The Instrument Rating
Once the Private Pilot Certificate has been earned an Instrument Rating may be added. As in Private Pilot you will be required to pass an FAA knowledge test and a practical test. Although you can opt to wait and add the Instrument Rating to your Commercial Pilot Certificate, most professional flight students will earn their Instrument Rating immediately following Private Pilot.
In order to obtain an Instrument Rating the applicant must be able to:
1. Hold at least a Private Pilot Certificate
2. Be able to read, write and converse fluently in English
3. Hold a current FAA medical certificate
4. Receive and log ground training
5. Pass the FAA instrument rating knowledge test
6. Accumulate the following flight experience
a. 50 hours of cross country time
b. 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time to include
1) 15 hours of instrument flight training from a CFII
2) 3 hours of instrument training from a CFII in preparation for the practical test
3) Cross-country flight procedures
c. A maximum of 20 hours are permitted in an approved simulator
7. Demonstrate flight proficiency
OCC's Aviation Pilot Training course APT 134 will provide you with the academic preparation required to succesfully complete the FAA knowledge test for this rating. In addition, our simulators are approved for providing up to 20 hours of the flight time requirements for this rating.
APT 134, Instrument Pilot ground School covers the following subject areas in order to prepare the student for both flight instruction and the knowledge test:
Lesson 1: Introduction to Instrument Training
Lesson 2: Aircraft Instruments
Lesson 3: Attitude Instrument Flying and Aerodynamics
Lesson 4: Instrument Navigation and IFR planning
Lesson 5: Navigation Systems
Lesson 6: Airports, Air Traffic Control and Airspace
Lesson 7: VOR and ADF Operation and Tracking
Lesson 8: Holding Procedures
Lesson 9: Non Precision Approaches
Lesson 10: Precision Approaches, Departure and Arrival Procedures
Lesson 11: Aviation Weather and Weather Services
Lesson 12: IFR Enroute Planning
Lesson 13: IFR Emergencies
Lesson 14: Aeromedical Factors