IFR in homebuilts - UK LAA programme (merged)

Just to report that we now have the IFR and Night.

We have also fitted a DME. So we now also have a VOR ILS DME available if we lose the GNS 530. Also a separate aotopilot. (which can be slaved to the 530) So pretty good redundancy.

All just in time for the summer….

Rgds

Just as an update. Going back through this thread I see it was 2017 that we got Day IFR clearance on our Vans RV10.

Yesterday, myself and my other co-owner completed our revalidation of our SEP IR in the RV10. We did the test at Cambridge and Cranfield. This now gives us full EASA ands UK ATPL IRs for SEP flying on all EASA aircraft and, of course, Permit aircraft. Interestingly (to us), as Commercial pilots, we can now cross validate the IRR based on our Commercial LPC / OPC. We have both kept our National ATPL, as well as having a EASA ATPL. (this has been for legacy reasons of having IMC priviledges on our National ATPL) We do need to log the required number of approaches in our SEP logbook.

I suspect this is the first IR that has been done in a LAA Permit aeroplane and it demonstrates that it can be done.

Peter highlighted the limitations of Permit aircraft with respect to the flying conditions.ie 1500m visibility, no flight in icing. A couple of things here. First of all they are the aircraft limitations and not the pilot rating limits. So, if I were to fly another SEP aircraft I can fly it down to the limits of my licence and the aeroplane, whichever is the higher. Secondly, these limitations were put in to get the initial rules accepted by the CAA. There is no reason why an application to lower the limits might not happen. In fact a well known American avionics company has asked why those limits have been used, as their equipment is certificated in the USA to mush lower limits.

I realise IFR day / night in a Permit IFR aircraft is not for everyone but, for our mission it works very well. The big difference over the IMC rating is it allows us to fly in Cat A airspace (ie airways), which makes planning so much easier. By having an SEP IR, cross validated from my Commercial IR, we don’t need to do a Test on the SEP every year.

I have now completed day Test flights on two other RV10s and done night tests on an RV7, RV8 and two RV10s. So, aircraft are slowly getting through the system.

I realise this is all a bit technical, but it has been the culmination of all our work on our RV10. So, yesterday was a pretty big moment..for both of us.

We both found the Test very demanding (yesterday was very windy to fly an uncoupled ILS), which goes to show how difficult it is to operate an SEP in IMC.

Rgds

Teal

That’s a great step forward for IMC in permit aircraft! Do you mind me asking who the examiner was and how it works with the training organisation (if at all)?

The Europa is now cleared for IFR in the UK as well
https://www.theeuropaclub.org/the-europa/ifr-aircraft