Advance Your Skills and Career

While instrument flight training is not a strict requirement for helicopter pilots, it is one of the most valuable steps you can take in advancing your skills. Without an instrument rating, you’ll be grounded whenever weather conditions deteriorate. With the rating, you gain the ability to safely operate in a wider range of environments — a key advantage for both personal and professional flying.

Many employers now require instrument-rated pilots before considering them for advanced or specialized positions. Whether your career goal is corporate, utility, EMS, law enforcement, or offshore operations, an instrument rating will expand your opportunities and greatly enhance your safety margin.

FAA Minimum Flight Training Requirements

To earn your Instrument Rating, the FAA requires:

50 hours of cross-country flight time as Pilot in Command

40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time

15 hours of instrument flight training in helicopters

3 hours of preparation with an instructor for the practical exam

The practical test includes both an oral and flight evaluation.

What You’ll Learn

Instrument training teaches you how to control the helicopter and navigate solely by reference to instruments, without outside visual cues. You’ll develop critical skills in IFR communications, approach procedures, holding patterns, and emergency scenarios. The ability to manage a flight in low visibility or challenging conditions makes you a far more versatile and capable pilot.

The SRT Advantage

At SRT Helicopters our instructors bring extensive real-world IFR experience to your training. Beyond preparing you for the checkride, we emphasize scenario-based instruction that mirrors the operational environments you’ll face as a professional pilot. This training not only improves your technical skills but also builds the judgment and confidence to handle complex weather and mission conditions.