LICENSING · IR

Saudi Instrument Rating — weather-proofing your licence.

Q: How many instrument hours does a Saudi IR require?

GACAR Part 61 broadly mirrors ICAO Annex 1: at least 40 hours of instrument time of which up to 20 hours may be in an approved FSTD. Confirm exact split against the current GACAR text.

Q: Does the IR require a specific medical?

The IR has no medical requirement of its own; it inherits the medical of the licence it sits on. PPL+IR holders need a Class 2; CPL+IR holders need a Class 1.

Q: Are non-precision approaches still required?

Yes. Even where ILS or RNP coverage is good, the GACA IR skills test still requires demonstration of a non-precision approach (typically VOR or LOC). AIP-KSA quirks for Saudi airfields make this a useful practical skill.

The instrument-time minima, the approach types, and the GACA IR skills test — plus AIP-KSA quirks no other guide covers.

Last reviewed: 2026-05-09 Read time: 6 min Source: GACAR Part 61 · AIP-KSA Status: Draft outline

DRAFT: scaffolds[verify-required] — outline + JSON-LD wired. Body prose intentionally short; verify all GACAR-specific numbers against gaca.gov.sa before publication.

TL;DR

The Saudi IR is a rating added on top of an existing PPL or CPL. It removes the day-VFR limit and lets you fly under instrument flight rules in IMC. Expect 40 hours of instrument time (some convertible from a sim), training on precision and non-precision approaches, theoretical exams in IR-specific subjects, and a skills test in IMC or simulated IMC.

صلاحية IR السعودية تُضاف فوق رخصة PPL أو CPL قائمة. تُزيل حدّ الطيران النهاري VFR وتسمح لك بالطيران وفق قواعد الطيران الآلي في الأرصاد الآلية. توقّع ٤٠ ساعة من الطيران الآلي (بعضها قابل للتحويل من المحاكي)، تدريباً على الاقترابات الدقيقة وغير الدقيقة، اختبارات نظرية في مواد خاصة بـ IR، واختباراً مهارياً في IMC حقيقية أو محاكاة.

Instrument-time minima

40 hours of instrument flight time total. [VERIFY exact §]
Up to 20 hours may be on an approved FSTD. [VERIFY split]
Cross-country IFR PIC time is required for the rating to function professionally.

Approach types you'll train

Precision (ILS Cat I, RNP-AR where rated), non-precision (VOR, LOC, NDB where still operational), and area navigation (RNAV/LNAV/LPV). The Saudi AIP carries a number of RNP procedures unique to high-density-altitude or terrain-constrained airfields — these show up in the skills-test scenario brief.

Theoretical exams added by IR

On top of the PPL/CPL theoretical foundation, IR candidates sit dedicated papers in instrument navigation, instrument operational procedures, advanced meteorology (turbulence and icing in particular), and IFR communications.

The IR skills test

A GACA-authorised IR examiner takes you through a single flight covering departure under IFR, en-route IFR navigation, holding, partial-panel work, and at least one precision and one non-precision approach to minima. Expect 1.5–2 hours airborne, plus an oral pre-flight briefing.

AIP-KSA quirks worth knowing

Holy-city restricted areas — overflight is published case-by-case.
Density-altitude minima for Taif (OETF) — performance planning is non-trivial in summer.
Ramadan IFR slot allocations — different from non-Ramadan.

Frequently asked

How many instrument hours does a Saudi IR require?

At least 40 hours of instrument time, of which up to 20 may be on an approved FSTD. Confirm exact split against the current GACAR text.

Can I add an IR to my Saudi PPL?

Yes. The IR is a rating, added on top of an existing PPL or CPL.

Does the IR require a specific medical?

No. It inherits the medical of the licence it sits on — Class 2 for PPL+IR, Class 1 for CPL+IR.

Are non-precision approaches still required?

Yes. The GACA IR skills test still requires demonstration of a non-precision approach (typically VOR or LOC).