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Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) — practical test with a designated pilot examiner

Instrument Rating — Airplane practical test (checkride) prep

Get ready for your instrument checkride — scenario-based oral practice, holds and approaches to ACS standards, partial panel, lost comms and the flows and radio calls that hold it all together.

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FormatOral exam, then a flight test (mostly under a view-limiting device) — every task graded satisfactory or unsatisfactory
Graded toInstrument Rating – Airplane ACS, FAA-S-ACS-8C (effective May 31, 2024)
WhoA designated pilot examiner (DPE) or an FAA inspector
EligibilityPrivate pilot certificate, IRA knowledge test passed, 61.65 experience (50 hr XC PIC, 40 hr instrument incl. 15 with a CFII, 250 nm IFR cross-country) and instructor endorsements
Recent training3 hours of instrument training and the 61.39 endorsement within 2 calendar months before the test
Knowledge testReport valid 24 calendar months — finish the checkride within that window
What to bringPhoto ID, pilot and medical certificates (or BasicMed), logbook with endorsements, knowledge test report, view-limiting device, charts, and the airplane's documents and maintenance records
Typical lengthOften 4–6 hours total, varies by examiner and weather

About the exam

The instrument rating lets you fly in the clouds under instrument flight rules — and the practical test is where you prove it. It's conducted by a designated pilot examiner (DPE) or FAA inspector and graded against the Instrument Rating – Airplane ACS (FAA-S-ACS-8C): first an oral exam on regulations, IFR weather, flight planning, systems and procedures, then a flight under a view-limiting device covering clearances, holding, navigation, at least two different non-precision approaches and a precision approach, a missed approach, a circling approach and landing, partial panel and lost-communication procedures. Every task is graded satisfactory or unsatisfactory.

This hub is for private pilots who've passed the Instrument Rating Airplane (IRA) knowledge test and are closing in on their 61.65 experience — 50 hours cross-country PIC, 40 hours of instrument time with 15 from a CFII, the 250 nm IFR cross-country and 3 hours of prep within 2 calendar months of the test.

You get scenario-based mock oral questions mapped to every ACS area, oral flashcards and mock checkride scenarios, a checklist & flow trainer, a panel trainer with both an analog six-pack and a glass PFD for scan and partial-panel practice, a radio & callouts drill for IFR clearances and approach calls, maneuver guides with the exact ACS tolerances, and checkride-day prep. These are study aids: your aircraft's POH/AFM checklists and your instructor's procedures always govern.

How we track your progress

Every blueprint domain moves through five levels as you study:

  1. Not startedNo questions answered in this domain yet.
  2. Getting startedFirst questions answered — not enough yet to judge.
  3. DevelopingAt least 5 answered and 50% or better on your recent questions.
  4. ProficientAt least 15 answered and 70% or better on your recent questions.
  5. Exam readyAt least 25 answered, 80% or better recently, and holding up on hard questions.

The exam blueprint

FAA-S-ACS-8C Instrument Rating – Airplane ACS (effective May 31, 2024) — Preflight preparation and procedures, ATC clearances and holding, flight by reference to instruments, navigation systems, instrument approaches, emergency and postflight operations. Tap a domain to see its topics.

1 Preflight Preparation ACS Area I of the exam
Instrument privileges, currency and the IPC (61.57(c)–(d))Instrument rating eligibility and experience (61.65)IFR weather products: METAR, TAF, GFA, AIRMET/SIGMET and PIREPsIcing, thunderstorms, fog and IFR weather hazardsIFR alternate requirements and fuel reserves (91.167, 91.169)Enroute charts, minimum altitudes (MEA, MOCA, MRA, OROCA) and route selectionIFR flight plans and preferred routesTakeoff minimums and obstacle departure planning

32 practice questions in this domain so far

2 Preflight Procedures ACS Area II of the exam
Required IFR equipment (91.205(d))Anti-ice and deice systems and known icingPitot-static and gyroscopic instruments and their failuresGlass flight displays, AHRS/ADC and EFB useVOR checks (91.171), altimeter/static and transponder checks (91.411, 91.413)Instrument flight deck check and inoperative equipment (91.213)

20 practice questions in this domain so far

3 ATC Clearances and Procedures ACS Area III of the exam
Clearance elements (CRAFT) and readbacksClearance void, release and hold-for-releasePIC authority and when to deviate from a clearanceHolding entries: direct, teardrop and parallelHolding speeds, timing, wind correction and EFCClimb, descent and "cruise" clearances

24 practice questions in this domain so far

4 Flight by Reference to Instruments ACS Area IV of the exam
Attitude instrument flying: control and performance instrumentsInstrument cross-check, interpretation and controlStandard-rate turns, climbs and descentsSpatial disorientation and illusionsUnusual attitude recognition and recoveryInadvertent IMC (IIMC/UIMC) and automation use

16 practice questions in this domain so far

5 Navigation Systems ACS Area V of the exam
VOR, DME and NDB/ADF orientation and trackingIntercepting courses and flying DME arcsGPS/WAAS, RAIM and RNAV equipment requirementsDeparture procedures: ODPs and SIDsSTARs, arrivals and descend-via clearancesPilot and controller responsibilities en route

20 practice questions in this domain so far

6 Instrument Approach Procedures ACS Area VI of the exam
Reading approach charts: plan view, profile and minimumsNon-precision approaches: VOR, LOC, LNAV and LPPrecision and vertically guided approaches: ILS, LPV and LNAV/VNAVStabilized approach, VDP and descent planningCourse reversals, procedure turns and NoPT segmentsMissed approach procedures and climb gradientsCircling approaches, aircraft categories and protected areasDescending below DA/MDA and landing (91.175)

32 practice questions in this domain so far

7 Emergency Operations and Postflight Areas VII–VIII of the exam
Two-way radio communications failure (91.185)Lost-comm route and altitude: AVEF and MEAApproach with loss of primary flight instruments (partial panel)Multiengine: engine failure in IMC and one-engine-inoperative approachesReporting malfunctions to ATC (91.187)Postflight: checking and recording instrument and equipment discrepancies

16 practice questions in this domain so far

What you get when you access this exam

Free with your QuizMe account.

Scenario-based mock oral

Original three-choice questions built on every ACS area — the kind of "what would you do" scenarios a DPE asks about weather, alternates, clearances, approaches and lost comms — with full rationales and adaptive practice.

Oral flashcards and mock checkrides

Flashcards for IFR regs, minimums and lost-comm rules, plus mock checkride case scenarios that walk a full IFR trip from go/no-go to the missed approach.

Checklists & flows trainer

Drill generic before-takeoff instrument checks, the approach briefing, and the five T's at every fix until the flows are automatic.

Panel trainer

Practice your scan on an analog six-pack and a glass PFD — interpret attitude, heading and course needles, spot failed instruments and fly partial panel.

Radio & callouts drill

Copy IFR clearances, read back holding instructions and approach clearances, and make the right call when ATC or the radios don't cooperate.

Maneuvers & tolerances guides

Illustrated guides to holding entries, DME arcs, non-precision, precision, circling and missed approaches with the exact ACS tolerances — ±100 ft, ±10°, ±10 kt, ¾-scale CDI, MDA +100/−0.

Test at home or at a center

Your instructor signs your application in IACRA and you schedule with a designated pilot examiner (DPE); make sure your endorsements, experience and the airplane's paperwork are all in order first.

Before you book

  • Confirm your 61.65 experience is logged: 50 hours cross-country PIC, 40 hours of instrument time (15 with a CFII) and the 250 nm IFR cross-country with three different kinds of approaches.
  • Get 3 hours of instrument training within 2 calendar months before the test plus the 61.39 and 61.65 endorsements from your CFII.
  • Check the airplane is IFR-legal: annual, VOR check within 30 days (91.171), altimeter/static and transponder checks within 24 calendar months (91.411, 91.413), and working approach-capable avionics.
  • Make sure your knowledge test report is still within its 24-calendar-month window.

Finding an examiner

  • Search the FAA's Designee Locator (Find Designees and Delegations on faa.gov) for DPEs authorized for instrument-airplane near you, or ask your flight school who it uses.
  • Your instructor completes and signs FAA Form 8710-1 in IACRA; the DPE schedules the test with you through the FAA's designee system.
  • DPEs set their own fees and availability — book early, as waits of several weeks are common.
  • Ask the examiner ahead of time for a planning assignment (route, weather date) so you can prepare the cross-country for the oral.

Exam-day game plan

How to walk in ready — and how to pace 40-question mock oral in 60 minutes.

Pacing checkpoints

Our mock oral is 40 scenario-style questions in 60 minutes, drawn across the ACS areas. A real oral is a conversation with your examiner, not a timed quiz, and the flight portion is graded to the ACS tolerances shown in the maneuver guides.

The week before

  • Fly at least one full mock checkride with your CFII, including partial panel, a hold and a circling approach.
  • Plan the examiner's assigned IFR cross-country: route, altitudes, alternates, fuel and weather briefing.
  • Take several 40-question mock orals and review every area that scored low.
  • Brief the approaches at your test airport and nearby fields — know the minimums, missed approach and lost-comm options.
  • Check the airplane's maintenance records for IFR inspections and gather all documents.

Checkride day — bring

  • Government photo ID, pilot certificate and medical certificate (or BasicMed documents)
  • Logbook with all endorsements and your knowledge test report
  • Your IACRA FTN and login
  • View-limiting device (foggles or hood)
  • Current charts or EFB, completed navlog and weather briefing
  • Aircraft documents (airworthiness, registration, POH/AFM, W&B) and maintenance logbooks
  • Payment for the examiner's fee

During the checkride

  • Answer the oral like a pilot: say where you'd find it — 91.185, the AIM, the chart legend — and use your references.
  • Brief every approach out loud and say what you're doing — the five T's at each fix.
  • If you drift, correct promptly and say so; staying within ¾-scale and +100/−0 at MDA matters more than perfection.
  • Never descend below DA/MDA without the required visual references — when in doubt, go missed.
  • If something unsafe happens, the examiner may take control; act as PIC and ask for clarification when unsure.

After the checkride

  • Pass: the examiner issues a temporary airman certificate through IACRA with your new Instrument – Airplane rating, valid 120 days until your plastic certificate arrives by mail.
  • Discontinued (weather, maintenance, illness): you get a Letter of Discontinuance listing the areas completed — finish the remaining areas with the same examiner within the time it allows.
  • Unsatisfactory: you receive a Notice of Disapproval (FAA Form 8060-5) listing the failed areas; get additional training and a new endorsement (61.49) before retesting.
  • Stay instrument current: 6 approaches, holding and intercepting/tracking within 6 calendar months (61.57(c)) or take an instrument proficiency check.
  • Next steps: build hours toward the commercial certificate, add a multiengine rating, or go for CFII.

Official sources and further reading

Ready to start?

160 questions and scenarios across the blueprint — and growing.

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QuizMe is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FAA. Practice content is original and summarizes FAA sources (ACS, handbooks, 14 CFR, AIM). Checklists and flows are generic training aids — always use your aircraft's POH/AFM and your instructor's procedures. Rules change — confirm at faa.gov.