I can get a short image of what they are and how they work, IFR being instrument-based and VFR being visual-based. But how exactly do they work and how would I use them?
The main difference is purely navigational. Visual flight rules are as you said visual. All of your navigation approach setup and everything is based off of the ground. Because of that there are limitations to when you can operate in VFR to make certain that you are doing so safely and can actually navigate.
IFR, as you said, is instrument based. This means, strictly speaking, you do not need to look outside your cockpit to navigate your plane. There are two primary methods of instruments navigation, that being GPS Waypoint navigation and what is referred to as rnav navigation, or area navigation. There are more, but as far as I know these are the most popular.
To fly IFR, when you are creating your flightplan, you use (GPS) your standard Aviation instruments as well as a GPS tracker to fly along a selected collection of waypoints. The instruments allow you to know where you are. Another method (rnav) is in your flight plan phase to select a number of ground-based radio beacons Which special instruments can use to be able to tell your relative direction to them. You fly along radials to these radio stations allowing you to know where you are. The other biggest thing which is different from VFR, is IFR requires flight following. If you think about it there are only so many waypoints and every single aircraft flying IFR is using them. Traffic avoidance is mandatory and because, by definition you are using IFR far to allow you to operate outside of VFR safety, where you can't see anymore, you must rely upon radar and others to avoid traffic.
So basically, IFR is flown with two requirements. One is a set Flight Plan and altitude, which is used by air traffic control to keep you away from other traffic. The other is still with a flight plan, allowing you to navigate solely through the use of your cabin instruments communicating with ground-based and space-based platforms, and not be Reliant upon visual references.
The main difference is purely navigational. Visual flight rules are as you said visual. All of your navigation approach setup and everything is based off of the ground. Because of that there are limitations to when you can operate in VFR to make certain that you are doing so safely and can actually navigate.
IFR, as you said, is instrument based. This means, strictly speaking, you do not need to look outside your cockpit to navigate your plane. There are two primary methods of instruments navigation, that being GPS Waypoint navigation and what is referred to as rnav navigation, or area navigation. There are more, but as far as I know these are the most popular.
To fly IFR, when you are creating your flightplan, you use (GPS) your standard Aviation instruments as well as a GPS tracker to fly along a selected collection of waypoints. The instruments allow you to know where you are. Another method (rnav) is in your flight plan phase to select a number of ground-based radio beacons Which special instruments can use to be able to tell your relative direction to them. You fly along radials to these radio stations allowing you to know where you are. The other biggest thing which is different from VFR, is IFR requires flight following. If you think about it there are only so many waypoints and every single aircraft flying IFR is using them. Traffic avoidance is mandatory and because, by definition you are using IFR far to allow you to operate outside of VFR safety, where you can't see anymore, you must rely upon radar and others to avoid traffic.
So basically, IFR is flown with two requirements. One is a set Flight Plan and altitude, which is used by air traffic control to keep you away from other traffic. The other is still with a flight plan, allowing you to navigate solely through the use of your cabin instruments communicating with ground-based and space-based platforms, and not be Reliant upon visual references.