Instrument Rating exam-day guide
Instrument Rating · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
A driver's license, passport, or other photo ID that the evaluator uses to verify your identity. The name must match your IACRA application and pilot certificate. Bring a second backup ID if you have one - if the evaluator cannot verify identity, the test cannot proceed.
Pilot certificate, medical certificate (or BasicMed documentation), and photo copy
Bring your current pilot certificate and evidence of medical eligibility. If you operate under BasicMed, bring the completed checklist/completion documentation and your most recent exam record. Confirm with the provider whether hard copies or digital versions are acceptable.
Logbook(s) with all endorsements and your knowledge test report
Your logbook must show the instrument aeronautical experience, the instrument instruction, and the endorsements: training for the instrument rating, the knowledge test endorsement, and the instructor endorsement stating you are prepared for the practical test and that the training was given within the preceding 2 calendar months. Include the printed Airman Knowledge Test Report for the instrument rating (typically valid for 24 calendar months for the practical test - verify your report's status).
Completed IACRA application submitted and signed
Submit the application in IACRA before the appointment so the evaluator can review it and you can sign it electronically. Have your FTN (FAA Tracking Number) available. If you cannot access IACRA, confirm with the provider how they want the application handled.
Aircraft airworthiness records and IFR equipment inspection status
Airworthiness certificate, registration, and current operating limitations/POH. Be ready to show that required inspections are current: annual (or 100-hour if applicable), transponder inspection within the preceding 24 calendar months, pitot-static system and altimeter inspection within the preceding 24 calendar months, and - if you will use a VOR - a VOR operational check within the preceding 30 days with the log entry. Also verify the GPS/navigation database is current enough for the procedures you will fly.
Current IFR charts, terminal procedures, and Chart Supplement
Bring current enroute charts for the planned route, the terminal procedure volumes covering every planned and alternate airport, and airport diagrams for the fields you will use. Confirm with the provider whether paper or electronic (EFB) charts are expected and whether they want printouts of anything.
Weather and NOTAM briefing
Obtain a standard briefing for the planned flight and bring it in a durable form (printout or downloaded in your EFB, plus a backup power source). Be prepared to explain the weather picture, your go/no-go reasoning, alternate requirements, and any TFRs or NOTAMs affecting the airports and routes you will use.
Flight plan / navigation log with fuel and alternate planning
A complete nav log showing course, headings, altitudes, time/fuel to the destination, an alternate, and reserve fuel. If you use an EFB, have a paper or offline backup. You should be able to explain every number without reading from the device.
View-limiting device, flashlight, and cockpit gear
Foggles or a hood for simulated instrument conditions, a working flashlight with spare batteries, your headset (with spare batteries if active), and something to write on. These are simple items that end a flight portion quickly if missing.
Aircraft POH/AFM, weight and balance, and checklists
The specific POH/AFM for the aircraft you will fly, a completed weight-and-balance calculation for the planned loading, and the aircraft's normal, abnormal, and emergency checklists. Verify the aircraft's required IFR equipment (instruments, avionics, alternator/generator, pitot heat, etc.) is operable before you brief.
Payment for the evaluator's fee and appointment confirmation
Confirm the fee amount, accepted payment method, and cancellation/rescheduling policy with the evaluator in advance - these vary widely by provider and are not standardized. Bring payment in whatever form they specified.
Personal comfort items and any medication you need
Water, a snack, and anything you need for a long day, since the test may run several hours including a break. Confirm with the provider how they prefer to handle medications and any medical considerations before the appointment.
Plan the day
Confirm the appointment time, meeting airport, aircraft tail number, and the evaluator's fee/payment expectations. Submit or complete the IACRA application so the evaluator has time to review it.
Audit the aircraft records for inspection currency (annual/100-hour, transponder, pitot-static and altimeter, VOR check if applicable) and confirm the navigation database supports the procedures you plan to fly. Resolve any lapse now rather than the morning of.
Review the logbook endorsement trail end to end: total instrument time, instrument instruction received, the recent 2-calendar-month training, the knowledge test endorsement, and the endorsement confirming you are prepared for the practical test. Have your instructor fix anything missing before the appointment.
Re-read the instrument rating Airman Certification Standards task by task and identify the tasks you are least confident in (typically holds, partial-panel work, circling approaches, and oral weather/regulations). Spend your remaining study time there.
Do a full dress rehearsal of the oral on the weakest areas, then stop studying early enough to sleep well. Fatigue shows up fastest in holding entries and approach briefings.
Assemble your bag: documents, charts, nav log, foggles, flashlight, headset, backup batteries, POH, and payment. Charge every device and pack a backup power source for the EFB.
Look at the forecast for the planned route and begin forming a plan and a fallback. Do not lock yourself into one plan; the weather briefing you give on the day must reflect the weather on the day.
Get a fresh standard briefing, check NOTAMs and TFRs, and make a go/no-go decision. You are the pilot in command - if conditions are legally or practically unsuitable, raise it with the evaluator rather than pressing on.
Arrive early enough to preflight unhurried, verify the aircraft is IFR-equipped and squawk-free, and organize documents so you can produce any record on request without hunting.
Before the oral begins, confirm with the provider how they want to handle breaks, what reference materials you may use during the oral, and whether the flight will occur the same day.
Oral: answer the question that was asked, keep your answers tight, and use approved references when you genuinely need them rather than guessing. If a question is ambiguous, ask for clarification.
Flight: brief every approach and hold out loud, use your flows and checklists, call out altitude and configuration changes, and fly to the ACS tolerances rather than your personal best. If you exceed a tolerance, correct promptly and move on - do not announce failure.
If a discontinuance is issued, read it carefully so you know exactly which tasks remain and confirm its validity window and how the retest will be scheduled with the provider.
Rules to check
Identity is verified before testing starts. The name on your photo ID, pilot certificate, and IACRA application must match; an expired or missing ID typically ends the appointment before it begins.
You are responsible for the accuracy of your logbook and application. Inaccurate or padded entries are a serious matter independent of the practical test outcome - bring only what you can defend.
Ask the evaluator up front which reference materials (regulations, POH/AFM, chart legends, AIM) you may consult during the oral. Access rules differ between evaluators, so confirm rather than assume.
You may ask for a break. Confirm with the provider when breaks are acceptable - many evaluators will pause between the oral and flight, but mid-task breaks are at their discretion.
Each area of operation is evaluated against the Airman Certification Standards. An unsatisfactory result on a required task generally results in a disapproval, and the evaluator documents the specific tasks you must be re-tested on. Fly the whole profile as if every task counts, because it does.
A discontinuance is not a failure. If weather, aircraft, or equipment problems stop the test, the evaluator issues a discontinuance notice - confirm the validity period and the retest procedure with the provider rather than assuming.
The aircraft must be airworthy and properly equipped for IFR flight on the day. A grounding squawk is a legitimate reason to postpone; an unairworthy aircraft is never the right answer to a scheduling problem.
Recording the test, bringing unauthorized assistance, or having someone coach you during the evaluation is generally prohibited. Confirm any special request with the provider before the appointment.