Instrument Procedures Handbook
The operational companion to the Instrument Flying Handbook — departures, en route, arrivals, and approaches as they are actually flown in the system.
About this document
The Instrument Procedures Handbook extends the Instrument Flying Handbook from theory into real-world IFR operations. It is aimed at pilots who already understand the fundamentals and want to operate confidently in the National Airspace System.
It is organized around the phases of an IFR flight: departure procedures (including obstacle departure procedures and SIDs), en route operations and airway structure, arrivals (STARs), and the full range of instrument approach procedures, including RNAV/GPS and precision approaches. It also discusses airborne and ground-based navigation, ATC clearances, and the practical decision-making behind IFR flying.
It is a valuable reference for the Instrument Rating and ATP knowledge tests and for any pilot flying in instrument meteorological conditions.
Read it online
Read the full document below, or download it from the FAA using the button above. Large documents open the first page immediately — you don’t wait for the whole file.
Loading document…
Ready to test what you’ve read?
Drill ACS-aligned practice questions with instant explanations — free, no account needed.
Take a free practice test →FAA-H-8083-16 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.