Fly into a cloud after a long, gentle turn and the inner ear can insist the wings are level when they aren’t. Pilots call it the leans, and it’s one of several ways the body misleads you once outside references disappear. Learning to trust the instruments over those sensations is the heart of instrument training.
The FAA’s Instrument Flying Handbook is the agency’s core text on that discipline. It covers why the senses can’t be trusted in instrument conditions, how flight instruments work, how to control the airplane by reference to them, and how to navigate under IFR. Instrument students study it for the knowledge test and the checkride, and instructors use it as the shared reference.
ASA prints the FAA-H-8083-15B edition as ASA-8083-15B.
Quick answer: The Instrument Flying Handbook (ASA-8083-15B) is ASA’s printed edition of the FAA’s FAA-H-8083-15B, the FAA’s core reference for flying by instruments. It’s for instrument rating students, CFIIs, and pilots refreshing their skills who prefer the handbook in print, available on Skyfarer and at Skyfarer Shop.
At a glance
- Source. The FAA’s Instrument Flying Handbook, FAA-H-8083-15B.
- Printed by. Aviation Supplies & Academics (ASA).
- Subject. Flying and navigating by reference to instruments.
- Companion title. The Instrument Procedures Handbook covers the IFR procedures side.
How instrument students use it
- Knowledge test study. The FAA reference behind much of the instrument test material.
- Pre-lesson reading. Read the relevant section before a lesson on a new skill.
- Checkride oral. Examiners expect you to explain concepts such as spatial disorientation and instrument errors in your own words.
Pilot tip: When the handbook explains an instrument error, demonstrate it on your next lesson with your instructor. Seeing a compass turning error or a frozen pitot reading in a safe setting makes it unforgettable.
Where to buy
Instrument Flying Handbook (ASA-8083-15B) is sold by Skyfarer Shop. Find it on the Skyfarer marketplace or order directly from Skyfarer Shop. Either link shows the current price, shipping options and return terms.
Frequently asked questions
How is it different from the Instrument Procedures Handbook?
The Instrument Flying Handbook focuses on aircraft control and navigation by instruments; the Instrument Procedures Handbook focuses on IFR procedures.
Isn’t it free from the FAA?
The FAA publishes it free online. This is ASA’s printed edition.
Which version is it?
FAA-H-8083-15B.
