Next VHA Meeting to Feature Inadvertent IMC Training As a Focus
Next VHA Meeting: Sunday June 7, 2026 10AM
The next VHA meeting will feature ground instruction, as well as helicopter flight simulator to provide pilots with the tools necessary to help avoid accidents resulting from Inadvertent IMC. As usual, the meeting will be streamed via Zoom here.
Given how many accidents are related to Inadvertent Flight Into Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC), having training about how to recognize, avoid, and recover from IIMC scenarios is critical. In order to help facilitate the VHA's mission to improve helicopter safety, the June 7 meeting will feature discussion and training on IIMC.
Training will begin by looking at the statistics around accidents that result from IIMC, and some techniques that pilots can use to recognize when conditions that may result in a loss of visibility are present. Then, discussion will go over some avoidance techniques in both the planning and in-flight phase, and the ground portion of the training will culminate with discussing some recovery techniques for if IMC conditions are fully encountered.
Finally, Active VHA members will get a chance to try their hand at recovering from some actual IMC scenarios in an FAA-Certified, Motion-enabled helicopter simulator from Skyvector Simulation. A short sim session is 100% free for all VHA members in attendance.
For VHA members not able to attend the sim, they can enjoy 30 minutes of free Sim time while the simulator is still in the local area at Hampton Roads Helicopters until June 12.
This is a great opportunity to get some real hands-on IMC training that may just save your life!