As you’re already aware, earning an instrument rating is a fun and rewarding experience that will provide you with added confidence and make your pilot’s license more powerful. But instrument flying is also unforgiving and requires more than just passing an FAA check ride — it requires a system of continuing education and proficiency.
First, a word of caution — while your instrument flying skills and cockpit management techniques will no doubt be sharp when you earn your ticket, more than likely, the majority of your training and check ride preparation was spent in the terminal environment. This isn’t a bad thing — in fact, the structure of the Instrument PTS practically requires it. But there is still a wealth of knowledge and skill to be gained during en route operations that will come with experience. The trap comes in the feeling of supreme IFR proficiency after the check ride with the possibility that not much experience has been gained in the cross-country environment: managing weather, planning for alternates, communicating with ATC or dealing with equipment malfunctions. In other words, you’ll need to commit time to determining what your personal limitations will look like as a newly rated instrument pilot.
