INSTRUMENT PILOTS
INFORMATIVE INFORMATION FOR ASPIRING PILOTS
IF YOU are seeking information or are working on your instrument rating, this link should provide you with the latest guidance on instrument rating requirements from the FAA, www.faa.gov. The Federal Air Regulation, FAR 61.65 describes precisely the requirements for the instrument rating. The instrument rating may be added to either a private pilot or commercial pilot’s license.
Some of the specific aeronautical experience requirements for the instrument rating: 50 hours of cross country flight, 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument experience, and 3 hours of instrument instruction received from an authorized instructor within the last 60 days prior to the instrument rating practical flight exam. In addition, a written exam is required, commonly referred to as the Knowledge Test, by the FAA.
How valuable is the instrument rating if your intention is to remain a private pilot? First, it will make you a better pilot, more in tune with the machine you’re flying, and will allow you to utilize the national airspace system to your benefit. Second, obtaining the instrument rating MAY lower your insurance costs if you fly your own airplane. Additionally, since weather is a constantly changing phenomenon, it is useful to have the necessary skills as an instrument rated pilot to deal with less than visual flying weather. This makes your flying more productive, whether its personal or business.
For those pilots whose desire is to become a professional pilot, the instrument rating is an essential requirement for success. It is often said the instrument rating is a tool for learning, not a license to fly in all weather. In North American, we experience varying degrees of severe weather, and it constantly changes, particularly as the seasons change. The instrument rating provides a platform for learning and dealing with weather. Even with an instrument rating, there are times when it becomes prudent to delay, divert, or ‘wait it out’.
