I am reluctantly planning to embark on the EASA IR this spring.
However, I hear all kinds of rumors regarding possibilities as to converting without doing the theory exams which of course sounds too good to be true coming from EASA.
Does anybody know if EASA still plan to make it illegal for Europeans to fly in Europe from 2014 on FAA papers?
Is it true that it will be possible to convert without sitting the theory tests?
I am visiting the iAOPA web site on a continuous basis and am also searching the internet for answers but mostly I find old and outdated information.
Any info highly appreciated.
On Q1, re VFR G-reg, see other threads here and here. You can use an FAA PPL to fly a G-reg till April 2014. On IFR, April 2014 also.
On Q2, there is no conversion route other than the 15hr route which has been around for years. There is a proposal, variously called "FCL008 IR" or "CBM IR" which, if it passes through the system, should result in an IR conversion route comprising of
Obviously, if the CBM IR is not ready well before April 2014, the sh*t is going to hit the fan as not only the bulk of Europe's piston IFR community will be screwed, but also most privately owned business jet ops will be grounded.
EASA just ran their private "finger up to the USA" project regardless of practicalities.
Until EASA finalise the requirements nobody will know. It is however fair to say that you will have less to do when it is adopted than if you do it know but again nobody knows how long it will take to implement whatever conclusion they come to. The closest you will get to the answer is here
Does anybody know if EASA still plan to make it illegal for Europeans to fly in Europe from 2014 on FAA papers?
It will be a requirement to have EASA "papers" from April 2014. There are two routes to making that tractable for FAA IR holders:
The Implementation Procedures for Licensing that will be added to the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement between the US and EU. That's supposed to afford easier conversion between FAA and EASA licences and ratings. But no one outside the teams involved has seen what the detailed procedures proposed might be.
The CBM route to the IR proposed in FCL.008 allows conversion of any ICAO IR into an EASA IR. The current proposal is for the theory to be tested orally.
It's going to be touch and go to get either of those into law before April 2014. At the moment I think the smart money's on the FCL.008 stuff pipping the BASA at the post.
IAOPA news: EASA IR regulation expected ‘soon’. Checkride only to convert FAA IR to EASA IR!? Read more here: (http://www.iaopa.eu/contentServlet/iaopa-europe-enews-april-2013)
Yes; that is the proposed "CBM IR" discussed here in various places e.g. here.
FAA IR to CBM IR conversion would be just an oral exam and the IR flight test - assuming you have a certain amount of time in your logbook which has been variously reported as one of the following
as Pilot in Command (i.e. not training time). Obviously the last option is a lot easier than the others.
But as far as anybody I know knows, the CBM IR has got stuck somewhere in the EU machinery.
As far as I heard there was a lot of opposition against 25 hours of IFR time. In the last official document it is 50 hours ifr time (flight time under IFR rules). In the first version it was 100 hours actual instrument time (which means truly in IMC or SIMC)..
I really doubt wether 25 hours will make it.
I don't think that 50 hours IFR time is an unreasonable requirement. Instrument time yes.
Totally agree. 50hrs IFR time means you have some experience.. 50hrs actual instrument time means you have flown maybe 400hrs, presuming you try to come on top (or in any case out of the clouds) for most of your flight.
If there is no progress on the cooperation agreement, I may have to get myself an EASA PPL in readiness for doing this conversion.
I guess I will have to try and find a stopwatch.
