Beyond The Private Pilots License

You will hear from many that passing your Private Pilot’s Check Ride, gives you a License to Learn. I am also of that school of thought and as you get more hours of flight time in, you will learn more and become a better pilot. For many, this is as far as they want to go. Being able to fly in nice weather and carry friends with you to go get that $100.00 (maybe in today's day and age, $150.00) Hamburger, may be all you want to do and there is nothing wrong with that. But, if you want to fly for a career or be able to get home in deteriorating weather, or just want to become a more precise pilot, the Instrument Rating will be the next step in your training regiment. You could choose to train and obtain a Commercial Pilot Certificate first. If you don’t have an Instrument Rating, though your ability to fly commercially will be severely restricted. With it, you could get compensated for providing flight services by giving Sky Riders, Banner Towing, Glider Towing etc. Also, you have to have at least 250 hours of flight time in order to get the commercial certificate, while you can start your instrument training immediately after obtaining your Private Pilot's License. Time while training for the instrument rating will count toward the minimum time for training for the Commercial Certificate. That is an added benefit of obtaining your instrument ration first. You would also need a 2nd Class Medical Exam and Certificate, not needed for the instrument rating. For the Instrument rating, you will need to have at least 50 hours of cross country flying, where at least one leg will have to be over 50 nautical miles. And you will need to have a minimum of 40 hours of simulated or actual instrument time of which at least 15 has to have been given by a Certified Instrument Flight Instructor – CFII. During your training you will most likely meet and established friendships with other pilots. Not only is this a great way to meet new likeminded friends, some of your practice for the Instrument Check Ride can be accomplished while having one of these new friends act as a "Safety Pilot" rather than paying an instructor to provide that service. Also part of the time can be done in an FAA Approved, Ground Based simulator, which will cost considerably less than renting an aircraft and allow training in ever very adverse weather conditions where you would normally not be able to fly. The cost of completing the instrument rating, like the Private Pilot License will vary based on a number of things. You will be required to take a written knowledge test as well as an oral exam and check ride with a Designated Pilot Examiner. (DPE) As pointed out above, there are ways to help reduce the cost. No matter how you obtain the Instrument Rating and whether you will ever fly in the clouds or not, the training will make you a safer and more precise pilot.