FAA Part 141 & Part 61 Certified KOAK Flight Line • Oakland, CA +1 800-424-4069
METAR KOAK: 21008KT 10SM CLR 18/09 A3002
FAA Part 141 & 61 Approved All-Weather Operations Certified Requires Active PPL

Instrument Rating (IR)

All-Weather Precision Track

Master flight by sole reference to instruments. Fly safely through clouds, low visibility, and complex IFR airspace using precision RNAV and ILS approach procedures — the rating that separates fair-weather pilots from professional aviators.

Enroll in Upcoming Class Download Full Syllabus PDF
Target Duration 2-3 Months Full-Time Intensive
Total Flight Hours 35+ Hrs Simulated & Actual IMC
Assigned Fleet Cessna 172 Garmin G1000 IFR Suite
Next Cadet Intake Oct 15, 2026 5 Seats Left
Tuition Support 100% Loan Sallie Mae & GI Bill
01 Mission Objective

Fly With Confidence in Any Weather

The Instrument Rating (IR) removes VFR weather as a limiting factor in your flying career. Thrust Flight Academy’s IR syllabus drills precision approach procedures, holding patterns, and single-pilot IFR decision-making to airline-caliber standards — building the exact instrument scan discipline every jet cockpit demands.

Zero-Visibility Operations

Legal authorization to fly through clouds and reduced-visibility conditions under an IFR flight plan.

RNAV & Precision Approaches

Master GPS overlay, ILS, and LPV approach procedures down to Category I minimums.

Holding Patterns & Airway Navigation

Standard holding entries, DME arcs, and IFR enroute navigation across Victor airways.

Single-Pilot IFR Decision-Making

Structured risk-management framework for weather diversions, icing, and system failures.

02 Candidate Prerequisites Checklist
Current FAA Private Pilot License
Minimum 50 hours cross-country PIC time
Current FAA 3rd Class Medical (or BasicMed)
Basic aircraft systems knowledge from PPL

*Building cross-country hours? Ask about combining your PPL cross-country requirement with IR ground school.

03 Syllabus Breakdown

Structured 3-Phase Instrument Curriculum

Engineered under FAA Part 141 Appendix C guidelines to build a rock-solid instrument scan before your first approach in real clouds.

Full & Partial Panel Instrument Scan. Unusual Attitude Recovery. Standard Rate Turns & Timed Turns. Basic Radio Navigation (VOR/DME).
ILS, LPV, and RNAV Approach Procedures. Holding Pattern Entries & Course Reversals. Missed Approach Procedures. Circling Approaches.
Simulated Cross-Country IFR Flight Plan. FAA Instrument ACS Oral Review. Final Endorsement Sign-Off.
04 Flight Equipment

Fly the Same IFR Suite Airlines Trust

Every approach is flown on a certified Garmin G1000 IFR-capable panel — no legacy VOR-only training here.

Cessna 172 Skyhawk SP IFR TRAINING AIRCRAFT

Cessna 172 Skyhawk SP

Garmin G1000 NXi with WAAS/LPV approach capability and GFC 700 autopilot for realistic single-pilot IFR workload management.

Suite G1000 NXi WAAS
Approaches ILS/LPV/RNAV
Autopilot GFC 700
Redbird FMX Full-Motion FAA LEVEL 5 FTD

Redbird FMX Full-Motion

Fly full approach procedures and simulated system failures in zero-risk instrument meteorological conditions before ever leaving the ground.

Logged 15 Hrs
05 Aviation Mentorship

Trained by Instrument Instructors Who Fly IFR Daily

Emily Carter

Emily Carter

Senior Flight Examiner (DPE)

8,200+ hours. Specialist in aerobatic upset recovery (UPRT) and all-weather instrument flying.

MEI-CFII DPE Liaison
Dave Chen

Dave Chen

Avionics & Sim Specialist

6,400+ hours. Master G1000 instructor and former regional jet First Officer with SkyWest.

CFII G1000 Certified
06 What's Next

Your Pathway After the IR

Most cadets pair their Instrument Rating directly with the Commercial Pilot career track — flying real IFR cross-countries builds toward both ratings simultaneously.

Commercial Pilot (CPL)
Locked-In Pricing
Career Track Ready
Multi-Engine Rating (MEP)
Accelerated Add-On
1-2 Week Schedule
Discovery Flight Referral
$100 Credit
Refer a Future Cadet
07 Clarifications

Frequently Asked Cadet Inquiries

No. We build your instrument scan entirely under a view-limiting hood with a safety pilot before ever flying in actual clouds, per FAA Part 141 Appendix C progression.
The FAA requires you to demonstrate hand-flying instrument approaches without automation before earning the rating — you’ll be fully capable of flying IFR even with an autopilot failure.
Yes. Cross-country and instrument time logged during IR training counts directly toward your CPL total time requirements.
Unlike VFR training, most IR lessons can proceed in low-ceiling weather — it’s often better training. Only thunderstorms or icing ground an IR lesson, and those transition immediately into Redbird simulator sessions.
All-Inclusive Tuition Part 141 Syllabus
$10,400 / estimated total

Or finance from $895/month with 0% down

  • Flight Hours (35 hrs Dual IFR)$6,800
  • Ground Instruction (20 hrs)$1,600
  • Redbird FMX Sim (15 hrs)$1,100
  • ForeFlight & IFR Charts$400
  • FAA Written & Checkride Fees$500

Cadet Intake Form

FAA Part 141 SOP-Based Training 35+ IFR Hours
Flight Admissions Desk
Speak directly with a flight mentor
(800) 424-4069
Book a 15-Min Advisor Call
Flight Deck Clearance

Ready to Fly Above the Weather?

Bring your PPL logbook to our Oakland flight dispatch for a complimentary IFR readiness review.

Apply for October Intake