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The proportion of European private pilots holding Instrument Flight privileges is low, particularly when compared to the US. Being of these seldom birds, other private pilots frequently ask me about it. The same questions come back frequently, so I listed the top three ones - with answers.

3 - How hard is it to get an IFR rating on top of a PPL(A) ?
Once you passed the theoretical examination (requiring more than 200 hours of study time, and a much detailed knowledge of the same 8 branches as for the PPL), the required flight training is 50 hours, which can be split between simulator and actual flying.

Yes, you remember well, this is approximately as much as what is required to traing the PPL. It’s just like learning to fly again. There is nothing impossible, but the training is intensive. My advise here would be to keep days off to make it. I can’t imagine doing it after job, particularly as the flights are longer than simple “circuit training” sessions.

Before starting, you also need night privileges, and be current on an IFR equipped plane. This can range from a C172 to variable pitch prop, retractable landing gear, and complex avionics. Packing a transition to the plane that will be used with the IFR training is not a good idea. The first part of the training is particularly demanding, and leave no room for plane specific training.

2 - How much IFR shall I fly to keep my instrument privileges ?
Many pilots don’t envisage IFR because they think it requires many hours to be renewed each year. This is a very common misunderstanding, and it’s really a shame. The IFR rating comes “on-top” of the SEP(A) rating, and all what it takes to renew it is an examination flight each year. Dot.

Read my “What it takes to renew an IFR rating” post for the full details, but shortly said, it is possible to renew it with some preparation and an examination flight. Things are more complex if you base the IFR on a type rating, or MEP(A). You then need a certain number of flights per year, and so on. But once again: IFR on SEP(A) is renewed by a yearly examination flight.

1 - Is it worth it ?
Well… this is the tricky question, and it’s of very personal nature. At first, one must not envisage single engine IFR as the cure againt bad weather. In non-tubro, non de-iced, non-radar-equipped light single, any non-benign weather is a no-go. Unless you can get a Piper Malibu or a P210 (non talking about TBM or PC-12), you will still be very weather dependent.

Flying IFR is more an intellectual and technical kind of flying. On the plus side, it simplifies the navigation and approaches a lot. No need to identify ambiguous landmarks, nor to void reserved airspace. Read about a typical example here: Geneva to Biggin-Hill IFR.

If you are based in an aera where fog, low stratus, or marginal visibility is an issue, then IFR can help you to fly more. This is typically the case of Geneva in February, where low stratus can last for weeks, with tops at 1′000 feet above ground level. This represent no icing riks, but totally prevents VFR operations.

Your question here
Before starting my IFR training, I had tons of questions. This post probably not answered all of yours, so feel free to ask you question in a comment, or via the “About me” page of this blog. I know first hand how the kind of answers training organizations give can be frustrating and ambiguous. I’ll be pleased to answer your question in an independent way, based on my own experience.

When I listed smart things to do when non-flying, making projects was on top of the list. If I logged all the time I spent imaginating next flying activities, the total would probably be 5 to 10 times higher than my total flight time.

I temporarily suspended my flying activities because of my new job and our move from Geneva to Frankfurt. My strategy is still the same for the moment: keep my PPL and IR ratings valid. As I prefer to renew my PPL via the experience way rather than via a proficiency check, I will have to fly 12 hours between August 2008 and August 2009, 6 as PIC, and land 12 times.

The big question now is… where ? I can find a flying club here in Germany, go back to Geneva for a couple of days, visit a friend of mine which is instructor in London, or go in Cannes once again.

The German option involves discovering a new flying environment, and don’t require to use days off. It also requires to find a new club, instructor, and so on…

Going to Geneva and fly there in a familiar environment seems easy. There is still one Saratoga, the C172-TDI, and a new DA40 with G1000… appealing. And why not a tail-wheel training on the SuperCub ? But going there for just a couple of days is risky in terms of weather. As this could be combined with a visit to family and friends, it won’t be all wasted by bad weather.

Cannes is a safer option in this respect. Better weather, and a fleet of DA40s, and one more chance for my site qualification in La Môle. This option also requires to take days off, but can’t be combined with anything else. If weather is bad (unlikely, but not impossible) this would be a simple waste of time.

Going by friends in London is also an easy option. I have a club, and instructor there, and everything I need can easily be organised. Weather is certainly risky, and even riskier than Geneva, but this would not by a flying only trip, so even if I can’t fly, these days won’t be wasted.

The only thing that is not on the list for the time being is a trip to the US. My priority is to keep my JAA privileges, not to obtain new ones by the FAA. Going there is certainly something I will do later, but even with the very attractive Euro / Dollar exchange rate, this does not fit in my strategy. For the time being, I have to save time and money.

And why not mix all of these options ? All I need is twelve hours in one year after the 5th of August. On the plus side, I have time to make projects… at least until August. If you know other options that could interest me, like friendly places where I could rent a JAA plane, let me know. Any suggestion is welcome.