Instrument Rating Opens Up New Vistas for Flying
Getting an instrument rating is a challenge that requires significant commitment of time and resources. However, building the skills and competencies for an instrument rating can make you a safer pilot and give you many more options in your flight planning. To understand the benefits and challenges of getting an IFR rating, we reached out to pilot Jim Kahle to ask about his experience with instrument rating training.
Kahle is a CFII and commercial-rated pilot based out of Sky Manor Airport (N40) in New Jersey. He primarily flies a Vans RV-7A and a 1947 Piper PA-11, and he is the president of his local flying club. Kahle got his private pilot certificate in 2007, after dreaming of being able to fly for decades. He flew exclusively under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) for about ten years before acquiring his instrument rating, and he says taking that step to IFR became a jumping off point for diving deeper into aviation.
Why Get an Instrument Rating?
Kahle says that a conversation with a cousin who is also a pilot was what motivated him to explore how to get an instrument rating. Jim’s cousin was planning a big trip with a group of other pilots, and he suggested Jim get instrument rated so he could join them. The trip was a flight to the Bahamas, and as Jim says,
“Usually, the Bahamas are VFR. So, the Bahamas is not the problem, it’s getting to the Bahamas.”
So, Kahle got his instrument rating ahead of that planned trip, which then ended up being postponed due to COVID travel restrictions. When it finally happened, in 2022, he joined the group and found himself flying by instrument at various points. Although he could have made the trip without flying instrument, he would have had to wait for conditions to improve while the other pilots flew on without him. Instead, he was able to safely navigate by instrument and stay with his group for what he says was the best trip of his life.
What Has an Instrument Rating Allowed?
Kahle says he originally held off on getting an instrument rating because flying in the clouds didn’t strike him as fun:
“When I started flying, I wanted to look out the window. I didn’t want to be flying in the clouds where I can’t see.”
But he was surprised to find that being able to fly by instrument allowed him to see more because it opened the door to new destinations that might have IFR conditions on the way. Much of his IFR flying is getting to places he wants to see from the air, he told us,
“It turns out that I got my instrument rating to fly more VFR.”
Being able to fly by instruments can also help when unexpected weather appears on a trip. On a return flight from visiting his son in South Carolina, the weather in New Jersey took a turn, and Kahle says if he’d been limited to VFR, he could have been delayed as many as five extra nights before getting home.
Even with his IFR rating, he decided to delay for a day before flying home, and he emphasized to us the importance of personal minimums in that situation. He told us,
“I have that ticket in my pocket that says, legally, I can go fly, but that wouldn’t have been smart. The go/no-go decision is a lot more difficult [with an instrument rating]. Once you get your instrument rating you really need to have personal minimums and stick to those personal minimums.”
What Was It Like Getting Instrument Rated?
Kahle took what may be an unusual path in flying ten years before getting an IFR rating, but he feels like all that VFR flight time gave him a leg up in training. He says, instrument [flying] is all about procedures, and having developed his stick and rudder skills to the point of being second nature made it significantly easier to focus on the procedures of instrument flight.
He also had the opportunity to take ten days and truly immerse himself in his course material when he began studying for his instrument rating. He acknowledged that probably isn’t an option for many people, but explained that being able to eliminate distractions and focus on study was a huge help to him. He advises pilots studying for an instrument rating to maintain consistency and focus on engaging with their training. While an accelerated program isn’t necessary, large gaps in study or flight training will likely result in far more time spent reviewing material and more hours needed to prepare for and pass the checkride.
What Comes Next?
Whether you start training to fly IFR while getting your private pilot certificate or you start that journey years later, focus and consistency will help you succeed. In addition to the other benefits of instrument rating, Kahle says getting an instrument rating “makes you a tremendously better pilot.” In our next article we’ll look at the steps necessary to start the journey to acquiring your instrument rating.
Key Takeaways:
- An instrument rating expands your flying options. It allows pilots to safely operate in a wider range of weather conditions and complete trips that might otherwise be delayed or canceled under VFR-only (Visual Flight Rules) limitations.
- IFR training (Instrument Flight Rules training) can make you a safer pilot. Learning instrument procedures, weather interpretation, and decision-making skills helps improve overall piloting proficiency.
- An instrument rating opens access to more destinations. Pilots can travel more confidently when weather conditions along the route are less than ideal, increasing flexibility for cross-country flights.
- Personal minimums remain critical. Even when a pilot is legally qualified to fly IFR, safe decision-making requires establishing and following personal weather and operational limits.
- Instrument flying is heavily procedure-based. Strong stick-and-rudder skills can make it easier to focus on learning the specific instrument flying procedures and workflows required for IFR operations.
- Consistency is key during training. Regular study and flight practice help pilots progress more efficiently and reduce the need for extensive review before the checkride.
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