The number 1 way to ensure your success in becoming a pilot is by properly managing your time & money
And the easiest way to properly manage your time & money is by doing ground school before it’s too late and ACTUALLY understanding the material
5 years ago I saw NO ONE mentoring unsuspecting students on the traps in flight training that was costing them $1000s
This is why I created the Part Time Pilot Online Ground Schools
The ground schools were created with these ideas at the heart of our mission statement:
- Mentoring students from start to finish
- Providing content that saves time & money & provides a deep understanding
How does Part Time Pilot compare to other Online Ground Schools?
I went to the website of each of the Top10 Online Ground Schools and gathered ALL the relevant info a student pilot like you needs to make an informed decision.
Things like cost, student ratings, lifetime access or not, types of lessons, bonuses included, scholarships included, support available and more.
Then, I lined them all up and compared them all in a single table so that student pilots could make the best, most informed decision on their training.
Do you Need an IFR Rating?
So you are on your way or you already have your Private Pilot certificate and you keep hearing people say that you should get your IFR Rating. But do you really need one?
In this lesson, I will talk about what an IFR rating is, who it is for and whether or not its a good idea for you to get one.
What is IFR?
IFR stands for Instrument Flight Rules and an IFR rating allows a pilot to legally fly in weather conditions where visibility is reduced, and reliance on instruments is required to navigate safely. Unlike Visual Flight Rules or VFR, where a pilot must maintain visual contact with the ground and other aircraft, Instrument Flight Rules or IFR describes the regulations where a pilot can fly in clouds, fog, rain, or any situation where the horizon or ground is not visible.
Pilots with an IFR rating are also able to use air traffic control systems to navigate through controlled airspace and execute instrument approaches to airports. IFR for airmen is a rating add-on and not a certificate like private or commercial certificates. However, to earn an IFR rating, a pilot still must pass a knowledge exam, complete at least 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument flight training, and pass a practical checkride. In order to receive an IFR rating, a pilot must first hold a Private Pilot certificate.
What is IMC?
IMC stands for Instrument Meteorological Conditions and refers to the weather conditions where a pilot cannot maintain adequate visual reference to the ground, horizon, or other landmarks. IFR is the set of regulations that dictate how pilots fly in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). IMC typically includes flying in clouds, heavy rain, fog, or low visibility below the minimums required for Visual Flight Rules (VFR). Under these conditions, pilots must rely solely on their aircraft’s instruments to maintain control and navigate safely. IMC can occur in both controlled and uncontrolled airspace, and flying in such conditions without an IFR rating is both dangerous and illegal.
When is an IFR Rating Required?
An instrument rating is required for the following situations:
- Flying in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC)
- Flying an IFR flight plan, regardless of weather conditions
- Flying under special VFR at night
- Flying for the airlines under Part 135
- Flying above 18,000 feet MSL
- Landing at airports using precision approaches
Should you get an IFR Rating?
If you plan to fly in any of the situations listed above then you will be required to get an IFR rating. If you want to make flying a career, an IFR rating is almost always required. It is possible to get your Commercial certificate straight after your Private Pilot certificate but you wont be able to fly in IMC, above 18,000 feet, on an IFR procedure or for the Airlines. That means the jobs will be limited and therefore it’s highly recommended to get your IFR rating.
What if you don’t plan to fly for a career? Even if you don’t plan to fly as a career but want to fly as a hobby, it is still recommended you get your IFR rating. This is because becoming IFR rated makes you a better and safer pilot. Even when a pilot plans to only fly VFR this may not always be the case and having an IFR rating will come in handy when visibility is low. It also teaches you to trust and rely on your instruments which can make you much less susceptible to the many illusions that can beset a pilot while up in the air. Finally, IFR training teaches you an even deeper knowledge of aircraft instruments, weather, ATC communications, procedures, human factors and more.
So the answer is most often YES, you should get your IFR rating.
