Since I got my instrument rating, the question I heard to most from fellow pilots is “Is it not too hard to maintain it ? How many hours…”

The answer I give is always the same: “One flight a year !”

My Instrument Rating (IR) is based on my Single Engine Piston (SEP) class rating. The standard way to renew SEP is with 12 hours flight time (6 PIC), 12 landings and one hour with an instructor, once every two years (under JAA).
The IR has to be renewed each year, by flying with an examiner. The flight must include the following elements:

• One precision (ILS) approach
• One non-precision approach (LLZ, VOR, NDB)
• One go-around
• One track-reversal manoeuver (tear-drop, 45 / 180, procedure turn)
• One approach to stall
• One steep-turn

Fly all of it within tolerances, and the thing is done ! But don’t think it’s that easy…

One must not get confused: a valid rating does not mean that your skills are up to the task. If you don’t fly for a year and get the exam, the chances of success are quite low… It is a much better idea to first take a refresher / assessement flight, and additional training if required.

Failing an exam flight is not a glorious idea, because it has three consequences:

1. The IR privileges of the examinee are immediately cancelled
2. Additional training is mandatory before a new exam
3. The new exam must be with the same examiner

Because of this, renewing in a remote airport is quite risky, except if lot of spare time is available, but this is another story…

And once again, someone who flies IFR twice a year only is certainly not proficient enough to handle more than nice weather IFR. Various situations exist where pilots (including me) have to renew with very low practice, and the most important point is to be aware of what is legally possible, and what is reasonable.