At least 10 of these hours must be in airplanes for an instrument-airplane rating. At least 50 hours of cross-country flight time as pilot in command.Be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language.Hold at least a current private pilot certificate or be concurrently applying for a private pilot certificate with an airplane, helicopter, or powered-lift rating appropriate to the instrument rating sought.The instrument rating requirements, as specified in 14 CFR 61.65, are summarized here:Ī person who applies for an instrument rating must: The articles included below will provide information to help you decide. These accelerated courses usually have you finished up in 10 to 12 days. Others require that you travel to their location. Some of these come to your location and provide intense training in your own airplane. Should you enroll in a highly regimented FAR Part 141 school? Perhaps a full-time or part-time instructor at your local airport could do the job. There are different ways to obtain training for your instrument rating, and the reason you want the rating may have an effect on the training method that you choose. The third reason is that you want to increase the productivity of your personal or business flying. Next is that it's just another important step to a career in aviation. One common answer is that it's a good thing to have in your pocket just in case you need it. A good question to ask yourself before you start instrument training is, why do you want this rating? The answers can usually be grouped into three areas.