![DPE Will Strieder and the author pose after her check ride at Lubbock Preson Smith International Airport (KLBB) in Texas. [Credit: Cayla McLeod]](https://planeandpilotmag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/04/image_1775582162071.jpg)
After five months, roughly 60 hours of instruction, and more than a few sleepless nights, I’m excited to share that I earned my instrument rating on April 1 at Texas’ Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport (KLBB) in a Cirrus SR20.
To say this rating challenged me would be an understatement. I hadn’t been in “check ride mode” since earning my private pilot certificate in January 2018, and much of that knowledge had faded into the background. Getting back into the training mindset wasn’t easy—but it became one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
When I first started flying 10 years ago, I was told the instrument rating was both the most important and the most challenging rating a pilot can earn. At the time, though, I was a young pilot flying out of a small grass strip in Georgia, where it was almost always sunny—and when it wasn’t, not a single part of me felt compelled to pull the airplane out of the hangar.
Simply put, I didn’t feel a strong need to pursue it—especially considering the financial cost (and, at the time, a lack of confidence in the cockpit).
Luckily, that perspective changed after moving to Missoula, Montana (KMSO), where I began to see firsthand the challenging and rapidly changing weather conditions of the Mountain West. Thanks to the support of a few key individuals and mentors, I decided it was time to grow as a pilot in an attempt to feel safer in a region where the weather can change in an instant.
Once committed, I immediately got to work. While balancing a full-time job and studying for a written test isn’t the easiest task in the world, Sheppard Air made it as painless as possible. Though it’s largely a memorization tool, it provided a clear path to tackle the first major hurdle; I passed with a 90 percent.
However, it wasn’t until I arrived in Burnet, Texas, at C3 Air that the instrument rating kicked into full gear. Flying at least four days a week and diving into in-depth ground instruction helped everything click—especially the “why” behind procedures, regulations, and approaches.
Through this journey, I learned the importance of having true aviation professionals in your corner and people who are just as passionate about teaching as they are about flying.
While so many 141 schools, accelerated courses, and other programs are rushing the process, so much is being missed, forgotten, or simply not taught, as I feel “teaching to the checkride” has become more and more popular.
Don’t get me wrong—my journey wasn’t perfect. There were definitely challenges along the way: long nights, frustrating moments, and more than a few mental hurdles. But in the end every bit of this rating was worth it.
If you’ve been considering an instrument rating, I can confidently say it’s well worth the effort. If you have questions, are in need of guidance, or want a bit of motivation, feel free to reach out to me while everything is still fresh at cayla.mcleod@firecrown.com.
