Hi Manu,
For the training/aircraft, I would enquire at Tannheim. Many years ago, they used to have an N-reg. aircraft on their fleet, but no more. Still, I would start b asking them. I once did an FAA BFR with Verena Doloderer there.
Re the exam: your only problem will be to find an IRE who is recognized by the UK CAA. This requires the examiner to receive a “briefing” from the CAA. Might be worthwhile to find out what this entails and then askyour potential examiner to to that briefing. Since your license is administered by the UK CAA, the German LBA will have nothing to do with it.
You should be able to train at an ATO outside of the UK and perform a skill test with a “foreign” examiner. Details are provided in the Examiner Differences Document (see page 97 for the UK).
This year alone I have passed 3 skill tests according to the procedures presented therein (different NAA), and in the future every license revalidation will have to be done this way. In my case the NAA authorises the foreign examiner to endorse my license.
Thanks guys. BFR is not an issue at the moment. But i now have an solutipn for it.
Manu
Where are you thinking of doing the Theory (and exams)? CAPT in the UK offer a relatively low cost distance learning option (£500) but you would have to sit the exams in the UK at £69 each. I read that the old IR theory course in Germany was complex and expensive (both time and money) but haven’t heard what the situation with CB-IR is.
I would also check that the UK CAA are OK to accept German TK exam results before going down that route.
I would also recommend taking some “check test” with an ATO who can assess and advise the areas of training required to make your “hour building” most effective and efficient. You may find that you need a couple of intensive multi-day sessions with an ATO to prepare you into “test mode” immediately prior to taking the skills test. This is all very subjective and dependent on your circumstances etc. but better to understand what’s really needed from the outset rather than later.
Wintertime may be a better period to focus on the theory first, then concentrate on the flying once the weather improves and you can put it into practice.
Thanks David,
With 50 hours ifr as pic, there are not written test. But still need to go throughsome learning to know the European regs.
Getting training to get prepared for the test is a must.
CAA is on my list to contact what they can or can not accept.
Manu
Hi guys,
Any update on the FAA to EASA conversion process? I see that there are several threads on this so I picked this one to ask the question so apologies if it has already been answered in another one.
Last I heard, we were waiting for the publication of some European legislation governing the conversion process from FAA IR to EASA IR which would either involve a paper exercise and a flight test or possibly just a paper exercise.
thanks for help
There is no other process than the ICAO IR to CB IR conversion which is an oral and a checkride with an IR examiner. No written exams.
It’s been in place for a couple of years I think.
Peter wrote:
Do UK FTOs still do the 170A? Mine was in 2011.
First time I heard of it was reading your IR document. I did mine in 2015 in the UK (Rate One) and certainly never heard of such. Instructor just told me he thought I was ready for the test and we wouldn’t need to reschedule the test.
It is up to the FTO whether to do the 170A flight. See @Tumbleweed’s post above; he knows this business inside out.
Once you have completed the specififed training, the FTO is required to issue a Course Completion Certificate, called 170A. Historically none or almost none would unless you also flew the “pre-test test” also thus called “170A”. Only certain people within the FTO were authorised to conduct that flight. Usually it was the FTO owner, who could use it to fail somebody to (a) push up the FTO’s first time pass rate and (b) to make an extra 1-2k.
The one I was with did the 170A form when pushed but to make a point the FTO owner forced the IRI to not sign it. So to make matters move forward, a CRE/IRR (authorised to do the 170A at a different FTO…) got approved by the CAA to sign the form and then I booked the examiner directly with the CAA, paying the £700+ with a credit card. It was all a big mess but got salvaged in the end and I got a first time IRT pass.
The FTO has vanished now. That CRE/IRR is a great bloke and can now do initial IR tests too, as well as freelance training. Best IRI I ever flew with. Details on request 
Now, there is no way to do any IR where I am based, other than via the ATPL route and certainly not in your own plane. Nearest would be Bournemouth and a hotel stay…
I can well imagine Jim Thorpe not doing the 170A flight test because it is a disreputable practice. If you are ready for the 170A flight, you are ready for the IRT.
I have stopped revalidating the IR now because of the repeated derogations and the next one being likely to April 2018. The exams will lapse after 7 years but the CB IR route renders that irrelevant! You must not let a Class 1 medical lapse for more than 5 years though otherwise you have to go back to Gatwick for an Initial.
Peter, do I understand correctly that you have let the EASA IR lapse and you simply continue to fly on your FAA IR as you believe the deadline will just keep getting extended? I guess you save £700 or something every year but I guess you would simply revalidate if the deadline became “hard”?
