The IFR Focus Team is made up of experienced flight instructors, professional pilots, and editors dedicated to helping instrument pilots sharpen their skills. Drawing on decades of real-world flying and teaching experience, the team curates practical tips, training resources, and scenario-based content to make IFR flying safer and more enjoyable.
Sporty’s Instrument Rating Course now includes powerful new Aviation Intelligence (AI) tools—ChatCFI, ChatFAR, ChatDPE, and FAA Test Analysis—each designed to make IFR study smarter and more focused. These aviation-specific AI assistants help pilots connect test prep to real-world decision-making, turning study time into practical learning.
Think of the flight director as your own personal autopilot coach—it shows you exactly what inputs to make to stay on course and on glidepath. In this IFR Focus video tip, we’ll explain how to interpret those familiar magenta “V-bars,” how they differ from the autopilot, and why mastering the flight director can make your hand-flown approaches smoother and more precise.
Veteran instructor and author Bruce Williams takes us along on an IFR flight from Bellingham, WA (KBLI) to Bremerton (KPWT) in his Bonanza, using Garmin SmartCharts in the Garmin Pilot app. This quick 30-minute hop showcases how SmartCharts declutter complex procedures—like the KLSHN TWO RNAV departure—and make it easier to visualize key information in real time. Along the way, Bruce flies the RNAV (GPS) RWY 20 approach through the clouds, offering practical tips on procedure loading and approach setup.
When ATC takes control of your headings and altitudes, precision and anticipation are key. In this spotlight, we’ll cover how to fly an instrument approach using radar vectors from ATC—maintaining communication discipline, staying ahead of the airplane, and managing configuration and speed changes.
There are many details to consider when planning a flight under Instrument Flight Rules. Mix in some inclement weather, and the workload increases exponentially. Answer all these questions correctly and prove you have the keys to unlock a successful IFR flight.
For many IFR pilots today, flying a GPS approach is second nature. Among the most capable options is the LPV approach, which offers ILS-like lateral and vertical guidance—but with far wider availability. Thanks to WAAS-enabled GPS, pilots can fly precision-style approaches at thousands of airports that don’t have an ILS installed.
When the weather’s down and the runway is disappearing into the clouds, you can’t rely on outside references to stay on centerline and maintain control. That’s where the instrument takeoff comes in. In this maneuver spotlight, we’ll break down the step-by-step technique for conducting a safe and precise instrument takeoff
Under 14 CFR §61.57(c), instrument-rated pilots need to log at least six IAPs every six months to stay current and act as PIC under IFR or in weather below VFR mins. But not every approach counts—what matters are the conditions under which you fly it. Based on FAA guidance (InFO 15012), here’s the breakdown on what makes an IAP “loggable.”
The free datalink weather component of the ADS-B network has become a necessity for IFR pilots flying with portable ADS-B receivers. Test your knowledge of the system components and limitations in this latest quiz.
Adding an instrument rating will greatly expand the utility of your Private certificate and allow you to fly on days when the visibility is low and the cloud layers are close to the ground. In this tip, we’ll explain the steps you’ll need to follow to earn your instrument rating and the new procedures and knowledge you’ll learn along the way.
