How many hours does it take to get an Instrument Rating?
FAR 61.65(d) outlines the minimum flight hours needed for an instrument rating:
50 hours of cross-country flight time as pilot in command, of which 10 hours must have been in an airplane; and
40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time in the areas of operation listed in the paragraph above, of which 15 hours must have been received from an authorized instructor who holds an instrument-airplane rating.
When factoring in ground time in addition to flight time, a full-time student can complete the Instrument Rating process in approximately two months. Part-time students will need additional time.
Chris caught the aviation bug at the age of seven when he was able to sit in the cockpit of a 737 between flights, thanks to his aunt working at a large airline. Countless balsa wood flyers and multi-stage rockets later, he enrolled in the Aviation Technology Program at the University of Cincinnati and successfully turned a fascination into a career. “One of my most memorable flights was flying my dad to a local airport with a restaurant just off the ramp known for their generously portioned ribs. I’ll never forget that day with passenger #1.” As the Director of Search Marketing at Sporty’s, Chris is tasked with managing online advertising and search engine optimization but he still loves to search for new products.
