When it comes to IFR currency in Canada, all pilots know the “6-6-6” requirement:
- 6 Approaches
- 6 Hours of instrument time
- in 6 months
Under the current regulations, instrument-rated pilots may go up to 12 months following their instrument proficiency check (IPC) before they are required to conduct any actual or simulated instrument flying. After 12 months, the regulations require pilots to have completed 6 hours of instrument flying, including 6 instrument approaches during the previous 6 months to maintain their instrument qualification.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) had a problem with this based on an accident back in May 2013. So they made a recommendation (A16-09) to Transport Canada to update the recency requirements for IFR pilots.
“The Board recommended that The Department of Transport establish instrument currency requirements that ensure instrument flying proficiency is maintained by instrument-rated pilots, who may operate in conditions requiring instrument proficiency.”
Vague, but enough for Transport Canada to update the rules starting May, 2026 to:
“Following an Instrument proficiency check a pilot must perform 6 approaches in 6 months.”
In other words, you must always fly 6 approaches in the past 6 months, regardless of when you had your last IPC.
| Old Rules | New Rules | |
| Month 0 | IPC | IPC |
| Month 6 | 6-6 | |
| Month 12 | 6-6-6 | 6-6 |
| Month 18 | 6-6 | |
| Month 36 | 6-6-6 | 6-6 |
| Month 48 | IPC | IPC |
The good news, is that the requirement to fly 6 hours of instrument time has been removed. So no more wasting fuel or time “under the hood” doing holds to just bump up instrument time to the required 6 hours.
The new version of CAR 401.05(3.1) will read:
Subsection 401.05(3.1)
No holder of a pilot licence that is endorsed with an instrument rating or to which instrument rating privileges are attached shall exercise the privileges of the instrument rating unless, following the first day of the seventh month after the completion of a test or check referred to in subsection (3) and within six months before the flight, the holder has completed six instrument approaches in accordance with the minima specified in the instrument approach procedure:
(a) in an aircraft, in actual or simulated instrument meteorological conditions;
(b) in an aircraft, in actual or simulated instrument meteorological conditions, while acting as a flight instructor who is conducting training in respect of the endorsement of a flight crew licence with an instrument rating;
(c) in a Level B, C or D full-flight simulator of the same group as the aircraft indicated on the pilot’s licence; or
(d) in a flight training device under the supervision of a person who holds the qualifications referred to in subsection 425.21(9) of the personnel licensing standards.
