Definition
Pilots who hold an instrument rating, an FAA qualification added to a pilot certificate that authorizes flight under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and in weather conditions below visual flight minimums, relying on cockpit instruments rather than outside visual references for control and navigation.
Plain English
Pilots who have passed extra training and testing that lets them legally fly in clouds, low visibility, and other conditions where they cannot see the horizon or ground, using their instruments to know where they are and which way the airplane is pointing.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of pilot certificates, ratings, and flight instructor endorsements, especially when deciding what training or logbook endorsement a pilot needs.
Derivation
“Instrument” originally means a tool or device. In aviation, it points to the cockpit devices that show the pilot what the aircraft is doing. “Rated” means the FAA has officially added that qualification to the pilot’s certificate.
Why Pilots Care
This qualification expands a pilot's ability to fly safely in low-visibility conditions that would otherwise ground visual-only pilots.
Intuition Check
Do not read “instrument rated” as “good with instruments” or “currently ready for instrument flying.” Here, “rated” means the FAA has officially granted the qualification; the pilot still must meet current legal and training requirements before using it.
Example Sentence 1
Only instrument rated pilots may legally accept a clearance to fly through a cloud layer en route to the destination.
Example Sentence 2
Only instrument rated pilots may legally continue a flight after entering clouds that hide the ground.