Instrument Flying Handbook
The instrument-flying reference: attitude instrument flying, the flight instruments, IFR navigation, approaches, and the human factors of flying in cloud.
About this document
The Instrument Flying Handbook is the FAA's core reference for flying by reference to instruments. It is the primary knowledge source for the Instrument Rating and a staple for the Commercial and ATP levels.
It covers the flight instruments and how they work and fail, the two fundamental methods of attitude instrument flying, spatial disorientation and other human factors that make instrument flight demanding, IFR navigation systems, holding, and the structure of instrument approach procedures. It also addresses IFR flight planning and emergencies.
Read it alongside the Instrument Procedures Handbook (which focuses on the operational, real-world application of IFR) and the Aeronautical Information Manual for procedures and phraseology.
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Take a free practice test →FAA-H-8083-15 is an official FAA publication in the public domain. We host a copy so you can read it in-browser; always confirm you are reading the current edition on faa.gov. The description above is an original summary and is a study aid, not a substitute for the document or the regulations.