An instrument rating is an authorization required for a pilot to fly under instrument flight rules (IFR). In the United States, the rating is issued by the Federal Aviation Administration.[1]
To be eligible to pursue an Instrument Rating, the applicant must:[2]
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A pilot must have an instrument rating in order to act as Pilot in Command of a flight below VFR weather minimums in controlled airspace (Class A,B,C,D, and E) and/or under IFR. The rating is also required:
Under FAR 61.57, to be eligible to fly in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) an IFR-rated pilot must accomplish and log at least the following IFR procedures under actual or simulated IMC every 6 months:
An Instrument Proficiency Check administered by a CFII, DPE or ASI within the last 6 months is another way of complying with the IFR currency requirement.
If a pilot is not current looking back 6 months, they may complete the listed requirements in a flight simulator aviation training device or in an aircraft under simulated instrument conditions with a qualified safety pilot onboard. If they are not current looking back 12 months, an instrument proficiency check is required.