[Irv Lee]

We live in a bizarre world where the regulators do not understand their own regulations, and instead have to rely on advice from those they regulate for correct interpretation.

If only!!! (re: converting ICAO PPLs)

[flybymike]

True Irv.

We can but dream.......

[defcribed]

Another reason for me not to bother doing the IR then.

[pplmeir]

I feel for you, that is so stressful.

I am pleased the end result was as you expected.

and

Hearty congratulations on achieving this qualification. Enjoy your new privileges!

[adamkpplir]

Another reason for me not to bother doing the IR then.

What other reasons have you already got?

[DavidC]

I also have a lot of sympathy for the OP who has invested a lot of time and effort to achieve the required standard, only to find the paperwork caught him out. Pleased that this was resolved successfully.

Perhaps the regulations could have been worded slightly better, but I do think they were misread. I suspect it's just a new staff member at FCL who hasn't yet got fully up to speed with their interpretation. There has been a lot of staff turnover at the Belgrano lately.

From the extract of the FCL regulations, I would interpret the requirement to be:

a) A total of at least 40 hours IFR, which can be a mix of dual and solo
b) Up to 15 hours can be credited from an IMC training but not more. The IMC training does not need to be given by an instructor with an IR (this differs from earlier proposals)
OR
Up to 30 hours dual instruction by an IRI. This can be given outside of an ATO. An IRI would themselves have an IR, and can't be an FI with IMC rating as above.
AND
c) Any solo IFR hours conducted after gaining the IMC rating
OF WHICH
d) at least 10 hours of the 40 must be at an ATO.

It looks like Adam's problem was that he was too good, and completed the entire combination of IMC training, CB-IR training with just a few solo IFR hours in between. It looks like the CAA confused (b) and (c).

The good news is that this shows it is quite feasible to achieve a CB-IR in relatively limited time and include the IMC as a stepping stone towards it.

With the CB-IR theory content now reduced to about 50% of what it used to be, with only one classroom day required and one book to read (can be bought for £30 online), the route to achieve an EASA IR rating with worldwide privileges is now within grasp of more pilots that it used to be. Never going to be an easy task and it's demanding for sure, but more accessible than before.

PS: Mods - should this thread be in the licensing section?

[stevelup]

PS: Mods - should this thread be in the licensing section?

If you want no-one to see it, then yep

[defcribed]

Another reason for me not to bother doing the IR then.

What other reasons have you already got?

Time.
Cost.
The hassle (and cost) of arranging an annual checkride once qualified.
Having a non de-iced aeroplane with a ceiling of 13,000 feet (on a good day) and no autopilot.

[Andrew Sinclair]

It depends on what type of profile you want to fly. If you want to fly long distances high up in all conditions then single+CAPS or twin with icing equipment and an IR are the required tools.

If you want to fly aerobatic profiles then perhaps not. There is little point in doing it for fun unless you like setting yourself life challenges.

[Danskora]

I had the same confirmation from Capt Barry Mooney at the CAA before I started my commercial training, previous Instrument training OR IMC time. I did my CPL first and counted the 10hrs of instrument training and previous IMC training as 25hrs towards the 45hrs for a ME CBIR. Then 5 hrs in a sim and 15hrs in the £550ph! DA42 to make 45hrs.

I sent it all off to the CAA and it came back two weeks later with my CPL and ME IR and no issues were raised.

[hatzflyer]

no.

[nickwilcock]

Do be careful to note that the credit for PIC time is for previous instrument flight time, not merely flight time under IFR.

[simoon]

With the CB-IR theory content now reduced to about 50% of what it used to be

Is this new.... have they cleaned up the TK or do you mean reduced by 50% from IR to CB_IR?

, with only one classroom day required

All of the TK courses I have looked at say 2 classroom days, unless this has changed as well?

one book to read (can be bought for £30 online)

I have looked at the book you link to but I thought it says its designed for people with ICAO IRs who want to convert it to an EASA by just doing the skills test. Is is suitable as an IR(R) to CBIR as well ?

[BlackheathBloke]

What simoon says /\

[TLRippon]

Wanting to start on a CBIR this coming year, not so sure now that anything I've done will count towards the CB bit. I have an IR(R) which was grandfathered from an IMC. I was trained by an IMC instructor who has an IR but is not an IRI. Well not at the time anyway. Since then I have 100+ hours on instruments as P1 under IFR in IMC (I don't tend to record instrument time under VMC for IFR transits of airspace etc).
Can anyone in the know tell me if any of that counts towards the CBIR?