I need to revalidate again, by experience, and unfortunately having gotten my license at the end of January means I have to find an instructor and aircraft for an hour’s flying in the worst months of the year. As I only have a few days before then, I worry about weather and instructor availability conspiring against me and simply failing to find an appropriate opportunity. Are there are any more flexible ways to revalidate?
I recall another Turbulent owner stating that he did his revalidation flight with an instructor on the ground yelling instructions at him, ‘Show me a stall!’, over the radio. But sadly I think he was in New Zealand.
Is it possible to revalidate an SEP rating in a simulator e.g. by having an hour’s IMC instruction?
Sadly I expect the answer to be ‘no’, but there’s no harm in asking.
what about getting IR rated instructor and fly an hour of instrument flying ? will not count against your eventual IR training but will make you that hour required. See thread on CRI, it´s discussed there.
The refresher training must be done in an aeroplane because the words “flight time” are used in point (b)(1)(iii) of FCL.740.A. It may be done over multiple flights. NB: the UK AltMoC in CAP 804 (Part I, section 4 part H subpart 1 p 8) is not included in the current collation of AltMoCs in CAP 1721 (link).
FCL.010 “flight time” for aeroplanes, touring motor gliders and powered-lift, it means the total time from the moment an aircraft first moves for the purpose of taking off until the moment it finally comes to rest at the end of the flight;
To the extent that this covers rejected takeoffs the SEP refresher training flight(s) could be completed without leaving the ground. The refresher training flight is not required if a test, check, or assessment has been successfully done on any other (sic) class or type. If a valid SEP should be held on another ICAO-compliant licence then, in the case of a renewal, there is no requirement to be evaluated or given refresher training before the (first attempt at a) proficiency check. “Refresher training” should probably not be interpreted as meaning the acquisition of new competencies unrelated to the aeroplane class.
Thanks. The hour of IMC training is a good idea.
Qalupalik wrote:
To the extent that this covers rejected takeoffs the SEP refresher training flight(s) could be completed without leaving the ground
Clever point. However, it does not seem to work if you actually plan to do rejected take-offs only, as the “for the purpose of taking off” part of definition of block time would not be fulfilled. So, if the wx is below your minimums, you cannot tell ATC that you just want to go to the runway practising rejected take-offs; it would not count.
Yes, if you plan to taxi, roll and reject a takeoff it will not count the same way as going for the fuel pump 
My understanding, if you plan a flight and then reject the takeoff for X reason, the flight goes into the pilot/aircraft logbook
what about getting IR rated instructor and fly an hour of instrument flying ? will not count against your eventual IR training
Why would an hour of IR training not count against a CB-IR? It is only the last 10 hours of IFR flight instruction that must be with an ATO, other hours can be PIC (on the basis of an IR(R)/IMC rating), part of an IMC training course (does not need to be done via an ATO or DTO) or by an independent IRI outside the remit of an ATO.
Freezing levels (and some fairly strong crosswinds/low cloudbases) are an issue at this time of year, but I continue to be instructing IR students at this time of year when weather permits, and PPL students likewise but of course less frequently.
In the past here in the UK, I’ve had little problem finding an examiner who would sign off my revalidation where the logbook shows compliance. The ability for instructors to do this directly after flying the required hour (subject to other criteria being met) makes this much easier to achieve than before. There is also none of the 3 month before expiry timeframe that used to make it awkward either. I’m quite surprised this is so different in Germany.
You are right, i forget about CB-IR.
kwlf wrote:
Are there are any more flexible ways to revalidate?
There are two solutions to that:
1) if you revalidate within three months of your expiry date (in your case that period would start in November) you keep your original expiry date
2) you can revalidate at any time during the second year, but if it’s more than three months out, the revalidation date becomes your new expiry date
Source: the DPE who did my recent reval flight. We discussed this, as I am in almost the same position as you, i.e. original license date in December.
I think I shall perhaps try to revalidate a little earlier next year – perhaps September. It will add that bit of flexibility.
Ideally I’d like to revalidate locally and support my airfield’s flying school, so I’m trying to push off the option of IMC training as far as possible.
