General 61.11.1 (1) Except when receiving flight training, undergoing a skills test or in special VFR operation, no person shall act as pilot of an aircraft in accordance with instrument flight rules (IFR) or in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) unless that person has a valid instrument rating (IR) appropriate to the aircraft being flown. (2) An IR may be endorsed with the following— (a) single-engine aeroplanes (SEA); (b) multi-engine aeroplanes (MEA); (c) single- and multi-engine helicopters (H); (d) multi-pilot (MP); (e) RNP APCH (LNAV); or (f) RNP APCH (LNAV/VNAV). Requirements for an IR 61.11.2 (1) An applicant for an IR shall— (a) hold a valid pilot licence issued in terms of this Part; (b hold a night rating; (c) hold a valid medical certificate issued in terms of Part 67; (d) hold a general radio certificate; (e) have successfully completed the appropriate training as prescribed in Document SA-CATS 61 at an approved Part 141 ATO; (f) have passed the IR theoretical knowledge examination referred to in this subpart; and (g) have passed the skills test referred to in this subpart. (2) An applicant for an IR must have completed at least 50 hours cross-country flight time as PIC of an aeroplane, helicopter or powered-lift aircraft, of which at least 10 hours must have been in the category of aircraft for which the IR is sought. (3) The applicant must have received a minimum of 40 hours instrument flight training of which a maximum of either 20 hours or 30 hours may be in an FSTD approved for the purpose. (4) The maximum FSTD hour credit referred to in sub-regulation (3) depends on the FSTD approval. An applicant for an IR shall—(5)"> (5) A minimum of 5 hours instrument flight training must be undertaken in the aircraft category for which the IR is sought. (6) In the case of an IR (MEA), at least five hours of instrument flight training shall be conducted in a multi-engine aeroplane and shall be additional to the training requirement for the multi-engine class or type rating. Three of the five hours may be in an FSTD approved for the purpose. (7) In the case of an application for an IR in a category of aircraft other than that for which a valid IR is already held, the applicant must have undergone at least five hours of instrument flight instruction in the new category of aircraft prior to the skills test. Three of the five hours may be in an FSTD approved for the purpose in the new category. (8) FSTD hours in excess of the maximum FSTD hours stipulated in sub-regulation (3) above will not be credited towards the initial issue of an IR but may be credited for other purposes in terms of these Regulations. | 
