SIDs are air traffic control procedures created to provide obstruction clearance and a transition from the terminal area to the en route structure. This helps reduce both pilot and controller workload and enhance safety. Multiple SIDs may be published for a particular airport.

An Instrument Rating will provide more freedom, confidence, and utility for your Private Pilot certificate as you no longer limited to VFR conditions. Not only will you have the skills and confidence for flying in more diverse weather conditions, and solely by reference to instruments, but instrument flying will introduce more precise flying.

While your instrument flying skills, cockpit management techniques, and risk management processes will no doubt be sharp when you earn your instrument rating, like anything in life, if you don’t use it, you lose it.