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Ask an IFR Expert: What actually counts towards IFR currency?

January 27, 2026/by Eric Radtke

IFR currency seems simple on paper—six approaches every six months—but in real flying, what seems black and white can turn gray in a hurry. Do approaches in mostly visual conditions count? What about simulators, vectors to final, or breaking out early? IFR currency isn’t hard to maintain, but it is easy to misunderstand. The biggest […]

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Quiz: IFR Arrivals and Departures

January 23, 2026/by IFR Focus Team

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.

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Ask an IFR Expert: What actually counts towards IFR currency?

January 27, 2026/by Eric Radtke

Quiz: IFR Arrivals and Departures

January 23, 2026/by IFR Focus Team

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Ask an IFR Expert: What actually counts towards IFR currency?

January 27, 2026/by Eric Radtke

IFR currency seems simple on paper—six approaches every six months.

IFR currency isn’t hard to maintain, but it is easy to misunderstand. The biggest mistakes usually come from assuming that filing IFR or flying an approach automatically makes it loggable. In reality, how you fly the approach matters more than when.

The baseline currency requirement (§ 61.57 Recent flight experience: Pilot in command)

To act as PIC under IFR, an instrument-rated pilot must have logged, within the previous 6 calendar months:

Six instrument approaches
Holding procedures and tasks
Intercepting and tracking courses

That’s the easy part. The nuance is in what actually qualifies.

An instrument approach may be logged toward currency if it’s flown under any of these conditions:

Actual IMC in an aircraft
Simulated IMC in an aircraft (using a view-limiting device and a safety pilot)
FAA-approved simulators or training devices (FFS, FTD, or ATD with a valid LOA)
A combination of the above

How confident are you that you’re logging IFR approaches correctly?

Very confidentSomewhat confidentNot confidentI’m not sure I’m doing it right

The common thread? You must be flying solely by reference to instruments. For an approach to count, it must meet all of these criteria (based on FAA guidance and legal interpretations):

Flown solely by reference to instruments
No outside visual cues—actual or simulated IMC must be real.
Properly established on the approach
Fly the required segments (initial, intermediate, and final), unless ATC vectors allow you to join later.
Flown to MDA or DA
You don’t need to land. If you break out before or at DA/MDA after flying part of the final segment (beyond the FAF) in IMC, it still counts.
Instrument time is logged
You can’t log an approach without logging actual or simulated instrument time alongside it.

What about missed approaches and holds?

The missed approach is not required for logging the approach (but skipping them regularly is not a good idea)
Holds may be flown in the aircraft, simulator or flight training device—published, assigned or simulated are all acceptable

If you ever find yourself debating whether an approach counted, that’s usually your answer. Log approaches honestly, understand the conditions that matter, and treat currency as a minimum standard—not a proficiency goal. You can be perfectly legal and still unprepared or unsafe if you haven’t flown IMC recently, haven’t hand-flown in instrument conditions or haven’t executed a missed approach in months.

Quiz: IFR Arrivals and Departures

January 23, 2026/by IFR Focus Team

(Refer to the figures) While inbound to Dallas Ft. Worth Airport, you're assigned the Glen Rose Nine Arrival, JUMBO transition (JUMBO.JEN9). What fix does the transition begin at?

ABI VORTAC.

JUMBO Intersection.

JUMBO VORTAC.

Correct! Wrong!

(Refer to the figure) What procedure should be followed if communications are lost before reaching 11,000 feet when flying the DIRDY transition?

After reaching the JNC VOR, proceed to the HONKR intersection at a minimum altitude of 11,000' and then on to the DIRDY intersection.

If communications are lost at any point during the departure procedure, proceed direct the DIRDY intersection and then on the assigned route.

Proceed to the JNC VOR and hold as published.

Correct! Wrong!

(Refer to the figure) What route should you take if cleared for the Grand Junction Six Departure, Squat Transition, from Runway 11 and your assigned route is V8?

Climb heading 112° to 6,000 ft., then make a climbing right turn direct JNC VOR/DME, and then proceed to the SQUAT intersection via the 045 radial of the JNC VOR.

Climb heading 292° to 6,000 ft., then make a climbing left turn direct JNC VOR/DME, and then proceed to the SQUAT intersection via the 045 radial of the JNC VOR.

Climb heading 112° to 6,000 ft., then make a climbing right turn and hold over the JNC VOR/DME until receiving further instructions from ATC.

Correct! Wrong!

(Refer to the figure) When flying the STELA.STELA1 arrival, what altitude restriction can you expect to receive along the procedure?

Expect to cross SWEDE at or below FL230.

Expect to cross the STELA intersection at 11,000' MSL.

Expect to cross the Cambridge VOR at 17,000'.

Correct! Wrong!

(Refer to the figure) When flying the SQUAT transition, what is the minimum altitude you must climb to during the procedure?

10,500 ft.

6,000 ft.

12,000 ft.

Correct! Wrong!

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Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Ask an IFR Expert: What actually counts towards IFR currency?

Quiz: IFR Arrivals and Departures

Ask an IFR Expert: What actually counts towards IFR currency?

Quiz: IFR Arrivals and Departures

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Ask an IFR Expert: What actually counts towards IFR currency?

The baseline currency requirement (§ 61.57 Recent flight experience: Pilot in command)

Quiz: IFR Arrivals and Departures

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