Mark, as a joke they can call it ( IFR ) for I Fly Roads. But for real, the correct term for ( IFR ) is Instrument flight rules. That is flying in the clouds and or rain by instruments only. We use other instruments when flying IFR like VOR ( Very High Omni Frequency Range ). When you have the needles lined up for an approach, then you are on glide. You look up and hopefully you see the runway. I'm trying to be brief but It is a lot to explain. Most pilots like flying (VFR) that is Visual Flight Regulations, you are basically flying by looking out the window to see where you are going and enjoying the countryside. You use a sectional chart map and follow the line you drew to the next airport. And by what is called dead reckoning, we use the time between and distance between each checkpoint to help us know where we are in the air. Also use the chart to follow landmarks along the way. BTW.....it is very easy to get lost in the air and for a low time pilot it can get scary. Most of the time bad planning gets a pilot in trouble such as running into clouds are bad weather and keeps on getting deeper into it instead of turning around and returning to a closer airport . Kennedy would be alive today if he had not flown into bad weather and he was not an Instrument rated pilot. Ok I've rambled too much. Hope this helps Mark. mike