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 is celebrating IFR Month this February with special savings, expert guidance, and a full lineup of IFR webinars, articles, videos, and quizzes. From training and proficiency tips to limited-time deals on IFR courses and gear, it’s all about helping pilots get current and fly with more confidence.
Whether you’re joining an airway, flying a feeder route, or correcting for wind en route to the next fix, this maneuver sits at the heart of modern IFR flying. In this spotlight, we’ll break down how to properly set up the GPS, select and intercept the desired course, manage intercept angles, and smoothly transition from interception to accurate course tracking—while staying well within standards.
Arrivals and departures are where IFR flying shifts from procedure memorization to real chart interpretation. This quiz challenges you to read SIDs and STARs the way they’re actually used—identifying transitions, understanding altitude requirements, and knowing what to do when things don’t go as planned. The answers are all on the chart, but only if you know where (and how) to look.
Join CFI-I Spencer Suderman for a real-world IFR cross-country from Jacksonville to Daytona Beach, Florida, flown in a G1000-equipped Cessna 172. From preflight planning and filing in ForeFlight to copying a clearance, flying in the system, and executing an RNAV approach at the destination, this is a complete, end-to-end look at how everyday IFR flying actually works.
Follow along on this scenario-based IFR route selection exercise as we plan a flight from Oceana, CA (L52) to Monterey, CA (KMRY) using ForeFlight Route Advisor.
Few instrument maneuvers require a smoother transition from procedures to judgment than the circling approach. In this spotlight, we’ll break down how to fly a circling approach safely and within standards—maintaining the correct circling altitude, managing wind and aircraft positioning, staying within protected airspace, and knowing exactly when it’s appropriate to leave MDA and descend for landing.
Strong IFR flying starts with strong weather awareness. Take the quiz to see how you stack up.
In this IFR Focus video tip, we break down the major types of ice protection found on general aviation aircraft—from classic pneumatic boots to thermal systems and weeping wings—and explain the critical distinction between anti-ice and deice. Just as important, we look at what it actually means for an airplane to be approved for flight in known icing conditions.
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.
