VFR Night Rating

A night rating may be applied to a Private Pilot License and allows a VFR pilot to fly at night with visual reference to the earth’s surface.

Minimum Training Requirements:

  • The student must hold a private pilot license.
  • A minimum 20 hours of training including,
  • 5 hours dual night flying
  • 5 hour solo night flying
  • 10 hours of dual instrument training.

Any dual instrument time that you have previously acquired, such as 5 hours from the Private Pilot course, can be credited towards the 10 instrument hour requirement. The night rating endorsement does not involve a written test or flight test. Recommendation for the rating is made by a qualified flight instructor.

VFR Over the Top Rating

A VFR Over the TOP (OTT) rating may be applied to a Private Pilot License and allows a VFR pilot to fly with visual reference to a layer of cloud instead of the earth’s surface.

Minimum Training Requirements:

  • The student must hold a private pilot license.
  • A minimum of 15 hours of dual instruction of which 5 hours may be taken in a simulator
  • A recommendation for an OTT rating is made by a qualified flight instructor. No flight or written test is required.

Instrument (IFR) Rating

An IFR rating applied to a Private Pilot License permits the pilot to fly with reference to instruments.

Minimum Training Requirements:

  • A minimum of 50 hours of cross country flight as a Pilot in Command
  • A minimum of 40* hours of instrument time including,
  • 5 hours dual instrument time
  • 15 hours instrument time with an instructor or an experience pilot with an instrument rating
  • one dual cross country instrument flight of at least 100 nm with approaches to minimums at two different locations

The applicant must obtain not less than 70% in the Transport Canada IFR written examination.

*A maximum of 20 hours of instrument time may be in a Transport Canada certified training simulator. The Smiths Falls Training Unit has an Elite PRO simulator certified by Transport Canada. Contact us for current rates.

Instructor Rating

Apart from completing the appropriate training for the instructor rating candidates must have:

  • a minimum of 200 hours total time
  • 20 hours instrument time
  • commercial flying licence

Contact Smiths Falls Flying Club

Smiths Falls Flying Club

102 Van Exan Drive
PO Box 4, Smiths Falls
Ontario, Canada, K7A 4S9