VTAILJEFF@aol.com wrote:

As an designated pilot examiner, if I had an applicant who wanted to take his instrument checkride in a complex aircraft-- well more power to him. He just doesn't get any slack if he forgets to put the gear down at the marker, or neglects to put in the prop for the go around. Its still a bust. And yes, I have seen these things happen, personnally. The checkride is hard enough-- why make it harder?

There are no graduated IFR ratings.  If you get an IFR rating in a C172, you can hop in a LIV and legally take off into clouds (assuming you have the checkouts to fly one VFR).  Do you think that is a good idea?

To me at least, a checkride is a lost less stressful than flying in actual conditions.  You are usually in VMC and have an experienced second pilot on-board.  If you plan to be flying in IMC in a LIV, I would expect you to be able to pass your checkride in a LIV.  If you can not, you have no business being in the clouds in a LIV.

If I were a designated examiner, which I am not and do not intend to become one, and I learned than an applicant usually flies a LIV or a Mooney or whatever, but wants to take a checkride in C172, it would send up red flags for me.  A checkride is not about going through the motions in the easiest possible circumstances to get a piece of paper.  It is demonstrating your ability to fly the plane you intend to fly in conditions and stress level as close to what you would experience when you are exercising the privileges of that rating.

This is the humble opinion of a low time pilot, who does not have Jeff's experience or ratings and does not anticipate ever matching him in those areas.

Regards,

Hamid