[AOAH]

Hi,

I’m a PPL and have been looking to plan my next steps with more ratings etc.

Earlier this year I was looking on the CAA website at the requirements for the IR(R). However all details / references on any restricted instrument rating (irr or IMC) seem to have vanished from the website with it only showing the full IR & CBIR.

Has the IR(R) been discontinued?

I find it weird that there is no reference to it, but also no reference to its removal?

I’ve sent an email to the CAA but got the usual 30 day response time email so thought I’d see if anybody here has any info!

Thanks,
AOAH

[MattL]

You’re wasting your time with the website and email to be honest - a lot of the stuff on there can be wrong or out of date

The IRR is very much available, I recommend the following link from excellent On Track web site:

https://www.ontrackaviation.com/imc-rating.html

[NDB_hold]

Where are we with the BIR?

I see OnTrack also have this page but it’s not in their menus, so probably prepared in advance of launch…

https://www.ontrackaviation.com/basic-i ... g-spa.html

[GrahamB]

Where are we with the BIR?

Nowhere. As it wasn’t present in EU law at 31/12/20, it is not part of the adopted legislation.

It’s up to the CAA whether they decide to push ahead with it, but TBH unless the other EASA states agree to recognise it, as a sub-ICAO rating it’s a bit of a chocolate teapot given we already have an IMCR.

[NDB_hold]

My understanding was it allowed flight in airways, though?

[GrahamB]

My understanding was it allowed flight in airways, though?

Yes, it does, but I suspect that the number of people who would elect for, or IRR holders who would move on to, a BIR for the relatively little extra utility it offers will be small, when one considers:
- it wouldn't be valid outside of UK airspace unless some sort of mutual agreement was in place with EASA
- training has to be done at an ATO
- initial test, and subsequent annual proficiency checks, have to carried out by an IRE
- the probabiity that the initial test will have to be booked via the CAA FCL route, as does the IR currently, which incurs an additional £700 or so charge
- three TK exams which would probably have to be sat at nominated test centres, not the one IMCR paper which can be done at your club.

All of those items bar the first one are within the gift of the CAA to change, but changing items two, three and the substantive part of item five would be likely to jeopardise the first.

I suspect most pilots who wish to progress beyond an IMCR would bite the bullet by getting that and topping it off with a CBIR when they've built some hours experience.

[Andrew Sinclair]

When it comes to travelling longer distances then access to airways is a huge improvement over the IMC/IRR but given the improvement is in flying longer distances then rating recognition becomes more important.
I agree with @GrahamB that the most sensible option seems to be IMC/IRR and IFR outside Class A or an ICAO compliant IR (via the CB-IR training route) and fly airways.

As an example, this is the route to Ostend on Friday, far easier to plan and execute than the same destination under VFR.