Instrument currency lapses quietly. To act as pilot in command under IFR, § 61.57(c) requires six approaches, holding, and course intercepting/tracking within the preceding six calendar months. Miss that window and you can still rebuild currency yourself with a safety pilot — but only for a while. Once you've been out for more than six calendar months, § 61.57(d) says you need an Instrument Proficiency Check before you fly IFR again.
The IPC follows the Instrument Rating ACS task table — the same standard as the original checkride. We'll cover:
Ground review first, then a flight of roughly 1.5–2 hours. If you're rusty, that's expected — and if it takes a second session to reach standard, we'll do that rather than sign off something that isn't ready. The endorsement goes in your logbook when you've flown to the ACS standard.
IPC — frequently asked
Under 14 CFR § 61.57(d), once you have been out of instrument currency for more than six calendar months — that is, you have not met the recent instrument experience of § 61.57(c) for that long — you may no longer regain currency on your own with a safety pilot. You must complete an Instrument Proficiency Check with a CFII or other authorized evaluator before you can act as pilot in command under IFR again.
An IPC follows the task table in the Instrument Rating Airman Certification Standards (the same standards as the instrument checkride). Expect intercepting and tracking courses, holding, a precision and non-precision approach, a circling approach where available, a missed approach, partial-panel work, unusual attitude recovery, and recovery from loss of situational awareness — all flown to ACS standards.
Plan on a ground portion plus a flight of roughly 1.5–2 hours, depending on how current you actually are and how many approaches we work in. If you've been away from instrument flying for a long time, it may take more than one session to reach standards — and the honest answer is that's normal. The endorsement is issued when you fly to the standard, not before.
Staying current means doing the § 61.57(c) tasks (six approaches, holding, intercepting and tracking) within the preceding six calendar months — which you can do on your own with a safety pilot. An IPC is what you need once you've fallen too far behind that window (more than six months past). An IPC is an evaluation; routine currency is just practice you log yourself.
Out of the South Florida home fields — Fort Lauderdale Executive (KFXE), Pompano Beach (KPMP), and North Perry (KHWO) — in your aircraft, a coordinated rental, or Jesse's Cessna T206H Turbo Stationair.
