Take Your Flying to the Next Level: Instrument Rating
An instrument rating lets pilots fly in conditions where visibility is poor, like flying through clouds or bad weather. It allows you to rely on your aircraft’s instruments for navigation instead of looking outside for visual cues.
According to the FAA’s Instrument Flying Handbook, Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) are rules for flying when it's not safe to rely on what you see outside the plane. When flying under IFR, pilots use instruments inside the cockpit to navigate and must file an IFR flight plan before takeoff. Unlike Visual Flight Rules (VFR), where you rely on seeing the ground or horizon, IFR flights depend entirely on the plane’s instruments. Only pilots with an instrument rating can fly under these conditions.
READY TO TAKE FLIGHT?
Common Questions For Getting An Instrument Rating
Learn more about what it takes get your instrument rating below!
Why get an instrument rating?
An instrument rating improves your flying skills and lets you fly in more conditions, not just on clear days. It gives you more freedom to travel through clouds or busy airspace by filing an IFR flight plan, expanding your flying opportunities.
What Are The Prerequisites?
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Hold a private pilot certificate.
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Be able to read, speak, write, and understand English.
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Complete ground training on aeronautical knowledge and pass the FAA knowledge test with a score of 70% or higher.
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Meet the FAA’s minimum experience requirements.
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Pass a practical test with an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE), which includes both an oral and in-flight exam.
What Should I Know Beforehand?
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IFR flight regulations and charts.
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Info from the Aeronautical Information Manual.
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Air traffic control and IFR procedures.
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IFR navigation and approach using instruments.
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Using and interpreting aviation weather reports.
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Safe flying under IFR conditions.
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Recognizing bad weather and windshear.
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Aeronautical decision-making and cockpit management.
What Do I Need To Be Proficent In?
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Pre-flight/Post-flight preparation.
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Pre-flight procedures.
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Air traffic control clearances and procedures.
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Flight by reference to instruments.
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Navigation systems.
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Instrument approach procedures.
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Emergency operations.
What Flight Experience Do I Need?
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50 hours of cross-country flight time (10 hours in an airplane).
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40 hours of instrument time (15 hours with an instructor).
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3 hours of instrument training within 2 months of the test.
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One cross-country IFR flight of 250 nautical miles with an instructor.