It is not uncommon for a pilot to have the means to upgrade their instrument panel with the latest technology but not have sufficient time and opportunity to learn or relearn how to use it effectively. [Credit: Adobe Stock]
Key Takeaways:
Instrument flight skills are highly perishable, necessitating consistent practice to maintain both FAA-mandated currency (14 CFR 61.57) and true proficiency.
Regaining instrument proficiency, especially after a break, requires a structured approach including refreshing weather knowledge and practicing foundational instrument maneuvers with a CFII.
Pilots should thoroughly understand their aircraft's modern and analog instrumentation, and utilize flight simulators for scenario-based training, including emergency procedures and challenging approaches.
Of all the ratings a pilot can earn, the instrument rating is often the most intense academically and the most useful.
Filing IFR on VFR days gives you priority handling—like flight following on steroids—and the procedures you learn and skills gained can give a pilot more confidence in general.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
![It is not uncommon for a pilot to have the means to upgrade their instrument panel with the latest technology but not have sufficient time and opportunity to learn or relearn how to use it effectively. [Credit: Adobe Stock]](https://www.flyingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/FLY0126_1.6-IFR.jpeg)
