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.
https://media.ifrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/22122934/getting-started-in-your-training-video-tip.png10001250IFR Focus Teamhttps://media.ifrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14115136/IFR-Focus-Logo_White_Blue_Web-01.pngIFR Focus Team2025-08-29 08:55:302025-08-22 12:29:46Video Tip: Getting Started in Your Instrument Training
Remeber that IFR flying is built on the unglamorous basics. Hold heading, altitude, and airspeed precisely, and you’ll have the bandwidth to manage everything else—ATC calls, avionics, charts, and approaches.
https://media.ifrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/19095034/The-Foundation-of-IFR-Flying-Basic-Attitude-Instrument-Skills.png10001250Eric Radtkehttps://media.ifrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14115136/IFR-Focus-Logo_White_Blue_Web-01.pngEric Radtke2025-08-26 08:55:522025-08-19 09:52:47The Foundation of IFR Flying: Basic Attitude Instrument Skills
Before an IFR flight, the cockpit setup and check for flight instruments is more than just a box to check—it’s your first line of defense against in-flight surprises or emergencies. This systematic preflight review verifies that each required instrument is not only present and functional, but operating within acceptable limits.
I’m an unabashed geek when it comes to avionics. My flight instruction career has lived in parallel to one in technical education and writing. It also started less than a year after Garmin introduced the original GNS 430, so maybe it was destiny that my niche would be avionics training and IFR training.
https://media.ifrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/13114548/make-your-avionics-sing.png10001250Jeff Van Westhttps://media.ifrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14115136/IFR-Focus-Logo_White_Blue_Web-01.pngJeff Van West2025-08-19 08:55:342025-08-14 10:09:29Practical IFR: Making Avionics Sing
If you weren’t ahead of the airplane, you were the obstacle. It was that high-stress, fast-paced, and constantly changing environment that cemented the most important lesson I’ve learned in all my years of flying:
The most important systems for flying IFR safely and confidently are built on the ground, long before you ever climb into the cockpit to test them.
https://media.ifrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/01115405/Too-Much-Info-How-to-Focus-IFR-Thinking.png10001250James Oniealhttps://media.ifrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14115136/IFR-Focus-Logo_White_Blue_Web-01.pngJames Onieal2025-08-12 08:55:292025-08-18 21:43:38Too Much Info: How to Focus IFR Thinking
A smooth and efficient scan is the foundation of instrument flying. In this segment, we’ll explore how to prioritize the attitude indicator, interpret supporting instruments, and adjust your scan technique based on cockpit layout and flight conditions. Whether flying steam gauges or glass, learning to slow down and get the full message from each instrument is key to becoming a precise, confident IFR pilot.
If you’re a Private Pilot ready to take your skills to the next level, there’s no better way than earning your Instrument Rating. It’s a game changer—not just for your flying confidence, but for the freedom and utility it unlocks. You’ll no longer be bound by VFR weather minimums.
https://media.ifrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/24123831/How-to-Transition-to-IFR-flying-with-an-Instrument-Rating-1.png10001250IFR Focus Teamhttps://media.ifrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14115136/IFR-Focus-Logo_White_Blue_Web-01.pngIFR Focus Team2025-08-05 08:55:522025-07-24 12:38:51How to Transition to IFR flying with an Instrument Rating
Even when it’s not required by regulation, I almost always file an alternate airport when planning IFR flights—especially for cross-country trips. Why? Because weather isn’t the only thing that can throw a wrench in your plan. Runway closures, fuel availability, equipment outages, and unforecast changes can all make your destination unavailable.
https://media.ifrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/23134050/ifr-alternate-requirements.png10001250IFR Focus Teamhttps://media.ifrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14115136/IFR-Focus-Logo_White_Blue_Web-01.pngIFR Focus Team2025-08-01 08:55:322025-07-23 13:41:18Ask the IFR Expert: When is an IFR Alternate Required?
There’s a lot to keep track of when nearing the initial approach fix or that last vector-to-final. Along with all those numbers for altitudes and courses to fly the procedure, you have things to do to the airplane—like adding flaps and adjusting power. It’s all part of what makes the approach a high-workload phase, so anything to help you get ready before it gets busy is a good idea. And that means being ready for anything. Enter the approach briefing.
https://media.ifrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/21110215/art-of-briefing-the-approach.png10001250Elaine Kauhhttps://media.ifrfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14115136/IFR-Focus-Logo_White_Blue_Web-01.pngElaine Kauh2025-07-29 08:55:062025-07-23 12:27:15The Art of Briefing the Approach
Video Tip: Getting Started in Your Instrument Training
The Foundation of IFR Flying: Basic Attitude Instrument Skills
Instrument Maneuver Spotlight: Flight Deck Check—Flight Instruments
Practical IFR: Making Avionics Sing
IFR Quiz: Regulations for Instrument Flight Rules
Too Much Info: How to Focus IFR Thinking
Video Tip: Instrument Scanning Technique
How to Transition to IFR flying with an Instrument Rating
Ask the IFR Expert: When is an IFR Alternate Required?
The Art of Briefing the Approach