Instrument Rating IR(A) study plan
Instrument Rating IR(A) · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Flight Crew Licensing (FCL) - licensing, ratings and examiner standardisation & Aircrew medical fitness standards (MED)
Map the Part-FCL structure for the IR(A): state which subparts govern pilot licensing, ratings, and instructor/examiner privileges, and draw a one-page diagram linking them.
List every requirement to begin IR(A) training (age, medical certificate class, prior licence and ratings, experience, language proficiency) and cite the rule source for each.
Explain the difference between the CB-IR and the modular/full IR(A) route, and record the hour and prerequisite differences in a comparison table.
Define the Class 1 medical validity periods for commercial operations under single-pilot and multi-crew scenarios, and note the factors that shorten them.
Your checkpoint
A one-page licensing-and-medical eligibility checklist with rule references, self-scored against the syllabus at 80% or better.
Flight Crew Licensing (FCL) - licensing, ratings and examiner standardisation & Flight Simulation Training Devices (FSTD)
Break down the IR(A) theoretical knowledge syllabus into its subject areas and state the pass mark and retake rules for each examination.
Describe how FSTD sessions are credited toward the IR(A) course: identify which device levels and qualification categories count, and how much credit each type of session may earn.
Explain the FSTD qualification basis (device type and level) and match each level to the training credits it enables in an IR course.
Outline the skill test and proficiency check structure for the IR(A), including who may conduct it and what happens if a section is failed.
Your checkpoint
A table mapping each IR(A) training element to its permitted FSTD credit and the rule that authorises it.
Aircrew medical fitness standards (MED)
Categorise the medical fitness standards by system (cardiovascular, neurological, psychiatric, visual, auditory, metabolic) and state the disposition for common conditions (fit, fit with limitation, unfit).
Explain the role of the AME, the medical assessor, and the licensing authority in the certification chain, and describe the appeal/review path after a denial.
Interpret the视觉 requirements for the IR(A), including refraction limits, colour vision testing methods, and the effect of corrective lenses on privileges.
Describe how medication, alcohol, and common chronic conditions affect medical validity and the pilot's duty to self-declare.
Your checkpoint
A condition-to-disposition matrix covering at least 20 common medical scenarios, each with the governing standard and the required follow-up.
Aircrew medical fitness standards (MED) & Flight Crew Licensing (FCL) - licensing, ratings and examiner standardisation
Trace the full lifecycle of a medical certificate: initial issue, renewal, revalidation, and the rules for expiry during operations.
Explain how a medical limitation or expiry interacts with licence privileges and what the pilot must do before the next flight.
Compare the medical standards applied to Class 1 versus Class 2 and identify which conditions differ materially between them.
Summarise the record-keeping and notification obligations after a change in medical status.
Your checkpoint
A timed 40-question mock covering licensing and medical topics, with every wrong answer written up as a one-line rule statement.
Flight Simulation Training Devices (FSTD)
Define what an FSTD is, distinguish flight training devices from full flight simulators, and state the qualification and continuing-qualification cycle.
Explain the roles of the device sponsor, the evaluating authority, and the instructor during FSTD-based training.
Describe how FSTD use is logged and credited, including the documentation a candidate must be able to produce.
Identify the limitations of FSTD credit: which manoeuvres or phases of flight may not be substituted by simulation.
Your checkpoint
A one-page FSTD credit-and-qualification reference sheet, verified against at least three separate rule provisions.
Flight Crew Licensing (FCL) - licensing, ratings and examiner standardisation & Flight Simulation Training Devices (FSTD)
Explain examiner and instructor standardisation: who authorises examiners, how their privileges are scoped, and what standardisation checks apply.
Describe how a skill test is conducted, including the role of the examiner, the candidate's brief, and the criteria for a discontinued or failed test.
Outline the process for renewing or revalidating an IR(A) and the role of FSTD sessions in that process.
List the privileges and limitations of the IR(A) and how they change with the pilot's other ratings.
Your checkpoint
A written walkthrough of one complete IR(A) skill test from candidate brief to result notification, with rule citations.
Aircrew medical fitness standards (MED) & Flight Simulation Training Devices (FSTD)
Revisit the highest-risk medical topics (cardiovascular, psychiatric, visual) and state the decision logic for borderline cases.
Explain how FSTD qualification status affects the validity of training credits and what happens if a device loses qualification.
Practise applying medical standards to short scenario vignettes and justify each disposition in two sentences.
Review any previously missed questions and convert each into a flashcard with the rule reference.
Your checkpoint
A set of 30 scenario flashcards spanning medical and FSTD topics, each with a rule citation and a self-check answer.
Flight Crew Licensing (FCL) - licensing, ratings and examiner standardisation & Aircrew medical fitness standards (MED) & Flight Simulation Training Devices (FSTD)
Complete two full-length timed mock exams under exam conditions and record the score per domain.
Identify the two weakest sub-topics across all mocks and rewrite their rule summaries from memory.
Rehearse the licensing, medical, and FSTD definitions that are most easily confused, and state the distinguishing feature for each pair.
Build a final one-page revision sheet covering the rules most likely to be tested.
Your checkpoint
Two completed mock exams with scores at or above 85% in every domain and a final one-page revision sheet.
Milestones
Week 2: Can state the IR(A) entry requirements, the CB-IR versus modular route differences, and the FSTD credit rules without notes, scoring 80% or better on a self-made 20-question quiz.
Week 4: Scores 80% or better on a timed 40-question mixed licensing-and-medical mock, with every error converted into a cited rule statement.
Week 6: Can walk through a complete IR(A) skill test and explain examiner standardisation and FSTD qualification from memory, verified against the rule text.
Week 8: Achieves 85% or better in each of the three domains on two full-length timed mocks and has a completed one-page revision sheet.