How many hours does it take to get an Instrument Rating?
FAR 61.65(d) outlines the minimum flight hours needed for an instrument rating:
- 50 hours of cross-country flight time as pilot in command, of which 10 hours must have been in an airplane; and
- 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time in the areas of operation listed in the paragraph above, of which 15 hours must have been received from an authorized instructor who holds an instrument-airplane rating.
When factoring in ground time in addition to flight time, a full-time student can complete the Instrument Rating process in approximately two months. Part-time students will need additional time.
Sporty’s Instrument Rating (part 141) Course Time Allocation Table - page ix
