Training Courses
Instrument Rating
The Instrument rating allows you to fly under instrument flight rules (IFR)--in particular, in conditions when you can't see very much
through the windows, as when in the clouds or in conditions of low visibility like fog or rain.
If you're a non-instrument rated pilot, you have undoubtedly experienced the frustration of canceling flights due to low ceilings or poor
visibility. Yet you know that just above that shallow low overcast lie clear blue skies and great flying weather!
All you need is your Instrument rating. With the skills you'll develop in instrument training, you'll be able to control your airplane and
navigate all the way to your destination without outside visual references, solely by reference to the flight instruments. The Instrument
rating will open up many more opportunities for you to fly without being grounded by weather. And in the process, you'll become a more
accurate and more proficient--and thus safer--pilot, even when the weather is VFR.
Basic Requirements
Here are just a few of the basic requirements for the Instrument Rating. We’ll discuss what’s entailed in each of these requirements
later in this section.
You must be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English Language
You must be able to obtain a 3rd class medical certificate
You must be 17 years of age
You must hold at least a private pilot license in the category and class of aircraft for which the rating is sought
You must have received and logged the appropriate ground and flight training for the Instrument Rating
You must have 50 hours of cross country flight time as pilot in command
You must have 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument flight time
You must pass the FAA Instrument Rating written exam
You must pass the Instrument Rating Oral and Practical Exam
Training
The training for the instrument rating consists of several distinct phases of training. Each level builds on the knowledge and skills
learned in the previous level. The first phase is called basic attitudes. This is where you learn basic instrument manoeuvres such as
turns, climbs, and descents at a constant rate of airspeed, rate of vertical speed, or rate of turn. This helps you develop your “scan”,
which is the ability to look at the many instruments and quickly make adjustments to maintain the desired heading, altitude, and speed.
After developing your basic scan its time to move onto holding patterns. Holding patterns are racetrack shaped patterns flown over a
navigation fix. Holding is required due to delays in the Air Traffic Control system due to weather or other situations. For example lets say
your destination has several runways but only one runway has the equipment required to allow landing in poor weather. When poor
weather conditions exist the airport now has a decreased capacity for takeoffs and landings. So in order to slow the flow of takeoff and
landings air traffic controllers put airplanes in the these holding patterns. Holding patterns require skill to correct for winds aloft to keep
the aircraft flying over the navigation fix in the right direction and to keep the length of holding pattern the same.
Once you’ve mastered holds it time for instrument approaches. Instrument approaches are used to facilitate landing under instrument
weather conditions. Approaches are accomplished by tracking a ground based navigation aid, flying at predetermined speeds, and
descending to specified altitudes at predetermined distances or time from a navigation fix. All of this turning and descending at just the
right speed makes it possible to find the airport or runway threshold in low visibility and low ceilings.
After approaches you are in the home stretch! Next comes instrument cross-country training. Now you have to use all the skills you’ve
learned so far to get you from point A to point B without having to look outside. You learn to interact with the air traffic control system on a
broader scale. Until now the majority of your training probably has been within your local airport area. You could probably shoot your
local instrument approaches from memory. Now its time to go someplace you’ve never been, shoot some approaches and land at an
airport that you don’t have all the radio frequencies memorized. Go see the world!
After cross country its on to training for emergencies that you can encounter under IFR, examples are radio or instrument failures. You
learn the ins and outs of flying partial panel (simulated loss of one or more instruments) including holds and approaches. In addition
you learn procedures for lost communications with ATC.
That’s about all there is to the flying side of things. Now its time to polish up any weak areas and sign you up for the check ride.
Good luck!
Testing
The FAA Written
The written test for the Instrument Rating like all other licenses and ratings is an 80 question computerized test. The questions consist
primarily of IFR regulations, weather, and navigation systems.
The FAA Oral Exam
The oral exam will consist of various question related to IFR operations, most importantly weather and cross country planning. The
examiner will most likely have you plan an instrument cross-country and then discuss your flight planning and give you some scenarios
to evaluate your thought process. Once the examiner is satisfied then it's on to the flight portion.
The FAA Practical Exam
The practical exam should be a summary of your instrument training. You will usually warm up with some basic attitudes. Then at
some point you have to fly at least one hold followed by several approaches. One of these approaches will be partial panel. After
successfully demonstrating your instrument flying skills you will then be issued a new pilot license with an instrument rating.
Here at Privilege Aero flight school for your Instrument Rating program:
Prerequisites
To take the FAA Instrument Airplane rating (Part 141) practical test, you must:
Be able to read, write and speak the English language.
Complete the Ground Instruction course.
Pass the FAA knowledge test before taking the practical test.
Hold at least a Private Pilot certificate with Airplane rating.
Have at least 50 hours of pilot in command cross-country flight time.
Training Time Required
To add the Instrument Airplane rating to your pilot certificate, the FAA requires:
At least 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument flight time, and
At least 15 hours of dual instrument flight instruction (although 30-40 hours are typically needed for safety and competency), including:
one dual IFR cross-country of at least 250 nm with different instrument approaches at each of three airports, and
3 hours of instrument flight in preparation for the FAA practical test.
Note that any actual or simulated instrument flight time that you have logged before beginning your Instrument rating training (such as
the three hours of instrument flight time required for the Private Pilot certificate) will count toward these requirements.
Estimated Costs
Because different customers learn at different rates, it is impossible to give a fixed cost for your Instrument rating. The estimates below
are based on the FAA minimum flight times (assuming three hours of prior instrument flight experience) and on the flight times logged
by the typical pilot in this course.
FAA Minimums Typical Pilot
FAA 141 course syllabus, FAA Instrument Airplane Practical Test Standards $300 $300
Cessna 172 aircraft rental (at $140 per hour) $5,600 $7,000
Flight instruction (at $45 per hour) $675 $2,250
FAA Knowledge Test fee (payable to testing center) $90 $90
FAA Practical Test fee (payable to examiner) $400 $400
Total $7,065 $10,040
through the windows, as when in the clouds or in conditions of low visibility like fog or rain.
If you're a non-instrument rated pilot, you have undoubtedly experienced the frustration of canceling flights due to low ceilings or poor
visibility. Yet you know that just above that shallow low overcast lie clear blue skies and great flying weather!
All you need is your Instrument rating. With the skills you'll develop in instrument training, you'll be able to control your airplane and
navigate all the way to your destination without outside visual references, solely by reference to the flight instruments. The Instrument
rating will open up many more opportunities for you to fly without being grounded by weather. And in the process, you'll become a more
accurate and more proficient--and thus safer--pilot, even when the weather is VFR.
Basic Requirements
Here are just a few of the basic requirements for the Instrument Rating. We’ll discuss what’s entailed in each of these requirements
later in this section.
You must be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English Language
You must be able to obtain a 3rd class medical certificate
You must be 17 years of age
You must hold at least a private pilot license in the category and class of aircraft for which the rating is sought
You must have received and logged the appropriate ground and flight training for the Instrument Rating
You must have 50 hours of cross country flight time as pilot in command
You must have 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument flight time
You must pass the FAA Instrument Rating written exam
You must pass the Instrument Rating Oral and Practical Exam
Training
The training for the instrument rating consists of several distinct phases of training. Each level builds on the knowledge and skills
learned in the previous level. The first phase is called basic attitudes. This is where you learn basic instrument manoeuvres such as
turns, climbs, and descents at a constant rate of airspeed, rate of vertical speed, or rate of turn. This helps you develop your “scan”,
which is the ability to look at the many instruments and quickly make adjustments to maintain the desired heading, altitude, and speed.
After developing your basic scan its time to move onto holding patterns. Holding patterns are racetrack shaped patterns flown over a
navigation fix. Holding is required due to delays in the Air Traffic Control system due to weather or other situations. For example lets say
your destination has several runways but only one runway has the equipment required to allow landing in poor weather. When poor
weather conditions exist the airport now has a decreased capacity for takeoffs and landings. So in order to slow the flow of takeoff and
landings air traffic controllers put airplanes in the these holding patterns. Holding patterns require skill to correct for winds aloft to keep
the aircraft flying over the navigation fix in the right direction and to keep the length of holding pattern the same.
Once you’ve mastered holds it time for instrument approaches. Instrument approaches are used to facilitate landing under instrument
weather conditions. Approaches are accomplished by tracking a ground based navigation aid, flying at predetermined speeds, and
descending to specified altitudes at predetermined distances or time from a navigation fix. All of this turning and descending at just the
right speed makes it possible to find the airport or runway threshold in low visibility and low ceilings.
After approaches you are in the home stretch! Next comes instrument cross-country training. Now you have to use all the skills you’ve
learned so far to get you from point A to point B without having to look outside. You learn to interact with the air traffic control system on a
broader scale. Until now the majority of your training probably has been within your local airport area. You could probably shoot your
local instrument approaches from memory. Now its time to go someplace you’ve never been, shoot some approaches and land at an
airport that you don’t have all the radio frequencies memorized. Go see the world!
After cross country its on to training for emergencies that you can encounter under IFR, examples are radio or instrument failures. You
learn the ins and outs of flying partial panel (simulated loss of one or more instruments) including holds and approaches. In addition
you learn procedures for lost communications with ATC.
That’s about all there is to the flying side of things. Now its time to polish up any weak areas and sign you up for the check ride.
Good luck!
Testing
The FAA Written
The written test for the Instrument Rating like all other licenses and ratings is an 80 question computerized test. The questions consist
primarily of IFR regulations, weather, and navigation systems.
The FAA Oral Exam
The oral exam will consist of various question related to IFR operations, most importantly weather and cross country planning. The
examiner will most likely have you plan an instrument cross-country and then discuss your flight planning and give you some scenarios
to evaluate your thought process. Once the examiner is satisfied then it's on to the flight portion.
The FAA Practical Exam
The practical exam should be a summary of your instrument training. You will usually warm up with some basic attitudes. Then at
some point you have to fly at least one hold followed by several approaches. One of these approaches will be partial panel. After
successfully demonstrating your instrument flying skills you will then be issued a new pilot license with an instrument rating.
Here at Privilege Aero flight school for your Instrument Rating program:
Prerequisites
To take the FAA Instrument Airplane rating (Part 141) practical test, you must:
Be able to read, write and speak the English language.
Complete the Ground Instruction course.
Pass the FAA knowledge test before taking the practical test.
Hold at least a Private Pilot certificate with Airplane rating.
Have at least 50 hours of pilot in command cross-country flight time.
Training Time Required
To add the Instrument Airplane rating to your pilot certificate, the FAA requires:
At least 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument flight time, and
At least 15 hours of dual instrument flight instruction (although 30-40 hours are typically needed for safety and competency), including:
one dual IFR cross-country of at least 250 nm with different instrument approaches at each of three airports, and
3 hours of instrument flight in preparation for the FAA practical test.
Note that any actual or simulated instrument flight time that you have logged before beginning your Instrument rating training (such as
the three hours of instrument flight time required for the Private Pilot certificate) will count toward these requirements.
Estimated Costs
Because different customers learn at different rates, it is impossible to give a fixed cost for your Instrument rating. The estimates below
are based on the FAA minimum flight times (assuming three hours of prior instrument flight experience) and on the flight times logged
by the typical pilot in this course.
FAA Minimums Typical Pilot
FAA 141 course syllabus, FAA Instrument Airplane Practical Test Standards $300 $300
Cessna 172 aircraft rental (at $140 per hour) $5,600 $7,000
Flight instruction (at $45 per hour) $675 $2,250
FAA Knowledge Test fee (payable to testing center) $90 $90
FAA Practical Test fee (payable to examiner) $400 $400
Total $7,065 $10,040
