Should you get an instrument rating?
As with so many other things in life, the answer is “it depends” on your answers to several questions, such as:
- What kind of airplane do you fly?
- What kinds of flying do you do now?
- What kind of flying do you hope to do in the future?
- Where are you flying?
If you are a fair-weather flyer, perhaps flying a Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA) or an older Cessna 150 or Piper Cherokee, and only fly on nice, sunny days in a rural or remote area in Class G Airspace, then maybe an instrument rating is not for you.
But wait, there is one other question to consider: Do you want to improve your flying skills to become a better, safer pilot?
Most pilots do want to improve. And your family and friends — as well as your aircraft insurance agent — want you to become a better, safer pilot. Adding your instrument rating will no doubt result in a lower insurance premium for you.
A better pilot is a safer pilot, right?
Then you should consider getting an instrument rating. Seriously.
Even if you don’t ever need to fly through a layer of clouds because you live in the sunny southwest where there’s nary a cloud in the sky, the training to become an instrument-rated pilot will improve your flying. Period.
- You will learn to fly smoother and more precisely.
- You will hold your heading and altitude much more closely.
- You will gain a better understanding of weather, something many pilots don’t understand well enough.
- Your radio communications will improve.
- Your confidence will improve since you will become a more capable pilot when you earn the instrument rating.
Getting Started
Find a good Certified Flight instructor–Instrument (CFI-I) to work with, preferably someone who has experience in the ATC system, and who is comfortable with going into actual instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) in a single-engine piston airplane. Not all CFI-Is are comfortable with this.
You might want to consider a professional pilot who is also an active CFI-I.
IFR training begins on the ground. It’s complex and takes time to learn. That’s why simulators are such an excellent tool for the instrument rating. You and your instructor can discuss lessons and brief them on the ground before you ever get into a plane.
There are many ways to prepare for the IFR written or knowledge exam. Several vendors provide quality training to prepare you, including Gleim, Gold Seal, King Schools, MzeroA, and Sporty’s, to name a few.
Find one that works for you and your learning style.
Start Before You Start
You can also make some headway towards becoming a better, safer pilot before you begin your IFR training by taking some initiative now.
Practice flying more precisely when you fly
Do you consistently hold heading and altitude within 10° and 100 feet, per the Airman Certification Standards (ACS)? Or do you just fly along, la-de-da, in rural areas, looking out the window, not holding heading or altitude?
Well, if you can hold heading and altitude within 10° and 100 feet, then why not try for half of those tolerances, such as 5° and 50 feet — or even 2° and 20 feet.
Seriously. Challenge yourself! How smoothly and precisely can you fly? Without an autopilot? It can be done!
How is your scan?
Do you ever spend time flying in a sim or even a desktop simulator?
It is much more affordable than an airplane per hour. And it’s a great way to work on your instrument scan and learn Basic Attitude Instrument flying (BAI).
After you have your IFR rating, sim time can count towards your IFR currency.
Do you use flight following when flying VFR?
You should. It gets you in the habit of using the Air Traffic Control system. Controllers are there to help you. They have many resources at their fingertips, ready to assist if or when they are needed.
Download the LiveATC app and start listening to ATC to get used to it. This takes the mystery out of what ATC is saying.
Learn the proper ATC phraseology and terminology as spelled out in the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM), so you know what to expect and you’ll know what to read back. This way you sound more professional.
And guess what? ATC can only judge you by how you talk/communicate/reply on the radio. If you sound professional, instead of amateurish, you will get better handling and service from ATC.
That also makes it easier and reduces your mental workload as your responses become more automatic, and you don’t fumble when responding to a clearance.
It does make a difference.
Do you get a weather briefing before you fly?
Or do you just look at the sky and decide?
Hmm…If so, then it’s time to start reviewing some weather basics and consider a call to 1-800-WXBRIEF to get an official weather briefing. Talk to a real live weather briefer.
Also learn all you can about NOTAMs, especially Flight Data Center (FDC) NOTAMs, which are regulatory in nature, such as changes to an instrument approach procedure or airway. Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) are also issued as FDC NOTAMs.
Start paying attention in the briefings to things that pertain to instrument flying, such as NAVAID (VOR) outages, course changes to Victor Airways and GPS routes, Minimum En Route Altitude (MEA), missed approach procedures, and more. Any of these can directly affect your flight.
The more familiar you are with the terminology, the easier it will be as you embark on your training for an instrument rating.
So take your piloting skills to the next level by earning your instrument rating. What are you waiting for?
Fly safely.
John Mahany is an ATP/CFI with four type ratings who is also a Master CFI. He lives in Southern California. He has accumulated wide-ranging experience over many
years of flying. In the early 1990s he spent more than four years flying in South Central Alaska. Now he owns a Cessna 150 and he’s a partner in a 1953 Cessna 180.
