Instrument Rating
IFR
Why this track
IFR is about procedures, clearances, charts, and disciplined decision-making in IMC. This track is framed around the Instrument Procedures Handbook (IFH): departures, en route structure, arrivals, approaches, missed approach, holding, and the way RNAV/GPS fits into today’s NAS.
Adding IFR means living inside clearances, minimum altitudes, and approach plates. The IFH is written for pilots transitioning from VFR habits to procedural flying — we use it as the spine so you are not learning IFR from random blog posts.
Expect heavy emphasis on missed approaches, holds, and GPS/RNAV gotchas that show up on the knowledge test and in the sim. Pair this ground work with your CFII’s hood sessions and IPC-style refinement.
Highlights
- IFR system overview: clearances, ATC coordination, and chart literacy
- Approach categories, missed approach, and holding in plain language
- Weather and planning considerations specific to IFR
- Quizzes that reward rule-and-handbook-based reasoning, not trivia
Included with enrollment
- IFH-aligned modules covering departures through emergencies
- Quiz banks tuned to IFR rules and procedure literacy
- Study tools inside the LMS (notes, bookmarks, progress)
- Optional AI Tutor for IFR concept questions with citations
Official FAA sources
ACS: Instrument Rating — Airplane: FAA-S-ACS-8 (current FAA edition).
Curriculum outline
IFR environment & departures
- IFR fundamentals, NAS participation, takeoffs and departures
En route & arrivals
- En route operations, arrivals, transition to approach
Approaches, missed & RNAV
- Instrument approaches, missed approach, holding, RNAV/RNP and GPS concepts
Weather, planning & emergencies
- IFR weather, flight planning, and IFR emergency operations
Format & expectations
- You will still need IFR chart products (digital or paper) and current AIM/FAR familiarity for the knowledge test and real-world flying.
Ideal for: Private pilots adding an instrument rating who want an IFH-centered ground school before and during hood / IPC training.