hmng wrote:
I am also curious about the rules regarding BIR theory exam; I guess it might vary per CAA, but do you need approval from an ATO to do the exam, can you selfstudy?
Also seems lots of people (and ATO’s) pushing to still do the CBIR theory exams, but besides an eventual CPL or ATPL route, I don’t see any advantage on it. Am I missing something?
You need to ask BIR ATO. Some authors (@ErlendV) might help as well…
Furthermore, I am under the impression that the theoretical knowledge examination may be done inhouse within the ATO: is that correct?
In France, BIR TK couse & exam has to be in approved centres: the course is done with Mermoze in Rungis and exams are taken in Orly, there are 3 modules but so far there are 7 exams
I doubt any other EASA country will do it differently, LO of CBIR are close to LO of BIR, maybe only difference is 1 question in QDB?
This is a regression from French National IR (FNIR) where one could take 3 exams in nearby ATO supervised by an examiner…I doubt there will be much BIR intakes due to this bottle neck, the rest of concession is “rien du tout” (except for ELP), the only benefit of holding BIR is easier revalidation: 1 year with IRI and 2 years with IRE…
I must be missing something really obvious, not unexpected since I’m a bit dense.
AMC1 FCL.310; FCL.515(b); FCL.615(b); FCL.835(d) Theoretical knowledge examinations
In the tables of this AMC, the applicable LOs for each ATPL, CPL, IR, CB-IR are marked with an ‘X’, and for the BIR exam and BIR BK with the number 1, 2 or 3 (corresponding to the modules as mentioned in FCL.835 ‘Basic instrument rating (BIR)’.
And if I then look at the long list of LOs, the BIR columns are way emptier than the other ones.
So why do I keep hearing that the BIR theory is essential the same as CBIR? Why seven exams?
It looked like EASA had actually done something right, is it just ATOs making life harder for their customers?
hmng wrote:
So why do I keep hearing that the BIR theory is essential the same as CBIR? Why seven exams?
It looked like EASA had actually done something right, is it just ATOs making life harder for their customers?
It is smaller in size, somewhat. BIR is 3 exams. The challenges are:
1. No dedicated BIR theory course and
2. The questions the “leak” from CBIR to BIR.
@bookworm may know – he was somehow involved with it, I think – but I think he’s been gone a long time.
As regards the actual questions above, nearly all of those topics are mind-bending useless junk of no relevance to obtaining wx data from modern sources (modern = anytime in the last 20+ years).
Someone who used to work in the CAA told me that there is no expertise around to generate a new QB, and even if there was, nobody is interested in spending money on a qualification for a small number of private pilots, so all they can do is take the original JAA ATPL QB and chop off different bits of it for different exams.
https://sites.google.com/site/acredonnais/devenir-pilote/pilote-avion/qualifications-IFR
This french club is set up for BIR. They seem to have a bunch of IRIs who really know the rules and the practice of IFR.
I was re-digging in the details of the BIR and I found the french form for applying to the BIR test flight
Page 5 : the ATO [fill in the reference] certifies that Mr X [trainee] followed the approved curriculum for BIR and is endorsed for taking the BIR check flight.
So approved ATO programme for BIR it is. 
Next, you thought the BIR TK for valid forever, right ?
Page 1 : The practical examination must be carried out within 36 months from the date of passing the theoretical examination.
Then I thought BIR would reduce the cost of flying IFR as you can be rewarded for the home work you do on FS or XPlane.
But reading the IR page of the aero-club redonnais (LFER), they say "
[English translation] The training is competency-based. There is no prescribed minimum flying hours. It depends on each individual’s ability to learn in obtaining the program’s skills. However, in the approval obtained by the Aéro-Club Redonnais, the DSAC imposed a minimum of 50 hours. We should be able to come back in a few months on a program without minimum hours as defined by the Aircrew regulations.
They have an approved 32-flights (!!), no-sim training programme they can’t amend. How can you do it if you don’t live there ?
Where is the competency approach ?
Then they add : Cost for IR-SE : same as BIR
And from there :
[English translation] The last time I checked, Orbifly didn’t offer a BIR program. The Hispano-Suiza [big club at LFPT] applies the same 60 HdV program as the CB-IR (I suppose they have to reorganize it a bit to follow the modules). I haven’t heard from TOFINO.
No minimum hours, but 50 hours here or 60 there.
Talk about rule of law
To sum up :
→ the perfect combo 
huv wrote:
Yesterday the first BIR student in Denmark passed all 3 BIR TK exams
Congrats for him hope all goes well for the practical, Denmark is doing a great job !
I can see room of people going after ‘BIR shopping’ between various NAA
Looking into BIR, have some questions:
- for theory does it make sense to do BIR TK if I want to do full IR eventually? Or should I do full IR TK straight away?
- can BIR be added to FAA piggyback license through foreign pilot exam? I would think no (sub ICAO level rating) but not sure
Thx already
