Course Description
Earning your Instrument Rating in a compressed timeframe has tremendous benefits. Practicing daily allows you to become a natural at piloting under IFR conditions because you are building motor skills and muscle memory daily. Fly Around Alaska trains to mastery in IMC and not just proficiency. You will be held to the highest standards, all while training in a structured environment to maximize your time. In our Accelerated Instrument Rating Program, we do two flights daily, accomplishing the training in under two weeks.
Pilots planning on pursuing a professional piloting career or private pilots who do not want to be limited to flying in only VFR conditions will need an instrument rating. Commercial pilots without an instrument rating are extremely limited in their career options. A cost-effective and time-efficient solution, our accelerated training builds stamina and retention in a very short amount of time.
Our students are trained initially on Garmin standard six pack and then finish on dual glass PFDs and a Garmin 175 GPS. Flying and navigating in Alaska can be challenging! Because of this, our students are trained on using situational awareness aides such as Foreflight but will not be dependent on it since paper charts and paper plates never run out of battery. Our goal is not to just pass the check ride because instrument skills will deteriorate over time when not exercised frequently. Our instructors focus on teaching strong foundations so students can always rely on their initial training for the rest of their flying careers. We do not use simulators; you will be flying an actual airplane for the duration of your course. We believe this instills superior piloting skills.
Our program will be some of the most demanding training you will ever undergo. The airlines and the military train this way for a reason…it works! Retention with accelerated training is far superior compared to training that is spread out over several months, and it saves you money. When people dive into our accelerated flight training programs, they can get their certificate in far fewer hours, resulting in significant financial savings.
This program is syllabus-based and is benchmarked with checkpoints that IFR students must meet to stay on track to meet the guaranteed price and timeframe of the program. Students will have daily homework and are expected to be on time, prepared, and serious about the success of their training. Accelerated training is not for every student, and we do offer tailored training for students who cannot commit to this type of intensive training.
*Note: During the winter months (November – March), this program extends to three weeks and is highly dependent on weather conditions.
Two-Week Instrument Rated Pilot
In as few as 12 days (weather permitting), you will have the skills to become an Instrument Rated Pilot! We will fly two times per day with ground instruction between each flight. With your dedication, you will be ready to become a proficient Instrument Rated Pilot in this timeframe. We have a pass rate of more than 98% on our check rides!
Syllabus Based Training
We have adopted the ASA Complete Instrument Pilot syllabus-based training program. The program covers all the information necessary to become an Instrument Rated Pilot, preparing you for your check ride. With our program, we provide you with all the materials you will need throughout the course.
Knowledge Test
Once we receive your deposit, we will provide you with an online Ground School course that allows your instructor to see your progress and tailor your one-on-one ground school when you arrive. This course provides an e-book, over 10 hours of video presentations, and practice quizzes to prepare you for your written knowledge exam. We have found this to be much more beneficial and practical than other flight schools’ standard ground schools. You must pass the Instrument Rating FAA Written Knowledge Exam before starting your accelerated program. Upon completing the practice tests, you will receive a certificate to present when taking your written test.
Prerequisites Required
Come prepared with the following information:
- The FAA Instrument Written Exam passed
- Current US Passport or Birth Certificate & Government Issued ID
- US Third Class Medical or higher
(We highly recommend Dr. Robert Thomas in Anchorage, AK (907)868-2961) - The current Flight Review is logged
- VFR currency to the Private Pilot Practical Test standards
- 35 hours of PIC cross-country time logged
Instructors and Location
Flight training will be conducted at our Palmer, Alaska, campus and will be taught by one of our mature, friendly, and knowledgeable instructors. Our instructors have been in aviation for many years and are Commercial, Instrument, and Multi-Engine rated, including CFI and CFII for fixed-wing single and multi-engine aircraft.
Course Includes:
- Dedicated aircraft and flight instructor matched to the student
- Training with a CFII in an instrument-rated airplane, not in a simulator
- Training Materials for FAA Knowledge Test
- Course Materials needed throughout the program
- 35 hours of instrument ground instruction and 30 hours of instrument flight instruction
- FAA Instrument Written Knowledge Exam fee *(Please save a copy of the receipt for the reimbursement of one Written Knowledge Test)
- FAA Practical Test Endorsement
Items Not Included:
- Check Ride (Approximately $850)
Note: We do not control these prices; the DPEs set these.
Financing Options
We know that costs associated with flight training can be quite an investment. For financing your program, we recommend AOPA, which is explicitly geared toward pilot training:
AOPA Finance https://www.finance.aopa.org 1-800-627-5263
SuperMoney www.supermoney.com
Other options for financing may be your credit union or a low or no-interest credit card.
Program Topics Covered Include:
- Risk Management
- Precision ILS approaches
- Aeronautical Decision Making
- Circle-to-land
- Task Management
- IFR cross-country
- Single Pilot Resource Management
- Enroute procedures
- Scenario Based Training
- Localizer back course
- Personal Minimums
- DME arc maneuvers
- Basic Instrument Flying
- ASR and PAR approach
- Flight Planning
- Visual and contact approaches
- ATC System & Communications
- Advanced instrument approaches
- Advanced aircraft & avionics systems training
- Partial panel flying
- Fuel Planning / and alternate airports
- Proper power settings & airspeed control
- Whether planning for the general aviation pilot
- Holding procedures
- Proper power settings and airspeed control
- Proper ATC radio communications
- VOR and NDB tracking
- Non-Precision approaches
- Flight Planning – Airway and Off-Airway
Instrument Rating Requirements
The instrument rating requirements, as specified in 14 CFR 61.65, are summarized below. By completing our accelerated program, you will have met all these requirements and be prepared to test for your Instrument Rating.
A person who applies for an instrument rating must:
- Hold a current private pilot certificate or concurrently apply for a private pilot certificate with an airplane, helicopter, or powered lift rating appropriate to the instrument rating sought.
- Be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language.
- Hold a current flight medical, at least third-class
To meet the instrument rating requirements, you must have logged the following:
- At least 50 hours of cross-country flight time as pilot in command. At least 10 hours must be in airplanes for an instrument-airplane rating.
- A total of 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time on the areas of operation listed in 61.65(c).
- At least 15 hours of instrument flight training from an authorized instructor in the aircraft category for the instrument rating sought.
For instrument-airplane rating, instrument training on cross-country flight procedures, including at least one cross-country flight in an airplane, is performed under instrument flight rules. This flight must consist of:
- A distance of at least 250 nm along airways or ATC-directed routing.
- An instrument approach at each airport.
- Three different kinds of approaches with the use of navigation systems (Example: ILS, VOR, GPS, etc.).
- At least 3 hours of instrument training appropriate to the instrument rating sought from an authorized instructor in preparation for the check ride within two calendar months before the examination date.