I have recently revalidated my FAA PPL and IR and I am flying an N reg aircraft based in the UK and I am based in the UK. I am now completing training to gain a UK PPL. One I have the UK PPL, can I file and depart IFR from a UK airport for example into France? My understanding is that my FAA IR would certainly be valid at the FIR boundary onwards for example when flying to France (2 out of 3 rule) but the first portion of the flight would be in a grey area. Help appreciated.
It wouldn’t be legal in France but for the UK I don’t know – I don’t know if they have implemented the requirement for local papers as has been done in EASA land.
If they have, and assuming you are UK resident, then you would need a UK IR for this to be legal. HOwever you could depart VFR and switch to IFR outside the UK and you would then be legal! (And the opposite on the way back). Silly, but there it is.
Yes, as a matter of UK law you should have a UK PPL/IR if you are a UK-resident “operator” (as a matter of US law you are OK to fly a N-reg aircraft anywhere in the world with a FAA pilot certificate). A UK PPL with an IMC rating/IR(R) would also allow IFR in the UK, but not “Eurocontrol IFR” which will take you into Class A. I understand a number of people simply fly VFR until the FIR boundary before switching to IFR, to avoid the need to have a UK IR.
I’m sure others will have the detail, but the “2 out of 3 rule” is mostly an urban legend.
I believe the course to obtain a UK IR is easier if you have already hold an ICAO IR (cf. a having to do a full IR course with all the theory exams).
I believe the course to obtain a UK IR is easier if you have already hold an ICAO IR
Again I don’t know what the UK has adopted but in EASA land there is a new procedure called BASA. If you have 50 hrs PIC under IFR (not necessarily iMC/hood) then all you need is a checkride with an examiner – though you may need a few hours prep to be comfortable passing that. That was what I did.
The 61.3 concession uses the word issued.
So no, and EASA is totally irrelevant here.
The above is for the 61.3 concession. If you are referring to the Brussels reg requiring EU residents to hold EU papers, later adopted by the UK after brexit, the answer is also no.
But in practise you can fly “UK style VFR” on a plain UK PPL to the fir boundary… You get my drift…
Indochine is spot on.
The 50hr thing is the standard ICAO IR to EASA IR (or UK IR ) conversion route. Not related to the FAA to EASA BASA AFAIK.
The Chicago Convention applies to international flights and a contracting state only has the right to refuse to accept a licence issued, or rendered valid, by the state of registry to a national of the state where the flight occurs.
Excellent point although I am trying to work out how it helps the OP. His SR22 is probably N reg.
thanks for the feedback. I will proceed with the UK CB IR training as I have the 50 hours IFR time so I will train “as required” and then hopefully pass the practical exam as no written exam will be required but there will be an oral portion. Therefore, regarding getting my IFR knowledge for flying into Europe back up to scratch, if anyone could reccomend a course/book/video series etc that would be helpful, that would be much appreciated. many thanks
The course and book is called EuroGA 
There is a lot of BS out there but here it gets demolished pretty fast.
