Professional Pilot: Instrument Rating

Professional Pilot Course Includes:	Licenses		Ratings
	Private >	Commercial >	Instrument >	CFI >	CFII
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What is an Instrument Rating?
An instrument "rating" (instrument flight rules or IFR) is not a license in and of itself. An instrument rating is added to an existing pilot's license. An instrument rating may be added to a private or commercial license.

How Much Will it Cost?
The best way to minimize the cost of an Instrument Rating is to combine its cost with your Commercial License so that the requirements overlap. In order to obtain your Commercial License, the FAA requires that you perform 10 hours of instrument training. As a general explanation, the instrument training you perform to achieve your commercial license can in fact count towards achievement of your instrument rating. So if a student combines an instrument rating with their commercial license training, 10 of the 40 hours required to obtain your instrument rating are achieved.

The cost breakdown included in this section is based on the FAA minimum requirements. Los Angeles Helicopters assumes that a pilot interested in an Instrument rating has no Instrument training at all.

How Long Will it Take?
The length of time that is required to complete an instrument rating depends largely on your ability, motivation to learn and your proficiency with the English language. It usually takes about six weeks to complete the instrument rating course if a reasonably full schedule is maintained. It is typical that the student achieves an instrument rating within the FAA minimum requirements.

What Will I Have to Do?
Obtain at least an FAA Private Pilot license.
Complete ground school or a home study course for the instrument rating.
Log sufficient flight training
Pass an FAA written test.
Pass an FAA oral and flight test.
What are the Official Flight Training Requirements?
According to 2004 Federal Aviation Regulations, the requirements for obtaining your instrument helicopter rating are as follow:
50 hours of cross-country flight time as Pilot in Command
At least 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time
At least 15 hours must be in a helicopter
At least one 100NM cross country flight along an airway or ATC directed routing. Three different instrument approaches during this flight with the use of navigation systems.
3 hours in preparation for the flight test

Questions?
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