Instrument Rating IR(A) exam-day guide
Instrument Rating IR(A) · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Valid photo ID (passport or national ID)
Bring the same identity document used for your application. The exact document accepted is set by the examining authority and the test provider, so confirm the accepted forms with the provider before exam day; do not assume a driving licence will be accepted.
Pilot licence and medical certificate
Carry your current licence (or the authority's proof of licence issue) and valid medical certificate. The examiner will normally verify eligibility and medical validity on the day; confirm with the provider which documents must be originals rather than copies.
Completed application, fee receipt and booking confirmation
Bring the examination application form, proof of payment and the appointment confirmation exactly as instructed by the authority. Requirements for printed versus electronic copies vary, so confirm with the provider.
Logbook and training records
Bring your personal flying logbook and training records showing the required instrument experience and course completion. The examiner may sample entries; ensure totals are added up and signatures are present.
Knowledge test result and course completion certificate
Bring proof of passing the theoretical examination and the certificate of completion of the approved training course, if these are issued separately in your state. Confirm with the provider whether they must be presented at the start of the test.
Current charts and flight planning material
Carry current aeronautical charts, approach plates and a navigation/plotting kit appropriate to the planned route. The examiner may ask you to plan or replan; confirm the expected chart coverage with the provider.
Aircraft documents for the test flight
If the practical test is flown in a specific aircraft, ensure the certificate of registration, certificate of airworthiness, maintenance release, mass and balance data, and radio/equipment approvals are on board. Confirm with the provider or operator who supplies the aircraft.
Headset, torch and personal equipment
Bring your own headset, spare batteries, a small torch and a watch or timer. Do not rely on the aircraft having a serviceable spare headset.
Weather and NOTAM briefing
Obtain a full briefing for the planned flight, alternates and the test area before departure, and be ready to explain your go/no-go decision. Keep a record of the briefing.
Rest and fitness to fly
Plan a normal night's sleep and avoid alcohol within the authority's minimum period; be prepared to declare any medication or illness. If you are unfit, the test may be discontinued, so confirm the provider's rules on cancellation and fees in advance.
Confirm the meeting point and start time
Reconfirm the meeting point, start time and expected duration with the examiner or provider 24 to 48 hours beforehand. This item is marked needs_review because local procedures differ.
Check the aircraft booking and fuel state
Confirm the aircraft is booked for the full duration plus a margin, and that fuel and maintenance status are adequate for the planned profile. This item is marked needs_review because responsibility for booking varies between schools and candidates.
Plan the day
Re-read the practical test standards and the oral topics that will be probed: privileges and limitations of the instrument rating, IFR flight planning, departure, en-route and arrival procedures, holding, precision and non-precision approaches, missed approach, circling, partial-panel and unusual-attitude recovery, and instrument failure management. Rehearse call-outs and checklists aloud so the flow is automatic.
Do a final ground session with your instructor on weak areas and on the oral questions you have struggled with. Confirm the aircraft booking, the examiner's availability and the documents you must bring. Check that your logbook totals and course completion records are complete and signed.
Confirm with the provider the exact structure of the day: oral first or flight first, the weather minima and crosswind limits that would cause a discontinuation, and the fees and cancellation terms. Do not assume any of these; they are provider-specific.
Obtain a weather outlook and NOTAMs for the planned route and alternate. Prepare a draft flight plan and a fuel, alternates and diversion plan. Pack the checklist items, charge devices and spare batteries, and lay out charts and approach plates in the order you will use them.
Protect your sleep, avoid last-minute cramming of new material, and eat normally. Reconfirm the meeting time and location with the examiner or provider, and check the aircraft's availability and maintenance status.
Eat a proper meal, arrive early, and complete a fresh weather and NOTAM briefing. Present your documents, licence, medical and logbook, and be ready to explain your flight planning, fuel and alternate decisions.
Answer precisely, state your assumptions, and talk through your reasoning rather than guessing. If you do not know, say so and explain how you would find the answer. Use the aircraft documents, charts and regulations you brought as references where the examiner allows.
Fly with disciplined instrument scan, standard call-outs and checklist use. Manage workload, announce intentions, and treat any simulated failure as a real one until the examiner says otherwise. Maintain the tolerances in the test standards, and if a limit is exceeded, correct promptly and continue.
Complete the debrief, ask for the result and any recorded deficiencies, and confirm what happens next if the test is discontinued or failed, including re-test requirements and fees. Confirm with the provider before leaving.
Rules to check
Carry the identity document accepted by the authority and confirm with the provider which forms are valid; the examiner may refuse to test you if identity cannot be verified.
Present originals of your licence, medical certificate and logbook on request. Confirm with the provider whether copies or electronic records are acceptable.
Arrive at the agreed time. Late arrival may lead to cancellation or a shortened test; the exact grace period and fee consequences are set by the provider, so confirm them in advance.
The examiner controls the conduct of the test. Follow instructions, ask for clarification when needed, and do not argue about a simulated failure or a disputed judgement during the flight; raise it in the debrief.
Treat all simulated emergencies as real: fly the aircraft first, then navigate, then communicate. Do not assume a failure has ended until the examiner clearly says so.
Breaks are normally available between the oral and flight phases and on long days; ask the examiner. Do not leave the test environment or the aircraft without telling the examiner.
If weather, aircraft serviceability or your fitness prevents a valid test, say so early. Discontinuation and re-test rules, including whether credit for completed phases is given, are set by the authority and provider; confirm them before the day.
Scoring follows the published practical test standards: tolerances, mandatory items and the criteria for a failed or discontinued test. Confirm with the provider which version of the standards applies to your test and read it before the day.