[blackdog]

Remember your first in flight IFR clearance, under the hood, in a complex plane, while in a hold pattern, on a hot bumpy afternoon, and an empty stomach.

For me it was never the plane, but following procedure @220KTS and not blowing right thru full deflection on the CDI reporting a mandatory intersection.

The first fly the plane rule was never difficult for me. But I was really blessed with good training. Flight Safety, in Vero Beach.

[old curmudgeon]

Under the hood was always harder for me than the real thing. The hood made it harder to scan and I hated it.

I would rather fly real weather all day than under the hood for an hour. If I were still flying.

I quit almost 20 years ago.

I doubt that it is as much fun now as it was then, nor as easy. I suspect that most of the centers have become more like New York used to be.