Instrument flight training allows the crew to navigate their aircraft using only instruments, which is often necessary during inclement weather.
Instrument flight training is aviation training that helps pilots earn an instrument rating, a certification that indicates they can navigate using only flight instruments, without having to look out of the cockpit. The amount of training required to obtain an instrument rating varies depending on the regulations established by the aeronautical authorities of the country where the pilot wishes to obtain the license. In the United States, about 100 hours of instrument flight training on airplanes and simulators are needed to earn an instrument rating.
Pilots are instructed on how to read an altimeter during instrument flight training.
With an instrument rating, pilots have the option to fly under instrument flight rules (IFR), which means that local aviation authorities have decided that conditions are dangerous enough that pilots need to use instruments. aviation instruments to navigate safely. In contrast, without an instrument rating, pilots can only fly under visual flight rules (VFR) when visibility is good enough to fly without instruments. Typically, pilots must also hold an instrument rating to fly above a certain height. Having instrument flight training gives pilots more flexibility.
During instrument flight training, pilots are familiar with the instruments used in aviation, such as the altimeter, heading indicator, vertical speed indicator, artificial horizon, and airspeed indicator. Pilots learn about what each instrument does, how to read each instrument correctly, and how to identify common aviation instrument errors. They are then put into real or simulated instrument meteorological conditions, in which pilots are expected to navigate with instruments, giving them the opportunity to put their training into practice.
To receive instrument flight training, a pilot must have a pilot’s license, and instructors generally prefer to work with students who have flight experience so they are familiar with operating aircraft in VFR. There are a number of training options, including instructors who will come to pilots for instruction or flight schools where pilots can apply for intensive training. The training will provide the pilot with the hours required by law, along with the skills necessary to pass tests administered by authorities to determine whether or not a pilot should receive an instrument rating.
Instrument flight training is designed to ensure pilots are comfortable and competent when flying under IFR. Even after training, pilots can become disoriented in bad weather conditions and can still make the wrong decisions. Errors are especially common among pilots who are just learning or newly certified, and experience gradually exposes pilots to a wide variety of situations and conditions that make them more skilled and confident in flight.