Cruise clearance is defined in the AIM.



Regarding actual instrument time -- I know the definition but have thought a lot about this.  There are two kinds of cues I get out the window:  attitude, and rates.  If you're in solid gray, you lose both.  However, if you're between layers and can't see the ground, you have rate cues but not attitude (at least, not very good).  So sometimes when I'm between layers, but not actually in a cloud, I'll count it as instrument time if I really have to be scanning back to the ADI to make sure I'm upright.



Instrument approach -- another good one.  I count any one that I could not have executed VFR due to meteorological conditions (or any that I do under the hood).  That excludes all the practice approaches I do in VMC without a hood, and instrument approaches that I do in night VFR just to be safe.



So sorry about the headwinds -- my goodness, what a surprise going westbound!!!  : )



On Jan 23, 2013, at 7:27 AM, vtailjeff [at] aol.com wrote:



Ok .....so for all the IFR experts what is a "cruise clearance"? Ron will know.



Second question... What per cent of your total time is actual instrument time?



Where is "actual instrument time" defined?



Finally, what defines an "actual instrument approach"?



Jeff

8+00 St.Louis to Redmond today (darn headwinds)



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