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Keep your EASA MEP / EASA IR up to date!

AdamFrisch wrote:

What I don’t understand is why does a SEP require validation every 2nd year, but a MEP has to be done each year? Makes no sense whatsoever. Twin engine skills don’t diminish twice as fast as flying skills in general.

Probably something to do with most SEPs are < 2000 kg MTOW while there are quite big MEPs.
But you’re right. Comparing MEP emergency handling to SEP it maybe should be the other way around….

EKRK, Denmark

Engine related emergency on a twin happens twice more often than on a sep and can be deadly dangerous if at the wrong moment, and requires a good proficiency…

LFMD, France

Sure. Just recall an instructor asserting that “many pilots are bad at doing power off landings”

EKRK, Denmark

I would just like to clarify my understanding on this as a holder of an FAA IR and and EASA IR.

If:

  • I keep my FAA IR current with 6 instrument approaches and holdings in the prior 6 months and
  • ensure I have the BFR up to date…
  • and do not perform my annual EASA IR proficiency check for 7 years.

I can still get my EASA IR revalidated by a field examiner (any time in that 7 years) IF I have the expired EASA IR still on my printed license?

If I don’t have it on my printed license – does this mean I have to submit additional paperwork to get it reinstated prior to or as a result of the revalidation exam by the field examiner?

The sky is the limit
EGKB, United Kingdom

That depends on which Member State administers your Part-FCL licence. If it was granted by UK and the IR-SPA is still in the licence then the IRE/CRE(IRE) may endorse your certificate of revalidation following the successful completion of the proficiency check otherwise application must be made to UK CAA to reinstate the rating. As you hold a valid ICAO Annex 1-compliant IR you are not required to undergo refresher training nor to re-take the theoretical knowledge exams. A course completion certificate will not be necessary unless the proficiency check is unsuccessful and the examiner requires you to undergo further training. See Annex V to Commission Decision of 6 Feb 2014 (link).

If the renewal is processed by UK CAA then application should be made on form SRG 1119C accompanied by SRG 1157 (examiner’s report) together with supporting documentation, eg valid medical, course completion certificate for PBN if needed, SRG 2142 (verification of third-country IR), logbook evidence showing US IR is valid, etc. The examiner will advise. If you require a PBN endorsement see information notice IN-2017/034 (link) before attempting the proficiency check. The endorsement will be mandatory from 26 Aug 2020. Note that a valid medical is not required to attempt the proficiency check. The lack of a valid medical does not prevent the examiner endorsing the certificate of revalidation. However, UK CAA will not reissue a licence with renewed ratings unless a valid medical is held.

There is a spurious paragraph in guidance note 7 of SRG 1119F—a set of guidance notes for SRG 1119C—stating that examiners may not endorse the licence for ratings which have been expired by more than 3 years:

An examiner may only endorse the certificate of revalidation in a pilot’s licence or certificate of authorisation to revalidate
a rating or certificate, or to renew a rating or certificate which has not expired by more than 3 years and is still included
in the licence or certificate of authorisation. If the rating has expired by more than 3 years, or has been removed from
Section XII on page 4 of the licence or the certificate of authorisation, the application must be submitted to Licensing &
Training Standards for the rating or certificate to be entered into the certificate of revalidation and a fee will apply

This guidance ceased to correspond to UK CAA policy on 30 Jun 2014 as then notified in information notice IN-2014/109 (link):

2 The Amended Procedure
2.1 The previously advised restriction that examiners must not sign the renewal/revalidation page
of a licence if the relevant privilege expired more than three years previously is withdrawn. In
circumstances where the examiner has the privilege to renew the rating (or instructor
certificate) on the licence, he may do so provided that:
• the licence holder has complied with the requirements for renewal; and
• the rating/certificate is still shown in Section XII on page 4 of the licence.
2.2 Where the rating or instructor certificate is no longer shown in Section XII on page 4 of the
licence, application must be made to the CAA for the licence to be reprinted to include the
rating/certificate and for the certificate of revalidation entry to be made by the CAA. The
published fee will apply

The exemption approved in the Commission Decision does not require a valid US flight review. It’s sufficient that the operational rating itself is valid.

London, United Kingdom

Great comprehensive answer – I am UK based and my EASA license is managed by the CAA.

The sky is the limit
EGKB, United Kingdom

Yes; a great and accurate answer by Qalupalik.

My own experience reflects it spot on.

If the paperwork has to go to the CAA, they can just lose it. They lost mine for 9 months so by the time it came (only after an intervention by Mr Moriarty, their chief exec; any preceeding comms were totally ineffective) I get only 3 months’ validity. Hence best to be really careful to make sure the (freelance) IR examiner can always revalidate/renew the IR which is still printed on the license.

This is all particularly relevant to N-reg pilots wishing to run the EASA papers purely to comply with EASA FCL. The CAA people in charge don’t really understand the process…

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Theoretically:
If one starts an (EASA) IR course, then before the practical test adds the MEP rating, is it possible to do a SEP IR and MEP IR practical test (obtain MEP IR as well). Or does one already need MEP before starting the course?

Last Edited by Snoopy at 21 Aug 11:33
EASA BIR Instructor
LO__, Austria

In practice you do the MEP before you start the ATO part of the MEP/IR. In effect budget minimum 22 hours in the MEP before your IR test. (6 for MEP course plus 1 for MEP checkride, and 15 hours in class of aircraft before the IR – expect around 2 hours for the initial IR test).

Oxford (EGTK), United Kingdom

Thank you Robert, not quite sure I understand your answer in regard to my question (sorry, it was a looong night duty).
If a SEP holder starts an IR course for SEP IR, during that course adds the MEP rating, can he do both SEP IR and MEP IR check flights to obtain SEP MEP IR?

EASA BIR Instructor
LO__, Austria
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