Instrument Rating
Open up a whole new world in your flying experience! This rating will open the door to fly on less than desirable weather days that will keep the non-instrument pilots on the ground. You will become a more competent pilot. The instrument rating requirements, as specified in 14 CFR 61.65, are summarized here:
- Hold at
least a current private pilot certificate or be concurrently
applying for a private pilot certificate.
- Be able
to read, speak, write, and understand the English language.
- You must
have logged the following:
- At least
50 hours of cross-country flight time as pilot in command. At least
10 of these hours must be in airplanes for an instrument-airplane
rating.
- A total
of 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time on the areas of
operation listed in 61.65(c).
- At least
15 hours of instrument flight training from an authorized instructor
in the aircraft category for the instrument rating sought.
- For
instrument-airplane rating, instrument training on cross-country
flight procedures that includes at least one cross-country flight in
an airplane that is performed under instrument flight rules. This
flight must consist of:
- A
distance of at least 250 nm along airways or ATC-directed routing.
- An
instrument approach at each airport.
- Three
different kinds of approaches with the use of navigation systems
(Example: ILS, VOR, GPS, etc).
- At least
3 hours of instrument training that is appropriate to the instrument
rating sought from an authorized instructor in preparation for the
check-ride within two calendar months before the examination date.