We recently had a thought-provoking exchange of e-mails with Henry, a reader who asked a multipart question: What equipment does he need in his airplane for an instrument checkride? Afterward, what equipment does he reasonably need to fly it daily in the system?
What you really need
Key Takeaways:
- The minimum avionics required for an IFR checkride are often impractical and insufficient for safe and efficient real-world IFR flying.
- While theoretically possible to pass a checkride with minimal equipment (e.g., one COM and one ILS-capable NAV) if it can support all required approach types, this setup is highly challenging and generally not recommended.
- Practical IFR flying, especially single-pilot, benefits significantly from (and increasingly assumes) GPS, dual NAV/COMs, an autopilot, and impending ADS-B Out for safety, convenience, and compatibility with a GPS-centric ATC system.
- As illustrated by the example Sundowner, a common deficiency is the lack of dedicated VOR/LOC and glideslope receivers, which must be added to meet checkride requirements and provide adequate capability for practical IFR flight.
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