Trevor; As Mac McClellen has said a million times: IFR
survival is a matter of stacking as many chips in your corner as you can. Speed
is less important than endurance (fuel) because time in the air equals options.
The difference between a stable IFR platform and a nimble one is the same as
the difference between a Goldwing and a Caddi. You can (probably) undress and
make love while driving a sedan, but you must ride the bike all the time. A
Low-workload airframe equals time to think and better situational awareness on
approach.
??? Just keeping a wooden prop in good condition in heavy rain, much less hail,
is difficult, and how many krs are using wood props? How well does the KR
handle light icing? How far does the CG move with fuel burn?
? ? Just surviving your first 100hrs of hard IFR is a challenge. Getting a KR
finished and test-flown is a real challenge. Getting through your first 100hrs
of solo flying is a challenge. Many KRs sit unfinished, many IFR tickets
unused, many retractables are hangar queens. Choose your battles, enjoy your KR
friends, and if you want a survival challenge, survive a year riding a
motorcycle.
