Instrument Rating Requirements (Part 61, Airplane): Hours, Training and Cost Factors
Pathway described: Part 61, instrument-airplane rating (14 CFR 61.65(d)). Part 141 schools use their approved syllabus (Appendix C) with different minimums.
Aeronautical experience (61.65(d))
| Requirement | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Certificate | Private pilot (or applying concurrently) |
| Cross-country as PIC | 50 hours, of which at least 10 in airplanes |
| Actual or simulated instrument time | 40 hours |
| Of that, training from an authorized instructor with an instrument-airplane rating | 15 hours |
| Recent training before the test | 3 hours of instrument flight training in an airplane within 2 calendar months before the practical test |
| Long IFR cross-country (with an instructor, IFR flight plan) | 250 nm along airways or ATC-directed routing, an instrument approach at each airport, and three different kinds of approaches |
Device limits. Approved simulators and training devices can supply part of the 40 hours within limits: up to 20 hours outside Part 142 in an FFS/FTD, 10 in a basic ATD or 20 in an advanced ATD, and no more than 20 total from devices except under Part 142 (61.65(h)–(j)).
Combined private + instrument. An applicant doing both together can credit up to 45 hours of instructor-accompanied cross-country toward the PIC cross-country requirement (61.65(g)).
What drives the cost
We don't yet have a properly designed instrument cost model, so we won't give you one from the private-pilot calculator. The main factors are:
- How much of the 50-hour PIC cross-country requirement you already have. This is often the biggest variable.
- How many of the 40 instrument hours you fly in an airplane vs an approved device.
- Instructor time for the 15+ dual hours plus ground training.
- Knowledge test, examiner fee and checkride aircraft time.
Ask a school for its instrument rate sheet and syllabus hours. Then multiply hours by rates for each line.
Is it worth it?
- It trains precise aircraft control and procedures, and it widens your options when weather would otherwise ground you.
- It removes the 61.133 passenger-for-hire limitation on a commercial certificate, so it's part of the normal career pathway.
After the rating, see IFR currency and IPC rules.