My view on BIR is pretty positive: Less hassle with BIR-theory compared to CBIR, and after completion of the BIR-rating one can upgrade to IR via CBIR-route just with a) additional 10h training at an ATO or b) 50h IR-time, each followed by a practical examination.
And i rather would add some flight training (which doesn’t harm anyway) than wasting my time more than required for getting the theory done…
Marcel wrote:
My view on BIR is pretty positive: Less hassle with BIR-theory compared to CBIR, and after completion of the BIR-rating one can upgrade to IR via CBIR-route just with a) additional 10h training at an ATO or b) 50h IR-time, each followed by a practical examination.
And i rather would add some flight training (which doesn’t harm anyway) than wasting my time more than required for getting the theory done…
@Marcel, I have the same opinion! And if you add to that the fact that the UK has already got IR-R rating, the difference in theory (I’ve done both IR-R and CB-IR theory courses) is mostly in Meteorology. I mean the UK could have created an extra theory module, call it “IR-R airways endorsement” and be done with it… But, the answer is “no! We don’t do it because the industry is not interested”. Of course the ATOs are not interested…
Here in the UK, we don’t have the BIR and are very unlikely to get it. The IRR/IMC rating provides a lot of capability except no access to airways, but since you can’t use it abroad then this makes relatively little difference.
Sorry, David, agree to disagree – for those that live under London TMA it does make difference. Plus I’m not allowed to fly into the EU anyway, so for me BIR would have been great.
I’m quite intrigued to hear this. I do sometimes fly airways in the UK only, eg when flying to/from Scotland. I have used it once when flying an approach into Biggin. But the rest of the time I’d use the IRR which in some cases has fewer restrictions, although not much between them.
Is your primary benefit being able to fly in the TMA? I doubt you would get much low level IFR flight through it easily except for the occasional approach.
As you say it can’t be used outside the UK because sun-ICAO.
“Airways” has no meaning. It is the airspace class that matters.
The IMCR can do IFR in Class D. It’s just that there isn’t much of it in the UK, and you soon end up in Class A because once you got a EC IFR FP validated, London Control has no idea you have just an IMCR, so a subsequent refusal to accept a climb into Class A explodes the whole place 
This used to happen years ago and, I would speculate, is why LC / LTCC today chucks out “not very serious” FPs, and IME always chucks out FPs for Class D routes (e.g. a part of the EGKA – SAM – EGJJ/JB/JA route). Most stuff below FL070 gets chucked out.
A full IR is useful in the UK for flights like this especially in the winter when the alternative is low level VFR (or IFR – same thing) in VMC or IMC (same thing 
) when in IMC you may get icing. Whether this has value to you, depends. You can do it all in Class G. Various piston twin pilots have posted many times that they do such flights VFR (in VMC or IMC) because it avoids Eurocontrol route charges, and is fairly safe if you are de-iced. In a TB20 (e.g.) a full IR would be much safer. Nowadays there is a nasty extra factor which also favours a full IR.
DavidC wrote:
Is your primary benefit being able to fly in the TMA? I doubt you would get much low level IFR flight through it easily except for the occasional approach.
Hi David, yes – TMA & Airways in the south/south-east.
Sorry to open this old thread again, but I just started doing the BIR and I’m trying to find some official document (ie: PART-FCL) where it says that, after completion of your BIR, you can obtain a CB-IR license by doing 50hours PIC XC and then pass a skills test.
Does anybody where I can find this information “officially”?
Many thanks in advance.
coopersjcw wrote:
Sorry to open this old thread again, but I just started doing the BIR and I’m trying to find some official document (ie: PART-FCL) where it says that, after completion of your BIR, you can obtain a CB-IR license by doing 50hours PIC XC and then pass a skills test.Does anybody where I can find this information “officially”?
That’s unfortunately not true. You always have to do a minimum of 10 hours of training at an ATO to convert a BIR to a IR via the CB-IR route. The rules are in Appendix 6 to part-FCL, section Aa “IR — Competency-based modular flying training course”, paragraph 6. Items (a)(i)(A) and (a)(i)(B) are relevant.
The method of attaining an IR following this modular course is competency-based. However, the minimum requirements below shall be completed by the applicant. Additional training may be required to reach required competencies.
(a) A single-engine competency-based modular IR course shall include at least 40 hours of instrument time under instruction, of which up to 10 hours may be instrument ground time in an FNPT I, or up to 25 hours in an FFS or FNPT II. A maximum of 5 hours of FNPT II or FFS instrument ground time may be conducted in an FNPT I.
–(i) When the applicant has:
––(A) completed instrument flight instruction provided by an IRI(A) or an FI holding the privilege to provide training for the IR; or
––(B) prior experience of instrument flight time as PIC on aeroplanes, under a rating providing the privileges to fly under IFR and in IMC,
––these hours may be credited towards the 40 hours above up to maximum of 30 hours,
–(ii) When the applicant has prior instrument flight time under instruction other than specified in point (a)(i), these hours may be credited towards the required 40 hours up to a maximum of 15 hours.
–(iii) In any case, the flying training shall include at least 10 hours of instrument flight time under instruction in an aeroplane at an ATO.
–(iv) The total amount of dual instrument instruction shall not be less than 25 hours.
Airborne_Again wrote:
You always have to do a minimum of 10 hours of training at an ATO to convert a BIR to a IR via the CB-IR route.
I think that has changed as per https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32020R0359&from=EN
"
10. Applicants for the competency-based modular IR who hold a BIR and have experience of at least 50 hours of
flight time under IFR as PIC on aeroplanes, shall:
(a) at an ATO:
(i) be assessed as having an acceptable standard of competency-based instrument rating theoretical
knowledge;
(ii) receive appropriate flight training to extend IFR privileges in accordance with FCL.605.IR after completion of (a);
(i) successfully complete the skill test for the IR in accordance with Appendix 7;
(ii) demonstrate orally to the examiner during the skill test that they have acquired an adequate level of
theoretical knowledge of air law, meteorology, and flight planning and performance.’;
"
I think that has changed as per https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32020R0359&from=EN
Thank you. That is exactly what I was looking for.
