Instrument Instruction

I had a two hour lesson with my flight instructor today. More than half of it was spent sitting on the ground tossing around ideas for how to best progress with instrument training.

Put most simply, the instrument rating allows pilots to fly in the clouds. Pilots who do not hold an instrument rating must stay clear of the clouds at all times, day or night. An instrument rating allows a pilot to fly through clouds under the control of Air Traffic Control (ATC). This can be invaluable when you want to get someplace and the weather isn't good enough to permit flight according to visual flight rules. Consequently, an instrument rating allows a pilot to fly at times when he or she would otherwise need to sit on the ground and wait out the weather.

The instrument rating for a general aviation pilot most definitely is not a license to "go anywhere at any time". There are many kinds of weather where even an instrument-rated pilot should choose to sit comfortably on the ground and wait for better weather. But obtaining an instrument rating trains a pilot to be a better pilot and that's perhaps the best benefit of all.

Right now, it looks like we'll begin my training within the month. More updates to come.