Instrument Rating
Train for your IFR rating out of Wheeler Downtown Airport in the heart of Kansas City — the skills to navigate confidently through clouds, haze, and low-visibility days.
40 hrs
Instrument time
50 hrs
Cross-country (PIC)
15 hrs
With a CFII
About the Course
Train for your IFR rating out of Wheeler Downtown Airport in the heart of Kansas City — the skills to navigate confidently through clouds, haze, and low-visibility days.
With This License You Can
- ✔︎Fly by reference to instruments alone under IFR
- ✔︎Keep flying through Midwest overcast, haze and low ceilings
- ✔︎File and fly IFR flight plans in and out of Kansas City
- ✔︎Take the next step toward your Commercial Pilot License
Before You Start
- 01Hold at least a current private pilot certificate
- 02Hold a current medical certificate
- 03Be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language
Flight Time You'll Log
- 50hrCross-country flight time as pilot in command
- 40hrActual or simulated instrument time
- 15hrInstrument flight training from an authorized instructor
Pass the FAA written exam and practical test (checkride)
* According to the FAA, the U.S. average number of hours for persons without a hearing impairment completing the private pilot certification requirements is approximately 75 hours.
PLAN YOUR INVESTMENT
Know the Real Cost Before You Start
Flight training is an investment in your future. Before your first lesson at Wheeler Downtown Airport, you should have a realistic picture of what it will take.
The FAA sets minimum experience requirements for every certificate and rating, but proficiency, not the minimum hours, decides when you're ready for the next step. The rates below help you plan for a realistic total, not a best-case number that may not match your training.
Current Training Rates
Piper Cherokee
$170 /hr
Flight & ground instruction
$70 /hr
CFI & CFII instruction
$85 /hr
Our aircraft are dedicated to flight training and aren't available for standalone rental.
Certificate or rating | FAA minimum experience (Part 61) |
|---|---|
Private Pilot License | 40 hrs total flight time |
Instrument Rating | 40 hrs instrument time, 50 hrs cross-country as pilot in command |
Commercial Pilot License | 250 hrs total flight time |
Certified Flight Instructor | No minimum hours; commercial certificate required |
Certified Flight Instructor - Instrument | No minimum hours; CFI certificate required |
Why Do Training Costs Vary?
No two students learn the same way or at the same pace. Your total can shift with how often you fly, how you prepare between lessons, previous experience, Kansas City's seasonal weather, and the flight and ground instruction needed to meet FAA standards.
The FAA minimum for a Private Pilot Certificate under Part 61 is 40 flight hours, but the U.S. average is closer to 75. Plan for the reality of learning to fly, not just the regulatory minimum.
Build a Plan Around Your Goals
Starting from zero, transferring previous flight time, or adding to a certificate you already hold, our Kansas City instructors will help you understand where you're starting, where you want to go, and what it will realistically take to get there.
Our goal isn't to sell you flight hours. It's to make every hour count.
From your first lesson over downtown Kansas City through CFII, each stage of training should build the knowledge, skill, judgment and professionalism you'll need for the next one.
Training costs are not guaranteed or fixed-price programs. Actual costs vary with student proficiency, training frequency, previous experience, aircraft used, weather and other factors. Costs may not include FAA knowledge tests, examiner fees, medical certification, training materials or other third-party expenses. Aircraft and instruction rates are subject to change.
Private Through CFII
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START FLYING
IN KANSAS CITY
Questions about the course? Send us a note and an AIRO instructor will get back to you.