Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) Practice Exam 2025 – The All-in-One Guide to Master Your IFR Certification!

The minimum requirement for maintaining IFR currency is to complete three instrument approaches in the same aircraft category. This requirement ensures that a pilot is proficient in executing instrument approaches under actual or simulated conditions relevant to the type of aircraft they fly.

The focus on "same aircraft category" is essential because different categories of aircraft (such as single-engine land, multi-engine land, rotorcraft, etc.) can have varied handling characteristics, navigation systems, and required procedures for instrument approaches. By specifying this requirement, the regulation aims to ensure that pilots remain proficient in the specific nuances and operational differences of the aircraft categories they are certified to operate.

Completing the approaches in a simulator, in any aircraft, or in different classifications of aircraft does not satisfy the requirement, as they do not accurately reflect practical experience in the relevant operational conditions. Therefore, completing three approaches specifically in the same aircraft category aligns with the objective of maintaining actual piloting skills in the aircraft the pilot is intended to fly under IFR operations.