*I wrote all this and then went back and read it.  Sorry for the rambling train of thought.  Just typed it as it came out of my head.

And I think I'm sweating (literally) more now than I was training for my PPL.  We've done 6 hours in the plane and about the same in the sim.  I just wrapped up a 2 hour sim session this evening, I was drenched when we were done.  I feel pretty good but man, it's stressful learning all this stuff.  

I flew an 'actual' clearance in the sim today.  Had to takeoff, intercept a victor airway, then an intersection on another airway, then given a hold on a radial, then cleared to a circling approach to minimums. He made me do it all on the 'fly'.  The only part I planned prior to take off was the heading to the intersection.  Once there, he gave me a radial off a local VOR, I had to find the frequency on the chart and figure out how to get there, then he told me I was going to hold there for a while and then land at a nearby airport, so I had to pull the approach plate, find all the info and then he 'cleared me' for the approach.  It actually went really well and to be honest, I had fun.    

I think the stress is my CFII is really beating me up.  Not in a bad way, but he's really riding me to keep my altitude perfect, the needles perfectly centered, etc.  He won't even accept a 10' altitude deviation without bitching at me.  If it sounds like I'm complaining, I'm not.  I appreciate that he's ingraining into me the need to be precise.  

That and he's a total asshole always trying to distract me. He always pulled crap like that in my PPL training.  I'd be listening to the tower read me my take-off clearance and he'd pop off with random stuff about his weekend.  Or I'd be in the middle of a steep turn and he'd start talking about something his dog did.   It took a couple times before I realized he was doing it on purpose and once I told him to shut up, he did.  That was his whole point.  

I really enjoy flying with him.  He's a great guy, not in it for the money or a career.  He just likes teaching people how to fly.  When we fly in my plane, I practically have to shove cash in his pocket.  He thinks I'm crazy because I 'enjoy' when he screws with me.  I just really like learning.  

I'm kind of afraid of what's going to happen when I finish my IR.  I think I'm going to learn how to fly a tail dragger.  Maybe some aerobatics.  And then there's a helicopter school in the same building...

Sounds like fun!

I always enjoyed instrument instruction.  Sounds like you've got a great instructor.

How's your plane?

I think IFR was my favorite rating so far, oddly enough. It helped that my instructor was a great guy who was loads of fun and easy to get along with. We also did the VAST majority of my training at night, so it was cooler and less congested (plus I got a bunch of night XC). Not sure why I enjoyed it better than VFR stuff, but I did. Have a blast man. Are you guys using TFD for VOR work, or is there somewhere else you go since you're out of SDL?

Also, I'd highly recommend you get that rotorcraft rating, but I may be biased...

I imagine we will use TFD.  Right now we've just been creating a simulated VOR with the 430W.

Gotcha. Stanfield is fun, especially when it's busy. I've entered at 7000' before. That was a lot of practice holding while we worked our way down!

Instrument flying is best flying!!!!!

I've always enjoyed instrument flying, it's always very satisfying to fly hundreds, or thousands of miles and find that little patch of concrete, without ever seeing the ground from takeoff to touchdown.  You will thank your instructor for pushing you to be precise from the beginning, it forces a good, solid scan.

Depending on the simulator you are using, it will almost always be more sensitive and harder to fly than a real airplane.  That will make you better in the airplane.  

At least you will probably never have to learn, or do NDB approaches.

Meanwhile, I'm learning how to destroy any instrument scan I may have had left with this thing..They say it takes around 500 hours using it in the airplane, before you are totally comfortable with it.

Instrument and multi engine were probably the funnest ratings.  When you finish you're IR you (and possibly your passengers) will be amazed at how much smoother your VFR flying is.  And that first time you fly into a real cloud is pretty amazing.  As goofy as it may sound, it is bright flying into a could.  Much different (IMO) than simply putting a hood on.

Oh God, yes.  It's awful.  It's a Precision Flight Controls system.  Looks like this https://flypfc.com/shop/training-systems/fixed-wing/open-cockpit-systems/crx/ but with dual controls and much larger monitors (not that it matters, lol!)

It's very difficult to trim because the yoke is just on springs.  You can't trim off the pressure.  It's just trial and error.  Which makes it really interesting when you're changing power settings, trying to time your turn, stay at your altitude, and look up the approach plate.  

Flying the plane is a lot more fun.  

Even the high dollar, full motion level D sims, like the one I'm spending the next two weeks in don't really "fly" like the real airplane.  It's close, but the controls will never feel the same.  But if you can nail everything in the twitchy sim, the airplane is a piece of cake.  I do agree, the real airplane is a lot more fun.

I have  PPL SEL, MEL IR ratings, and got a chance to fly 4 hours in a 777 sim.
I felt like I had gone 10 rounds with Tyson after that.
Can't wait to do it again.

There is a psychological factor that you can't reproduce with a hood either. I got my intrument rating in NC and discovered on my own that there are clouds in Florida that you would rather avoid than fly through.

A GPS course indication is a godsend when it comes to flying VOR/ILS approaches. Keep in mind that VOR radials can be rotated a few degrees from true or magnetic headings. When flying a localizer approach with strong crosswinds, I center the needle, align my GPS course with what's on the plate, and set the HSI bug.

Does your 430 have terrain?