After finally deciding to join LEAP fly-in regardless the runway officially being quite short, I faced the situation that prevented me from coming – my MEP expires on September 30th and I can’t revalidate it before fly-in.
I applied for revalidation two months ago and got the approval from the CAA to perform the check ride on proposed date with particular examiner. Few days after the ride, instead of issuing revalidation, they informed me that it was invalid on the grounds of examiner’s privilege being expired at the time of the ride. I was quite surprised because I thought it was their responsibility to check this when accepting the application.
Being busy during summer, I wasn’t able to organize new check until this weekend. However, the examiner, who was available, was refused by CAA on the grounds of “not being authorized to do checks on DA42”.
My question is: Is there anything in Part-FCL that defines that examiner somehow has to be authorized to perform SEP/MEP checks on particular type of aircraft, having in mind that to my best understanding these are class ratings without any legal difference between particular aircrafts?
Maybe EASA has a similar rule to the FAA where a DPE needs a minimum of, IIRC, 5 hours in type. This was an issue here when the first Tecnam P2006Ts appeared, as no DPE had any experience in them. That said, a DA42 is a pretty common type in Europe, so that’s a bit surprising.
I assume examiner requires valid MEP(L) and valid differences training for DA42 (once done, he has to fly DA42 at least every two years).
Yes, exactly that. The examiner needs to have all ratings and training required to be PIC on the aircraft he/she examines on. I once could not find an IR examiner who was qualified on the Cessna T303 Crusader and it turned out to be impossible to arrange differences training for them with one of the two instructors in a couple of hours flying range who were qualified to train on what is probably the easiest and simplest Cessna twin to fly.
So I went and got myself differences training on a DA42 and did my skills test in that one which bears absolutely no resemblance to the T303, neither in handling, nor on avionics.
I felt soooooo much safer – thanks, EASA!
Allegedly the UK CAA tried to issue exemptions to IR examiners, but EASA nixed that.
I assume examiner requires valid MEP(L) and valid differences training for DA42 (once done, he has to fly DA42 at least every two years).
The examiner needs to have all ratings and training required to be PIC on the aircraft he/she examines on.
Any link to Part-FCL that defines this?
FCL.710 Class and type ratings – variants
Regulation (EU) 2019/1747
(a) Pilots shall complete differences training or familiarisation in order to extend their privileges to another variant of aircraft within one class or type rating. In the case of variants within a class or type rating, the differences training or familiarisation shall include the relevant elements defined in the OSD, where applicable.
(b) The differences training shall be conducted at any of the following:
(1) an ATO;
(2) a DTO in the case of aircraft referred to in points (a)(1)(c) and (a)(2)(c) of point DTO.GEN.110 of Annex VIII;
(3) an AOC holder having an approved differences training programme for the relevant class or type.
(c) Notwithstanding the requirement in point (b), differences training for TMG, single-engine piston (SEP), single- engine turbine (SET) and multi-engine piston (MEP) aeroplanes may be conducted by an appropriately qualified instructor unless otherwise provided in the OSD.
(d) If pilots have not flown the variant within 2 years following the training listed in point (b), a further differences training or a proficiency check in that variant shall be completed, except for types or variants within the SEP and TMG class ratings.
(e) The differences training or the proficiency check in that variant shall be entered in the pilots’ logbook or equivalent record and signed by the instructor or examiner as appropriate.
GM1 FCL.710 Class and type ratings – variants
ED Decision 2011/016/R
DIFFERENCES AND FAMILIARISATION TRAINING
(a) Differences training requires the acquisition of additional knowledge and training on an appropriate training device or the aircraft.
(b) Familiarisation training requires the acquisition of additional knowledge.
In the early days of the EASA FCL rules which in some places corresponds yo the early days of the DA42, French ATOs got around the problem of differences training for examiners by having the instructor in the right hand seat and the examiner in the rear for the initial MEP flight test on a DA42.
Here, the DGAC publish a list of MEP and MEIR examiners for revalidations. You can choose whoever you want and call them to see if they can do your MEP or MEIR revalidations.
When I owned my own Seneca,Seminole, C310 etc I never came across any examiner who couldn’t do the revalidation.
When I no longer owned or part owned a twin I did the difference training on a rented DA42 and for a time after revalidated on that with an examiner from the ATO where I rented. The same was true for the C303 and the P68TC.
I don’t recall there ever being an issue of the examiner’s training on the individual aircraft for a revalidation.
Similarly it would have been very difficult to find an MEP examiner who had flown in the last 2 years an Experimental 3/4 scale version of a de havilland mosquito an every year whilst it was still flying a local MEP examiner without having flown the aircraft was able to do the MEP revalidations.
The difference training for it having been carried out by a test pilot who was also an MEP instructor.
AIUI revalidations do not require the examiner to hold more than examiner privileges on Class ie MEP and if revalidating the IR at the same time as MEIR rated examiner.
The problem for me became a shortage of planes not a shortage of examiners.
@Emir, if I recall correctly you’ve done the TR and some checking on on that S340, which is a TR machine. Is that DA42 TR, and if not do you need that specific MPL for revalidation?
As an example, during my years of line flying, all checks counted towards the revalidation of my SEP, and just showing that the experience requirements had been fulfilled, form filled, fee paid, and that was it 🙂
Revalidating a higher class or type rating will count for revalidation of SEP, replacing the refresher flight, but not more. MEP or eg. SET CRs need to be renewed separately.
For example for me, doing the BE90 PIC IR revalidation takes care of BE90 PIC IR, SEP PIC IR, MEP IR. I still have to do MEP PIC separately.
mri wrote:
Revalidating a higher class or type rating will count for revalidation of SEP, replacing the refresher flight, but not more. MEP or eg. SET CRs need to be renewed separately.For example for me, doing the BE90 PIC IR revalidation takes care of BE90 PIC IR, SEP PIC IR, MEP IR. I still have to do MEP PIC separately.
No. SEP can be revalidated only by flying SEP or with SEP check ride. There’s no SEP IR or MEP IR. There are SE/IR and ME/IR. If you’re revalidating ME/IR you are credited for SE/IR but only if you have valid single engine class rating i.e. SEP or some SET. With BE90 check ride you can revalidate particular type rating and ME/IR. If you hold valid SEP or SET at that moment you’ll be credited for SE/IR. However, this check ride can’t revalidate your SEP and you won’t get SE/IR if you don’t fulfil the conditions from previous sentence.
