Want to go play in the clouds? If the answer is yes then an instrument rating will be required to navigate through them. This rating is used primarily by commercial pilots although a number of private pilots engage in this training to ensure they have the full range of skills to operate in a variety of weather conditions. Saftety is always paramount in flying and an instrument rating helps ensure pilots are prepared to meet any challenge under a wide variety of flying conditions.

The prerequisites for a instrument rating as prescribed by Transport Canada are as follows:

• The applicant must hold a valid Private Pilot Licence or higher with 50 hours Pilot-in-Command cross country.
• Applicants must be a Canadian citizen, landed immigrant or a person lawfully admitted into Canada for flight training.

Training requirements for this rating are as follows:

Ground School (Optional)

A minimum of 40 hours ground instrument instruction is recommended. Please check with our staff to confirm course availability and timings.

Instrument Flying A minimum of forty (40) hours instrument time is required.

Twenty hours (20) may be in a flight simulator.

• For a Group 1 instrument rating: Dual instruction on a Piper PA-44 Seminole or,
• For a Group 3 instrument rating: Dual instruction on a Cessna 172.

Note:

These flight and simulator training times are based on Transport Canada minimums and more training may be required.

Graduation Requirements

• The applicant must pass a Practical Flight Test conducted by a Transport Canada Designated Flight Test Examiner
• The applicant must obtain a minimum of 70% on the Transport Canada written examination Instrument Rating (INRAT)
• The applicant must satisfy all training criteria as outlined in the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARS)Instructor Graduation Privilages of the Night Rating The Group 1 or Group 3 Instrument Rating entitles its holder to fly a non-high performance aircraft (Group 1 or 3) in Instrument Meteorlogical Weather Conditions (IMC) under their licence.