ACCELERATED INSTRUMENT RATING (IFR) SYLLABUS

Total time to completion 10-14 days           Estimated cost (sim/flight) $12-$14,000

 The following syllabus is intended to be used for Private Pilots starting from zero instrument training and 25 hours of PIC cross country time with the intention of completing the IFR course in an expedited period of time. Students showing up with prior instrument training from other flight schools may need to modify this schedule to reflect progress made at that school. This schedule will also need to be modified occasionally due to such factors as weather, maintenance, scheduling and any other unforeseen circumstances that pop up from time to time. Make sure you have pens and a notepad available at all times and take copious notes both inside and outside the cockpit as necessary! Be sure to study our IFR study guide...

IFR DAY 1.        Ground 3-5 hours                Simulator 4-5 hours

Ground-Review foreflight as it pertains to instrument flight to include approach charts, enroute charts, DPs, aircraft configuration, flight planning, etc...  Discuss instrument scanning techniques to include errors and omissions as well as the three fundamental rules of scanning. Discuss the primary and secondary instruments for all different phases of flight. Discuss the steps of dialing in a VOR and tracking bearings/radials to and from the station. Discuss the fundamentals of gps navigation and spend time on its familiarization. Discuss the elements of a CDI and HSI. Discuss PFD and MFD as necessary. Discuss three phases of IFR flight and charts associated with each as well as the terminology used on them. Discuss in detail CRAFT and its associated shorthand. Discuss loss of communications procedures for both lateral and vertical routing. Discuss alternate airport requirements to include fuel planning. Discuss 5 Ts.

Flight- Review proper scanning techniques. Review VOR procedures to include flying direct, intercepting courses inbound and outbound and joining victor airways. Review instrument failure recognition and appropriate aircraft control. Practice constant speed, constant VSI descents, standard rate turns.

 

IFR DAY 2.        Ground 3-4 hours             Flight (sim) 4-5 hours

Ground- Review all areas from day 1 and only proceed onto these next subjects once those concepts are thouroughly understood and can be reasonably applied in practice. Discuss holiding pattern entries and all elements related to holding such as holding pattern times/distances, EFC times, crosswind corrections, timing corrections, 5 Ts etc... Discuss the minimum equipment required flow chart to include the items of FAR 91.203. Practice copying IFR clearances to include shorthand involved. Create a flight plan that can be utilized on  todays simulator flight that can be loaded into the GPS/PFD/FMS and include a departure procedure and an approach to be loaded in before takeoff. Discuss how IFR flight plans can be filed and obtained (on ground, inflight etc...). Discuss the different types of IFR flight plans (VFR on top, TEC, etc...). Discuss test and inspection requirements for IFR. Discuss recency requirements for IFR PIC. Discuss IMSAFE, PAVE, DECIDE model and the 5 Ps. Discuss GPS/PFD setup. 

Flight- Review all areas from day 1 and when fully understood, proceed onto the next subjects once those concepts are thoroughly understood and can reasonably applied in the simulator. Discuss/practice holding pattern procedures. Fly the flight plan recieved on the days ground training and load it in to the FMS/GPS. Be sure to include a departure procedure or ODP. Introduce Approaches if able...

IFR DAY 3.   Ground 3-4 hours             Flight (SIM) 4-5 hours

GROUND- Review all areas from days 1 and 2 and proceed onto the next subjects once those concepts are thoroughly understood and can reasonably applied and explained back to the Instructor. Load in the flight plan discussed above.  Plan a XC IFR flight from KVGT to KSGU with the North Town departure using runwar 12R and the RNAV runway 1 approach starting at MMM with a hold at MMM before starting the approach. Discuss getting a vector to join V-394 from the inbound turn on the DP using the terminology "left turn 090, join V394 own nav". FLT PLN- NXXX CLEARED TO SGU VIA NT5 DEP, V394, MMM, DIRECT, CLIMB VIA SID EXCEPT MAINTAIN 7000, EXPECT 9000 IN 10, CONTACT VEGAS APPROACH ON 125.9, SQUAWK 1234. Instructor shall read this clearance while the student sopys and reads back. Discuss every element of the clearance and any shorthand used to copy.

FLIGHT- Review all areas from days 1 and 2 and when fully understood, proceed onto the next subjects once those concepts are thoroughly understood and can reasonably applied in the simulator. Once satisfactory, load in the flight plan from todays ground training into the GPS/FMS and fly the flight starting from runway 12R. Hold at MMM and start the approach after a full hold has been satisfactorily demonstrated (RNAV RUNWAY 01). The rest of the lesson should be spent on holding and approaches as necessary

IFR DAY 4.     Ground 3-4 hours        Flight (SIM) 4-5 hours

GROUND- Discuss all areas covered in the prior days and introduce the following if able...

FLIGHT-

IFR DAY 5.       Ground 3-4 hours      Flight (SIM) 4-5 hours

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FLIGHT-

IFR DAY 6.     Ground 2-3 hours       Flight 3.5-4.5 hours

GROUND-

FLIGHT

IFR DAY 7.      Ground 2-3 hours     Flight 3.5-4.5 hours

GROUND-

FLIGHT-

IFR DAY 8.      Ground 2-3 hours     Flight 3.5-4.5 hours

GROUND-

FLIGHT

IFR DAY 9.      Ground 2-3 hours     Flight 3.5-4.5 hours

GROUND-

FLIGHT-

IFR DAY 10.     Ground 2-3 hours    Flight 3.5-4.5 hours

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FLIGHT-

SUBSEQUEND DAYS AS NECESSARY...