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Best route to IR

Hello,

It is the first time I am posting here. Firstly, congratulations for this website: clean, full of good posts with very relevant content, lots of combined experience, positive opinions and not much negativity :) (who needs that?)

I am a EASA PPL student. At the age of 39, this is my second attempt after 45 hours logged 20 years ago (the school went into administration and things got very messy). I fly for pleasure, for the capability to fly to nice places with friends and family who live a bit all over the UK and Europe.

My aim is to get a IR and would love to get your opinions: what is the best route to IR? Get a UK IMC rating first or go for the IR straightforward?

All your opinions would be very much appreciated.

Fernando

EGSU, United Kingdom

You could look at the CB-IR route.

Basically, do your UK IR(R) first, then clock up some more hours flying on your own (or indeed with an instructor – doesn’t really matter), and do the final ten hours at an ATO. Total hours needed is 40.

It’s a lot less costly than doing the conventional 50 hours at an ATO route. The exams are less onerous as well.

Last Edited by stevelup at 14 Aug 15:47

Steve, thank you very much! That makes perfect sense. Will research a bit more. Any recommendations regarding ATOs in the UK?

EGSU, United Kingdom

Since much of your flying will be outside UK, personally I would skip IR(R) valid only in UK airspace, and acquire 50 hours or so of VFR touring experience honing your skills in VMC before talking to Jim Thorpe about the CB IR. http://www.rateoneaviation.com/?page_id=187. Also consider joining Pplir.org. Once you have the IR you can apply for the UK CAA to issue the IR(R) at the same time anyway, which is valid for 25 months. Confirming I have no vested interest in these individuals or organisations.

EGSG EGSX, United Kingdom

Doesn’t it sound a bit silly that only one person in the UK is competent in terms of CBIR or EIR training? What’s going on?

Granted, he was the main force behind these new rules, but shouldn’t a lot more schools know “how to do it” by now?

Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

I would recommend PAT down in Bournemouth. They have lots of experience with the CB-IR and take a very pragmatic approach to training such as emphasis on teaching RNAV approaches.

It’s worth taking the time to visit any school you are considering just to meet with the instructors and see how they approach the course.

EGBB

I did mine with Aeros Gloucester and they were superb, Glocuester is a great training location as well

Now retired from forums best wishes

ardove wrote:

Since much of your flying will be outside UK, personally I would skip IR(R) valid only in UK airspace,

An advantage with taking the IR(R) is that not only can you get credit for the IR(R) training when you later train for the full IR, but you will also get credit for instrument flight time obtained when using the IR(R). With maximum credit you can theoretically do the full IR in 10 hours.

ESKC (Uppsala/Sundbro), Sweden

boscomantico wrote:

Doesn’t it sound a bit silly that only one person in the UK is competent in terms of CBIR or EIR training? What’s going on?

Granted, he was the main force behind these new rules, but shouldn’t a lot more schools know “how to do it” by now?

Agreed however the typical ATO remains oriented toward its youthful market of low hours, inexperienced yet full time, dedicated and not “life encumbered” commercial license holding cadet pilots- who do the full IR on the back of their CPL and ATPL theoretical knowledge. Until the demand for private IR grows, the market presumably remains specialist with little choice?

Of course making it accessible is one thing, the typical “life encumbered” middle aged, high earning yet time poor private punter has to justify a European IRs ongoing value and utility.

EGSG EGSX, United Kingdom

ardove wrote:

Until the demand for private IR grows

How exactly is that supposed to happen in a dwindling GA market where these middle aged private punters (whatever that is, I thought it was a boat ?) rather would like to relax with some uncomplicated but fun and satisfying VFR trips in an oldtimer Cub, a cool experimental, ultralight or LSA? I still don’t know a single person who has taken the EIR. There have been lots of talk, but very little action.

I think IR is something people take before reaching 40 or they never bother. And before 40, people still have enough illusions to rather go for the “full” IR. The IR is still too much time, money and “school-work” and too little value for the average middle aged PPL to be interested.

The elephant is the circulation
ENVA ENOP ENMO, Norway
15 Posts
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