How do instrument flight rules work?

How do instrument flight rules work?

To start, IFR requires a ceiling (cloud height) that is less than 1,000 feet above ground level, and/or visibility that is less than three miles. To fly VFR, you must have a ceiling greater than 3,000 feet above ground level, and you must also have visibility that is more than five miles.

What are conditions needed for IFR instrument flight rule?

In the United States, to file and fly under IFR, a pilot must be instrument-rated and, within the preceding six months, have flown six instrument approaches, as well as holding procedures and course interception and tracking with navaids.

What is required for instrument flight?

At least 50 hours of cross-country flight time as pilot in command. At least 10 of these hours must be in airplanes for an instrument-airplane rating. A total of 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time on the areas of operation listed in 61.65(c).

What is minimum IFR altitude?

(ii) In any other case, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal distance of 4 nautical miles from the course to be flown.

Do you need DME for IFR?

Aircraft utilizing IFR GPS in lieu of DME operating at or above FL240 are not required to be equipped with DME.

What is MCA in IFR?

The Minimum Crossing Altitude (MCA) is the lowest altitude at which a navigational fix may be crossed when entering or continuing along an airway that will allow an aircraft to clear all obstacles while carrying out a normal climb to the required minimum en route IFR altitude (MEA) of the airway in question beyond the …

What is a MEA gap?

A navigational course guidance gap, referred to as an MEA gap, describes a distance along an airway or route segment where a gap in navigational signal coverage exists. The navigational gap may not exceed a specific distance that varies directly with altitude.

Can I fly IFR without GPS?

Practical Flying Today many IFR pilots will not fly single-pilot IFR without an autopilot. Having GPS is assumed. Given that mindset, flying an airplane that minimally satisfies a flight test comes nowhere near meeting the bar for practical IFR flight.

Can you fly IFR with GPS only?

Over the past 10 years, GPS has overwhelmingly become the preferred method of navigation, especially when it comes to IFR flying. The FAA’s entire NextGen system is built around GPS, and almost all of us use it in some form.

Can you fly IFR solo?

While student pilots can solo to help develop their confidence, there is no such thing as an instrument pilot solo. The first day you fly real IFR on your own is the day you obtain the instrument rating.

How many hours are required to get an instrument rating?

40 hours
It takes a minimum of 40 hours of instrument time to obtain an instrument rating. Instrument time is the time you spend flying the airplane while looking only at the instruments on the instrument panel.

Is GPS required for IFR?

To use GPS for IFR approaches, you must use GPS avionics that are properly approved and installed, and all approach procedures to be flown must be retrievable from the airborne navigation database. You must also be sure to check GPS NOTAMs for possible satellite outages.

Can you fly an ILS without DME?

An ILS never requires DME for identifying the FAF or DA because the FAF is glideslope intercept and DA is by altitude. Cross-check of glideslope intercept altitude is a good idea, but it’s never required. The missed approach goes to STOAS, but that can be identified as an intersection of two VOR radials.