What is instrument rating (IR)?

Instrument Rating is a type of rating that will train a pilot to fly while relying solely on the instruments inside the aircraft. Since a pilot can fly solely on the basis of the aircraft’s instruments, he or she isn’t restricted to only flying in good weather conditions.

Instrument pilots can legally fly in clouds, rain, and fog, expanding their capabilities and allowing them to stay in the air rather than on the ground during bad weather. If you want to fly in the clouds, you’ll need to apply an instrument rating to your private or commercial pilot license. Instrument ratings are also required by most professional aviation companies, so it is a necessary rating for those aspiring to be an airline or corporate pilot.

A student pilot does Instrument Rating training following Private Pilot License or Commercial Pilot License training.

Check out our other FAQs related to Pilot Ratings:

What is Single-Engine (SE) rating?

What is Multi-Engine (ME) rating?

If you have any other questions kindly reach out to us and we will try to provide you with an answer!