Instrument flight training is a type of aviation training that enables pilots to obtain an instrument rating, which certifies that they can navigate solely using flight instruments and not looking outside the cockpit. The amount of training needed to obtain an instrument rating varies depending on the regulations established aviation authorities in the country where a pilot wishes to obtain a license. In the United States, obtaining an instrument rating requires approximately 100 hours of instrument flight training in aircraft and simulators.
Pilots with an instrument rating can fly under instrument flight rules (IFR), which means that local aviation authorities have determined that the conditions are hazardous enough that pilots will need to navigate safely using aviation instruments. Pilots who do not have an instrument rating, on the other hand, can only fly under visual flight rules (VFR) when visibility is good enough to fly without them. To fly above a certain altitude, pilots usually need an instrument rating. Instrument flight training allows pilots to be more versatile.
Pilots learn how to use instruments like the altimeter, heading indicator, vertical speed indicator, artificial horizon, and airspeed indicator during instrument flight training. Pilots learn what each instrument does, how to properly read each instrument, and how to spot common aviation instrument errors. The pilots are then placed in actual or simulated instrument meteorological conditions in which they will be expected to navigate with instruments, allowing them to put their training into practice.
A pilot must have a pilot’s license to receive instrument flight training, and instructors often prefer to work with students who have prior flight experience so that they are familiar with operating aircraft in VFR conditions. There are a variety of training options available, including instructors who will come to the pilot’s location to provide instruction and flight schools where pilots can enroll for intensive training. The pilot will receive the hours required law, as well as the skills necessary to pass tests administered authorities in order to determine whether or not a pilot should be granted an instrument rating.
Instrument flight training ensures that pilots are comfortable and competent when flying in IFR conditions. Even after receiving training, pilots can become disoriented in bad weather and make poor decisions. Pilots who are just learning or getting certified are especially prone to making mistakes, but experience gradually exposes pilots to a wider range of situations and conditions, allowing them to become more skilled and confident in flight.