Earning an instrument rating is a fun and rewarding experience that will provide you with added confidence and make your pilot’s license more powerful. Pilots with an instrument rating are no longer confined to clear skies and VMC—it opens opportunities for more consistent flying, regardless of weather variability. And for pilots considering a career in aviation, an instrument rating is essential. It’s a prerequisite for obtaining a commercial pilot certificate and other advanced qualifications. While the training is rigorous and requires dedication, the sense of accomplishment after earning the rating is unparalleled.

Steps to Earning an Instrument Rating

Instrument Rating eligibility is outlined in 14 CFR 61.65.

1) Ensure Eligibility

Instrument Rating eligibility is outlined in 14 CFR 61.65. A person who applies for an instrument rating must:

• Hold at least a current private pilot certificate
• Be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language.

2) Complete your ground school & written test

Instrument rating applicants are required to receive and log ground training from an instructor or complete a home-study course of training on the required aeronautical knowledge areas. Sporty’s online Instrument Rating Course will help you ace your FAA written test, save money during flight training, and become a better pilot. More than 12 hours of HD video and animations explain everything you need to know to earn your Instrument Rating and feel confident in the clouds. Combine that with powerful test prep tools, a comprehensive document library, interactive exercises, and new Aviation Intelligence features and you have aviation’s most complete training course.

Choosing the right one is one of the most important choices you’ll make in your IFR training.

3) Locate a Flight School and Instructor

Sporty’s flight school database is a good place to start—it shows over 1,000 flight school locations in the US. You can also do a basic search at your favorite internet search engine, or ask other pilots for recommendations. Once you’ve located some schools, choosing the right one is one of the most important choices you’ll make in your IFR training. More than anything, a flight school needs to be a good fit for you–your schedule, your goals and your personality. Visit flight schools near you. Meet with the staff and tour the facilities and airplanes and ensure they have experience in IFR training.

Personal referrals are always a good option. Consider if you are connected to someone who has trained at a specific school and would be willing to recommend the school and/or an instructor. Just like you “interviewed” the flight school, sit down with a prospective instructor and get to know them. Talk about your reasons for earning an instrument rating, your goals and your questions.

4) Complete your IFR flight training

Ensure you’re following a structured training curriculum and be an active participant in the training process.

After you’ve chosen a flight school and instructor, ensure you’re following a structured training curriculum and be an active participant in the training process. Prepare for each lesson with your home study materials and seek feedback from your instructor including any additional study you might accomplish on your own. Once you’ve completed the curriculum, you’ll be ready for the checkride. To be eligible for the checkride, applicants must have logged the required aeronautical experience which includes:

• 50 hours of cross-country as PIC (at least 10 hours in an airplane)
• 40 hours of instrument time (simulated or actual) to include 15 hours of instruction

Areas of IFR training include preflight preparation, clearances, basic attitude instrument flying, navigation, emergency operations and post flight procedures. Sporty’s Flight Training Central offers a flight school directory to help you identify a flight school and instructor for your IFR training.

5) Complete your practical test (checkride)

After you’ve completed the requirements above, you’ll be ready for your instructor to provide an endorsement for your IFR checkride. You should enlist the assistance of your instructor or flight school in scheduling the exam. Familiarize yourself with the Airman Certification Standards (ACS) for the Instrument Rating—the guide the examiner will use for your evaluation. Ensure your Instrument Rating application (8710) is completed and signed within IACRA and complete any necessary preflight planning.

Sporty’s offers a helpful Instrument Rating Checkride Checklist available here.

Congratulations on taking this important first step in understanding the process of earning an Instrument Rating. Best wishes in your journey!