Instrument Instructor (CFII) Study Plan
A free week-by-week schedule to pass the Flight Instructor Instrument Airplane knowledge test — built on all 8 ACS areas (839 practice questions), the proven 5-step method, and Learn-library lessons to fill every knowledge gap.
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Personalize free →Your 8-week Instrument Instructor (CFII) plan
Follow the weeks in order. Each week pairs the Learn lessons (understand it) with the 5-step drills (lock it in).
- Week 1
Flight Instruments
41%readiness goal- ›Read the linked lessons first to understand the "why" before you drill.
- ›Step 1 Answer Imprint + Step 2 Recognition Drill on Flight Instruments.
- ›Step 3 Full Practice — work through roughly 128 questions across these areas.
- ›Daily: Step 4 Weak Point Focus on anything you miss (Smart Review resurfaces it before you forget).
Lessons to read this weekPrimary and Supporting Instruments for Bank ControlPrimary and Supporting Instruments for Pitch ControlStraight-and-Level Flight Using Attitude InstrumentsUnusual Attitude Recognition and Recovery on InstrumentsPartial Panel Flying: Techniques Without Gyroscopic InstrumentsStandard-Rate Turns Using Attitude Instruments - Week 2
Weather + Weather Services
47%readiness goal- ›Read the linked lessons first to understand the "why" before you drill.
- ›Step 1 Answer Imprint + Step 2 Recognition Drill on Weather + Weather Services.
- ›Step 3 Full Practice — work through roughly 178 questions across these areas.
- ›Daily: Step 4 Weak Point Focus on anything you miss (Smart Review resurfaces it before you forget).
Lessons to read this weekAlternate Airport Weather Minimums (1-2-3 Rule)Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) vs Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC)Structural Icing: Types and Aircraft CertificationPilot Weather Reports (PIREPs): Reading and FilingSIGMETs and AIRMETs: Interpreting Inflight Weather AdvisoriesWind Shear and Microburst Recognition and Avoidance - Week 3
Departure
53%readiness goal- ›Read the linked lessons first to understand the "why" before you drill.
- ›Step 1 Answer Imprint + Step 2 Recognition Drill on Departure.
- ›Step 3 Full Practice — work through roughly 124 questions across these areas.
- ›Daily: Step 4 Weak Point Focus on anything you miss (Smart Review resurfaces it before you forget).
Lessons to read this week - Week 4
Arrival and Approach
58%readiness goal- ›Read the linked lessons first to understand the "why" before you drill.
- ›Step 1 Answer Imprint + Step 2 Recognition Drill on Arrival and Approach.
- ›Step 3 Full Practice — work through roughly 119 questions across these areas.
- ›Daily: Step 4 Weak Point Focus on anything you miss (Smart Review resurfaces it before you forget).
Lessons to read this weekIFR Approach Minimums and Decision Altitude vs Minimum Descent AltitudeDescent Planning and Top-of-Descent CalculationSTAR (Standard Terminal Arrival Route) Chart Reading and SymbologyExpect Further Clearance (EFC) Time and Holding Pattern EntryTransition Routes on STARs and How to Join ThemInitial Approach Fix (IAF) vs. Intermediate Fix (IF) vs. Final Approach Fix (FAF) - Week 5
Navigation + En Route
64%readiness goal- ›Read the linked lessons first to understand the "why" before you drill.
- ›Step 1 Answer Imprint + Step 2 Recognition Drill on Navigation + En Route.
- ›Step 3 Full Practice — work through roughly 160 questions across these areas.
- ›Daily: Step 4 Weak Point Focus on anything you miss (Smart Review resurfaces it before you forget).
Lessons to read this weekRNAV Routes and T-Routes for IFR Enroute NavigationDME Arcs and Their Use in Enroute NavigationVertical Navigation (VNAV) and Advisory Descent Paths on ArrivalsVOR Radials, TO/FROM Indication, and Reverse SensingVOR Signal Principles and Station Types (VORTAC, VOR/DME)VOR Receiver Operation and Course Deviation Indicator (CDI) Interpretation - Week 6
Regulations and Procedures
70%readiness goal- ›Read the linked lessons first to understand the "why" before you drill.
- ›Step 1 Answer Imprint + Step 2 Recognition Drill on Regulations and Procedures.
- ›Step 3 Full Practice — work through roughly 130 questions across these areas.
- ›Daily: Step 4 Weak Point Focus on anything you miss (Smart Review resurfaces it before you forget).
Lessons to read this weekInstrument Flight Rules Flight Plan RequirementsFAA Currency Requirements for IFR Flight (61.57)IFR Takeoff Minimums for Part 91 vs Part 135 OperatorsIFR Equipment Requirements for Aircraft (91.205)IFR Minimum Fuel Requirements and Alternate Airport RulesIFR Cruising Altitude and Hemispheric Rule (91.179) - Week 7 · Review
Mixed review & weak points
85%readiness goal- ›Step 3 Full Practice across every category, mixed and randomized.
- ›Flag every miss — those become tomorrow's focus.
- ›Step 4 Weak Point Focus daily until each flagged question earns a green check.
- Week 8 · Review
Full review & exam simulation
95%readiness goal- ›Step 5 Exam Simulation — take full timed mock exams under real conditions.
- ›Keep going until you score 90%+ three sessions in a row — that's your green light to sit the real test.
- ›Step 4 Weak Point Focus every morning on any question you still miss.
What's a “readiness goal”?
Each week above lists a target — here's exactly what it means and where you'll see it.
Readiness is your Exam-Readiness score — a live 0–100 estimate of how likely you are to pass, shown right on your dashboard once you start studying.
It blends three things: how accurately you're answering, how much of the full question bank you've covered, and how well it's stickingover time. High accuracy alone won't max it out — the FAA draws from the whole bank, so broad coverage counts too.
Each week's readiness goal is the level to aim for by that point. Hit or beat it and you're on pace. When you're consistently at 90%+ — including three full exam simulations in a row — you're genuinely ready to sit the real test.
Where to find it: your dashboard shows your live readiness score and updates it every time you study.
The 5-step method behind the plan
Every week runs on the same proven sequence. Do the steps in order — don't skip ahead.
- Step 1Answer Imprint
see each question with its correct answer to lock it in
- Step 2Recognition Drill
pick the right answer from shuffled choices
- Step 3Full Practice
work every question mixed together
- Step 4Weak Point Focus
drill only what you missed until it sticks
- Step 5Exam Simulation
a full timed mock — 90%+ three times in a row means ready
Keep going
Always confirm current certificate requirements and test details at faa.gov.