Instrument Currency

Instrument currency is a pain in the tuchus. Convergence of soupy weather, aircraft availability, and free time rarely occurs. Even flying weekly, as I do, results in few actual instrument approaches. Unlike with landings, you cant maintain instrument currency on your own in VMC without a safety pilot or instructor.

jmiller

Friday, November 14, 2014 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Pilots can maintain instrument currency through an Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC) or by logging specific flight experience, as outlined in 14 CFR 61.57.
While the experience method offers various options, including those utilizing Aviation Training Devices (ATDs), many are overly complex, less efficient, and ultimately require an authorized instructor's presence and logbook endorsement for official credit.
The article strongly emphasizes that legal instrument currency does not equate to actual pilot proficiency, noting that many incidents occur with pilots who are technically current but lack practical skills.
Given the convoluted nature of some experience options, the article suggests an IPC is often a more straightforward and thorough method to ensure both legal currency and practical competence.

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Instrument currency is a pain in the tuchus. Convergence of soupy weather, aircraft availability, and free time rarely occurs. Even flying weekly, as I do, results in few actual instrument approaches. Unlike with landings, you can’t maintain instrument currency on your own in VMC without a safety pilot or instructor.

Detailed currency requirements aim to keep us safe. The feds know we need options in our quest for currency, but options make for complex rules. Simple rules, though, can be onerous and encourage pencil-whipping currency. So, options abound. We’ll look at legal currency, but I’ll point out that proficiency isn’t necessarily the same.