If you like freelance style http://www.captonline.com probably one day off work and off you go for exams
You still have to take weekdays off to do exams 
They want a PPL (H)… an oversight on their part, perhaps?
I used CAPT and it’s excellent particularly as the classroom element was just one day on a Saturday for me.
Charlie, Saturday was it at White Waltham or Preswick?
I randomly managed to do it with Phil at Littlehampton but not sure that’s an option now. I would have done WW given I’m London based.
As an aside, I used AviationExam for most of my learning. Fundamentally the aim is to pass and that’s the quickest way to do it. Whole thing basically took me 4 days on the studying.
Any of you have recommendations for training providers for the
EASA IR (A) theoretical part (distance learning)?
Can the theory and practical training be done at two different ATOs (eg one UK, the other german)?
AFAIK the training provider must be supervised by the CAA where you want to do the exam. I.e. using CATS in UK for taking the exam in Germany may not be possible. So your choice may be limited depending on where you want to do the theoretical exam.
I’m signed up with SafetyWings in Switzerland, mostly because of proximity and taking the exam in CH.
Once you have completed all theoretical exams, you could do the practical training and the skill test elsewhere within EASA-land (confirmed by my CAA). However, you / the school / the examiner must comply with the regulations listed in the “EASA examiner differences document” (first hit in Google) and that could be an issue, depending on your CAA. Some authorities appear pretty relaxed, others…. have their way to potentially reduce the number of examinations taken abroad….
Hence I would first contact the school where I consider taking the practical training to make sure they don’t back out when getting in touch with your CAA to register for your practical examination.
For the CB IR route: is a completed cb ir theory course required before flying the 30 „non ato“ hours with an IRI?
No, you can sequence it how you like
Thanks
Thinking about going down the CBIR route…
I formed a crazy plan these past few weeks about doing the CBIR.
I had a fairly long break from flying, and have just renewed my SEP. It’s great to be back in the air and plan to just try and keep more current (confident) and fly more this time round.
I like a challenge though, and enjoyed training for the IMC rating (now lapsed by 7 yrs). So I figured, what the hell, I’ll go for the IR via CBIR route and see what happens.
Having read a fair bit on here and on other forums, I get the gist of what I need, and plan to just start the theory ASAP.
For anyone that’s followed this route, any pointers would be useful, but I have a few specific questions too.
I’m in London so seems like there’s a couple obvious choices for the theory:
-CATS – quite bit more expensive but some say better materials. When I contacted them they said they were first to offer and train the most CBIRs of anyone.
-CAPT.gs – quite a bit cheaper, and apparently weekend refreshers but I couldn’t see any on their calendar.
Then I understand I’ll also be better off just using aviationexam and bashing through tests. And possibly supplement the training material with iBooks of padpilot (at £30 subject).
The bits I’m least clear about on the theory are;
How to sit the exams – can you just take each individually when you’re ready or do you need to do them in chunks, grouped per most websites, in two blocks of 4 and 3 subjects?
Is their 36month validity from the date you pass the last one, or each individually?
How do you time your self study with the classroom part and exam dates – how long does each subject take roughly (young family, work, etc, so evenings mainly plus some days here and there).
Do you have to attend the whole duration of the classroom part (which I understand is just a box-ticking thing?) or just show up?
I did a practice aviationexam test, picked Radio Nav, did it in 5 mins, and got 51% – some on common sense, some I knew and some guesses. I’m pretty good at maths etc so don’t think it will be a problem (once I’ve actually learnt the content) but I did think most of it (not all) was pretty pointless stuff that wouldn’t be of much benefit in the real world. If that’s the case I’ll take advice of others elsewhere and just do what’s needed to pass.
On the practical side I’d prefer to get a share and train in that at least for the bulk, and I have a few pointers for instructors to go that route.
I’m in no rush for this, it’s purely for fun, to give me a goal to aim for, and hopefully pick up new skills and better flying from it. And if I’ve got a suitable share at the end of it, head off and fly in airways etc (weather permitting still yes I understand that) and go places further afield with simpler planning).
Meanwhile, would I bother retraining to renew my IMC rating? I doubt I’d pass the full test without a fair few hours, so am uncertain I’d this would be a waste of time and should just focus on the training needed to pass the full IR test.
For those that have done it, how much have you used it in anger?
One last thought, anyone have any idea when the BIR will appear and courses start? That sounds like the better course ultimately, but seems like may still be a few years away…
