57% of private pilots are instrument rated

[kicktireslightfires]

I asked the question a while back and finally found the data. Thought I'd share for those interested.

There are roughly 467k pilots in the USA (private, commercial, ATP, helicopter, glider, sport, recreational).

The prevailing number is about 600k, but that includes all the student pilots, who really aren’t yet pilots.

There are roughly 262,000 non ATP pilots.

And roughly 149,000 non ATP pilots who are instrument rated.

Therefore:
57% of non ATP pilots are instrument rated

 

[midwestpa24]

So they are considering "Active Pilots" as those with a medical certificate issued 25 or fewer months ago. I wonder how BasicMed, or pilots flying on 5 year 3rd class Medicals are counted.

 

[Tantalum]

So they are considering "Active Pilots" as those with a medical certificate issued 25 or fewer months ago. I wonder how BasicMed, or pilots flying on 5 year 3rd class Medicals are counted.

Great point. I have a 5-year third class and log about 120 hours a year.. and have IR

 

[EdFred]

Evidently commercial pilots don't exist.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

So they are considering "Active Pilots" as those with a medical certificate issued 25 or fewer months ago. I wonder how BasicMed, or pilots flying on 5 year 3rd class Medicals are counted.

Or those of us with no medical at all that are flying under the sport pilot rules.

 

[Clip4]

Or those of us with no medical at all that are flying under the sport pilot rules.

Which makes no difference since you can’t fly IFR.

 

[Lycosaurus]

but, but ... how many maintain their currency, and keep up with the avionics database? For instance, I have my IFR now for 8 years, but last few I have just let it slip due to cost and our reduced travel (less needed). If I need it I can pick it up again I guess. So the question I have, from the 57%, how many are current?

 

[exncsurfer]

Which makes no difference since you can’t fly IFR.

It makes a difference because he should be added to the vfr count (if SP arent in that count)

 

[Jim K]

Anecdotally, I'd say maybe half of the pilots I know have the rating. Maybe half of those are current and actually use it.

A number of those are commercial and cfi though. I'd guess the % of "just" private pilots is substantially lower. 20%?

 

[aterpster]

Most of those instrument ratings are held my commercial pilots. No way that percentage pertains to private pilots.

 

[frfly172]

They may be rated but are they current?

 

[mandm]

The number of private pilots keeps dropping off YOY, since a pilot license doesn’t expire how is that happening? Unsure if FAA keeps track of those who passed away?

 

[db_pooper]

The number of private pilots keeps dropping off YOY, since a pilot license doesn’t expire how is that happening? Unsure if FAA keeps track of those who passed away?

Check out footnote 8 on the chart. It has to do with the recency of the medicals.

 

[Jim K]

Check out footnote 8 on the chart. It has to do with the recency of the medicals.

+10 points for the best user name ever

 

[Rgbeard]

Honestly, I could care less that you are now choosing embrace somewhat easily-found data and accept it as fact.

my question is, did you circle-back with Mister 2% and tell him that he was full of poopoo?

https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/how-many-ir-pilots-are-there.137888/

 

[Clip4]

It makes a difference because he should be added to the vfr count (if SP arent in that count)

Ok, we will add 0.00001%.

 

[aterpster]

The number of private pilots keeps dropping off YOY, since a pilot license doesn’t expire how is that happening? Unsure if FAA keeps track of those who passed away?

Not usually unless someone sends them a copy of the death certificate.

My first FBO boss is still in there. He died probably 30 years ago.

 

[Checkout_my_Six]

Another interesting factoid......more IFR rated pilots have VMC into IMC encouters than VFR pilots.

 

[exncsurfer]

Ok, we will add 0.00001%.

Hmm, I found a 2020 count of 6000 sport pilots. I thought there would be more than that. So maybe add .05%. ha

 

[Pugs]

Not usually unless someone sends them a copy of the death certificate.

My first FBO boss is still in there. He died probably 30 years ago.

My Dad is still there. He’s alive and well at 85 and flew an Extra 300 this week. Of course it was an R/C. He hasn’t flown as a PPL since when his club Eurcoupe went to $8 an hour. That was just outrageous.

 

[ja_user]

For all the hype the sport pilot numbers are pathetic. Shocked there are so many recreational pilots


Looking at private, commercial and atp, I don’t see how the instrument number makes sense. Are they including ATPs or not?

 

[MauleSkinner]

For all the hype the sport pilot numbers are pathetic.

Be interesting to find out how many of the higher-grade certificates are exercising Sport privileges only. The way I’m reading it, they’re not included in the totals. Nor are Sport Pilots without a medical.

Looking at private, commercial and atp, I don’t see how the instrument number makes sense. Are they including ATPs or not?

Looks to me like they are.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

Be interesting to find out how many of the higher-grade certificates are exercising Sport privileges only.
The way I’m reading it, they’re not included in the totals.

Correct. But from the percentage posted above (0.00001%) there is less than one. They also don't count glider pilots without medicals.

Nor are Sport Pilots without a medical.

From the footnotes I've seen on previous versions of the table, it appeared that they were counting sport pilot certificates issued.

Real pilots have real medicals.

 

[Bob Noel]

Real pilots have real medicals.

are you joking?

 

[ja_user]

Be interesting to find out how many of the higher-grade certificates are exercising Sport privileges only. The way I’m reading it, they’re not included in the totals. Nor are Sport Pilots without a medical.

Looks to me like they are.

So 314k instrument pilots, subtract 164k atp pilots. That leaves about 150k instrument rated pilot, subtract the 100k commercial. That leaves 50k of 161k private pilots that would be ifr rated. Seems about right

 

[Hang 4]

100% of ATP have IR (required for ATP). No way of knowing % of Commercial with IR, but let's assume 90%. Leaves 56,680 of PP with IR or about 19% of PP with an IR.

 

[Hang 4]

So 314k instrument pilots, subtract 164k atp pilots. That leaves about 150k instrument rated pilot, subtract the 100k commercial. That leaves 50k of 161k private pilots that would be ifr rated. Seems about right

@ja_user and I were bored at the same time

 

[ja_user]

It’s pretty rare to find a commercial airplane pilot without an instrument rating.
Rotorcraft is another thing.

 

[Hang 4]

But you can get Commercial without IR. Several threads on PoA asking about doing one before the other. Change 10% to whatever factor you want. Still comes out to under 20% of PP have IR. Leaving out all the dead or just quit flying people in the numbers.
Currently waiting for appliance guy to show up for warranty work on an expensive fridge that's been making noise for the last 4 months...

 

[MauleSkinner]

It’s pretty rare to find a commercial airplane pilot without an instrument rating.
Rotorcraft is another thing.

Depends what circles you hang out in. I used to be able to throw a stick and hit half a dozen.

 

[EdFred]

are you joking?

Yes, he is. He's been joking about that for a few years now.

 

[ja_user]

Depends what circles you hang out in. I used to be able to throw a stick and hit half a dozen.

I suppose, but no way that makes of 5% of commercial fixed wing pilots.

 

[Pinecone]

Another interesting factoid......more IFR rated pilots have VMC into IMC encouters than VFR pilots.

Well, since over half the pilots are instrument rated, that is not totally surprising.

 

[Chicago Bearhawk]

100% of ATP have IR (required for ATP). No way of knowing % of Commercial with IR, but let's assume 90%. Leaves 56,680 of PP with IR or about 19% of PP with an IR.

And I am a PP that just got an IR rating (after about 4 years of trying, expired written causing 2 written tests to be taken, pandemic expired an initial discontinued check ride, not flying for about 18 months and then getting back into it.)
so at the end of the day I had to basically prep twice, funniest part was that there were no VOR check approaches left by the time I came back to it.

But all PP should get it. This has given me more confidence to fly longer trips. I have gone Northern Indiana to Denver, I have gone to Fayetteville and Dallas, which before the IR would be to challenging to plan around weather.
I have filed only 1 time but did not need it.

 

[Tarheelpilot]

And I am a PP that just got an IR rating (after about 4 years of trying, expired written causing 2 written tests to be taken, pandemic expired an initial discontinued check ride, not flying for about 18 months and then getting back into it.)
so at the end of the day I had to basically prep twice, funniest part was that there were no VOR check approaches left by the time I came back to it.

But all PP should get it. This has given me more confidence to fly longer trips. I have gone Northern Indiana to Denver, I have gone to Fayetteville and Dallas, which before the IR would be to challenging to plan around weather.
I have filed only 1 time but did not need it.

On those longer trips consider filing every time regardless of the weather. Will help keep you proficient in the system.

 

[Pugs]

On those longer trips consider filing every time regardless of the weather. Will help keep you proficient in the system.

Use all the tools in the box - Here in the Mid-Atlantic flight following on nice days lets you work with the system without endless vectors.

 

[Tarheelpilot]

Use all the tools in the box - Here in the Mid-Atlantic flight following on nice days lets you work with the system without endless vectors.

The only reason I made the suggestion was bear hawk said he had only flown on an IFR flight plane once since the checkride.

But yes use all the tools is great advice.

 

[Kenny Phillips]

Which makes no difference since you can’t fly IFR.

You can be instrument rated and flying under SP rules. You just cannot fly IFR.

 

[Chicago Bearhawk]

The only reason I made the suggestion was bear hawk said he had only flown on an IFR flight plane once since the checkride.

But yes use all the tools is great advice.

And one more think it will do is keep you out of trouble. One time I came really close to bravo airspace, and another time I came dangerously close to a restricted area in Kansas. either of those would have been bad. Lucky my Garmin kept complaining and my wife kept asking why it kept complaining.

So I will definitely file more often.

 

[E.W.]

This chart is pretty sad. It chronicles the rate at which the government is eliminating general aviation.

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