What is IFR?
IFR, or Instrument Flight Rules, is the set of regulations that govern how an aircraft is flown when the pilot navigates by reference to cockpit instruments and ATC clearances rather than looking outside. IFR is used in cloud, low visibility and controlled airspace — anywhere that visual navigation alone isn’t sufficient or simply isn’t permitted.
How IFR Works
Flying IFR means you’ve filed a flight plan, received an ATC clearance, and committed to following an assigned route, altitude and set of procedures from departure to destination. The controller knows where you are and is responsible for keeping you separated from other IFR traffic. Your job is to fly the aircraft accurately, respond to instructions promptly and follow published procedures — SIDs, STARs, instrument approaches — precisely as designed.
In simulation, IFR is where things get significantly more involved. You’re not just pointing the nose somewhere and following a road. You’re managing the FMC, monitoring descent profiles, flying instrument approaches to minimums, and coordinating with ATC. Add-ons like the FlyByWire A32NX, PMDG 737 and Fenix A320 are built around IFR operations from the ground up, and they reward pilots who understand how to manage a clearance properly.
IFR also unlocks a lot of what makes commercial aviation simulation genuinely compelling. Departure clearances, oceanic tracks, step climbs, RNAV approaches, ILS minimums — none of that really features in VFR flying. If SimBrief is the start of your pre-flight and the FMC is how you execute the route, IFR is the regulatory framework that ties all of it together.
On VATSIM and IVAO, flying IFR is essentially the default for anyone operating an airliner. You’ll receive a clearance, be handed between controllers and be expected to follow published procedures at each phase of flight. It’s demanding at first, but that structure is exactly what makes it feel realistic.
Key Considerations
- IFR requires an aircraft properly equipped for the task — in the sim, that means using an add-on with a functioning autopilot, FMC and correctly modelled avionics, not just the default aircraft.
- A common sticking point for sim pilots moving from VFR to IFR is learning to trust the instruments and procedures rather than instinct. The FMC won’t always route you in a straight line, and that’s intentional.
- In MSFS with real-world weather active, IFR lets you fly in conditions that would ground a VFR pilot — but you still need to fly the approach correctly and respect published minimums.
- IFR and VFR aren’t mutually exclusive — real pilots switch between them depending on conditions and clearances. In the sim, the choice usually comes down to the aircraft you’re flying and the level of realism you’re after.
