The Instrument Rating (IR) is normally combined with the Commercial Pilot Licence.  It can however be done separately/after the CPL and can also be done as a rating on a PPL.

After your PPL, you have to complete a Night Rating.  Thereafter, for the Commercial Pilot Licence with Instrument Rating, you need to write the following exams:

• Meteorology
• Flight Planning
• Radio Aids
• Navigation
• Instruments
• Air Law and Procedures
• Human Performance
• Aircraft Technical and General

If you are doing an Instrument Rating on a PPL (ie not getting a Commercial Pilot Licence), you need to write:

• Meteorology
• Flight Planning
• Radio Aids
• Navigation
• Instruments
• Air Law and Procedures
• Human Performance

The practical flying for the IR includes a minimum 0f 40 hours of Instrument instruction, of which you can do 20 hours on our CAA approved FTPT II simulator.  This 40 hours includes the 10 hours carried over from the Night Rating.

You also need to have a minimum of 50 hours of PIC cross-country time by day and/or night as well as a Class 1 medical (as opposed to the Class 2 required for a PPL) and a general certificate in radiotelephony.