR training for one of the big 3 letter abbreviation companies because my base is "getting an IFR aircraft". I was apprehensive going in, like you, but the training was good enough that I left there feeling confident that I could safely operate in the IFR environment.  The training was not perfect, but it was adequate.

your company won't train to proficiency you might want to look elsewhere.  Suchks but SPIFR is nothing to sneeze at, especially in mountainous terrain or high density airspace.  Using a computer based simulator, airplane or helicopter, will help get your mind in the game.  Don't fool around with ice or fuel.

not the high density airspace guy again. who said anything about not training to proficiency. yes definitely use one of them "computor based simulators". 

not the 'English as a third language' guy!

Read "minimum training" in the OP post.  

If you are a competent and precise VFR pilot you will be able to master the flight portion of IFR flight. Having flown quite a few years in the IFR world i can tell you the challange will be the mental aspects of the IFR world. Obtaining and maintaining the knowledge to safely operate IFR is never ending. When you are IMC there are many times that you just have to own the knowledge of rules and procedures. 

In the VFR world you can often just kind of mush through because you generally have some time to sort things out. The IFR world is not so tolerant of mushing through.  Work on understand the rules, procedures, and charts for IFR operations. Not understang an approach chart has killed many good pilots. 

If others can do it safely, you can do it with the same competence. For my money IFR is the safest way to go, if you know your business. 

being confident in vfr flight has zero to do with ifr. ifr is all auto pilot. they have almost nothing in common. 

Really?

lots of high time pilots wash out of SPIFR training. LOTS. it's an entirely different ball game. if you disagree that IFR isn't completely different than VFR flying, it says only one thing about you: you haven't done it.

OVER 1000 hours SPIFR, onshore, offshore, all approaches imaginable; ur a jherk incapable of proceeding the truth!  Suffer puppy!

Grief.  Gawd help ya.

have an imagination that is definitely not serving you well.  

is it even possible to come up with a more ridiculous word salad of bullsh*t.

"If you are a competent and precise VFR pilot you will be able to master the flight portion of IFR flight. Having flown quite a few years in the IFR world i can tell you the challange will be the mental aspects of the IFR world. Obtaining and maintaining the knowledge to safely operate IFR is never ending. When you are IMC there are many times that you just have to own the knowledge of rules and procedures." 

for a change and contribute something positive!

Find a decent CFII and go back to ground school.  Get back to the knowledge level of being able to pass the ground portion of an instrument check ride prior to arriving to company training.

Get a FW IFR rating and fly as much as you can after your training. 

go get an airplane rating and then your instrument and then fly around after the helicopter training. brilliant 

You already have an instrument rating, so get back in the books.  Buy yourself an ASA Instrument rating test prep book and look specifically at the departure, enroute, and arrival procedures in the AIM.  Look at the flight planning and ATC procedures, as well. 

Even though you are VFR right now, fly some approaches on the dead head legs and knock the rust off.  It will come back to you.  

Confidence in your knowledge and abilities will go a long way in the positive.  This is nothing you haven't done before.

If you fly for a reputable company, the instructors will accept the fact you guys will be a bit out of date and will adjust their professional training accordingly.  

v/r