Definition
A flight conducted under Instrument Flight Rules by one pilot operating without a second crew member to share workload, communications, navigation, or aircraft control duties.
Plain English
Flying alone in the clouds or in conditions where you must rely on instruments, with no other pilot in the cockpit to help you.
Context Anchor
You will see this term in discussions of cockpit workload, risk management, and single-pilot resource management during instrument flying.
Derivation
IFR stands for Instrument Flight Rules — the regulations governing flight by reference to cockpit instruments rather than by looking outside. 'Single-pilot' simply means one pilot is in command and operating the aircraft, with no co-pilot to delegate tasks to.
Why Pilots Care
It increases pilot workload and error risk in instrument conditions, making systematic resource management essential for safe flight.
Intuition Check
Single-pilot IFR does not mean the aircraft has only one seat or that no passengers are aboard. It means only one pilot is acting as the flight crew for an IFR operation.
Example Sentence 1
During the preflight briefing, she reminded herself that single-pilot IFR in busy airspace would demand careful task management.
Example Sentence 2
During single-pilot IFR, the 5P check helps the pilot stay ahead of the aircraft.