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Flight Training
Instrument Rating
Learning how to fly based on only instruments is an important skill if you are interested in being able to fly in weather conditions that are less than ideal. Without an instrument rating you cannot fly in clouds or in low visibility. This is because Private Pilots are taught to fly based on visual (outside the cockpit) references. In clouds and low visibility, there are no visual references and your body may confuse what inputs it is receiving causing you to lose control of the helicopter. Instrument training shows you how to read and trust your instruments as well as how to develop a good scan of the instruments so that you do not get fixated on one item (i.e. airspeed, altitude). The training is less "fun" than that of Private Pilot training but it is ultimately very rewarding and useful. Even if you don't plan on flying in instrument conditions, obtaining an instrument rating will make you become a better pilot.
FAA Rating Requirements
General Requirements:
Must Posses at Least a Private Pilot Rating
Must Read, Write, Understand, and Speak English
Pass an FAA Oral and Practical Flight Test
Pass an FAA Written Knowledge Test
Flight Requirements:
Complete 40 hours Minimum Instrument Flight Time (actual or simulated), 15 hours of which must be in a helicopter
Must Have Logged at Least 50 hours of Cross-Country Pilot-in-Command (PIC) Flight Time
Complete one (1) 100-nautical-mile instrument cross-country instructional flight which includes
at least 3 different instrument approaches at 3 different airports
Resources:
FAA Instrument Test Questions (pdf)
FAA Instrument Rating Practical Test Standards (pdf)
Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs)
Estimated Minimum Cost:
| Item | Hours | Rate | Total |
| R44 Rental | 40 | $550/hr | $22,000 |
| Flight Instruction | 40 | $50/hr | $2,000 |
| Ground Instruction | 30 | $35/hr | $1,050 |
| Books | | | $270 |
| Total | | | $25,320 |
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