©Carolina Flight Academy
Instrument Rating
What are the instrument rating prerequisites?
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18 years of age
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FAA Private Pilot License
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FAA 3rd class medical
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Understand & speak English
Steps to receiving your Instrument Rating
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Minimum of 40 hours under the “hood” or actual instrument conditions (in the cloud)
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10 of those hours can be on a simulator
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Minimum of 50 hours cross country PIC
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Pass the FAA instrument written exam
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Pass the FAA instrument checkride
What does the Instrument Rating training include?
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Applicable Federal Aviation Regulations of this chapter that apply to flight operations under IFR
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Air traffic control system and procedures for instrument flight operations
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Safe and efficient operation of aircraft under instrument flight rules and conditions
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Preflight procedures
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Air traffic control clearances and procedures
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Instrument approach procedures
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Appropriate information that applies to flight operations under IFR in the “Aeronautical Information Manual”
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Use of IFR en route and instrument approach procedure charts
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Use of aviation weather reports and forecasts
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Flight by reference to instruments
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Postflight procedures
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IFR navigation and approaches by use of navigation systems
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Recognition of critical weather situations and windshear avoidance
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Crew resource management, including crew communication and coordination
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Aeronautical decision making and judgment
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Preflight preparation
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Navigation systems
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Emergency operations
What will it cost?
The FAA requires 40 hours simulated or actual Instrument conditions and a minimum of 15 hours flown with an
instructor. As well as 50 hours cross country PIC with a minimum of 10 hours in a IFR-rated aircraft. Please keep in
mind this is only the required minimum. Every student is different and may need additional training.
Instructor:
15 hours @ $60/hour= $900
Airplane (Cessna 172):
15 hours @ $140/hour= $2100
Airplane solo:
25 hours @ $140/hour= $3500
Ground instruction:
15 hours @ $60/hour= $900
Total: $7400
We also offer an Accelerated Instrument Rating Program and a Private Pilot and Instrument combo package.
Get your Instrument rating in as little as 10 days! Click HERE for more info or click HERE for the Package.
What Can I Do With An IFR Rating Once I have It?
Once you receive your Instrument, you will be able to fly in weather with lower visibility. This means you can fly in
known low visibility areas, like on the coast when there is a marine layer and over the mountains when it is cloudy.
Additionally, flying in IFR weather with a flight plan will often give you priority to land at busy airports.
When the airport knows you are arriving before you even take off, they can plan better for your arrival.
Private Pilot
Learning to fly, whether for enjoyment, dream fulfillment, or employment, is a rewarding, exciting, and emotional experience that cannot be explained. Whether you are an aspiring airline pilot or just seeking the thrill of flying, everyone’s flying journey begins here: the Private Pilot License. It is the most common pilot’s license in the U.S. and allows individuals to take leisure trips to just about any destination without the aid of a flight instructor.Instrument Pilot
For most people, the next step after your Private Pilot Certificate is the Instrument Rating. The addition of the instrument rating opens up a whole new world of flying. When you operate under IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) you can fly in the clouds without reference ground or horizon. Without your instrument rating, you would be restricted to VFR (Visual Flight Rules) and could only operate on clear days. Are you longing to fly for the airlines, as a flight instructor, or a charter pilot? Well, these and hundreds of other flying careers have one thing in common: they all require a commercial pilot’s certificate. Even if you don’t want to use your wings to earn your paycheck, commercial training gives you the skills to fly complex aircraft with the precision and safety margins that airline passengers have come to take for granted.
