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CBIR vs American FAA IR & conversion to CBIR

I’m struggling to find the time to study for 7 exams. (Translate that as after months I’ve barely touched the books)
This has been going on for a year now.
Despite the frustration I don’t see it much changing.
I’m not very good at studying and when the subject matter gets a bit bogged down with unnecessary detail, my attention span dries to nil.
I have just seen an advert for American Fliers, who are offering a 3day study and theory test on the 4th. Plus a 7 day training and skills test for the IR in Florida.
Supposing I double those times (I’m hoping not to be that dumb but hey….) and allow for it in all planning. Plus add a chunk of prep before setting off, what’s the catch?
Obviously the weather could scupper the flight training but I’d need less margin than an overseas PPL attempt. But the theory trip should be ok.
I haven’t ironed out exactly what is required at this end but I heard 1 exam and 1 flight test.
Can anyone provide any details on the School I mentioned or confirm what is required back here to convert?
Thanks. P.

United Kingdom

There is still the FAA IR exam, which contrary to rumours is not trivial.

The FAA IR training and checkride can be really hard. Mine was as hard as anyone could imagine.

You need the TSA and visa stuff. Some general notes here.

A few of the EASA IR exams are fairly trivial especially if you skip all the book study and just bang the computer QB (question bank) which is what most people do because the material is mostly not that relevant to flying. The worst ones are Air Law and Met and I did those purely on the QB, banging them until I was getting 85% consistently. Some notes here from my ICAO IR to JAA IR conversion in 2011/2012 which is very similar and I doubt the exams are much different too.

You need to log 50hrs PIC IFR before you can apply for the ICAO IR to CB IR conversion, which is going to cost you a few bob and – if you are an average IR holder -
probably take you years to accumulate. It’s a good Q whether you can use PIC IFR time accumulated before the FAA IR by flying on the IMC Rating! Does anyone know?

If you have time and want some time in the USA, by all means go for it. But I can tell you that flying 2x a day (which is what I did) you will be pretty knackered

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Hi @GA_Pete, @Peter

Thanks for all this.

I’m in the same boat as GA_Pete and also did my FA PPL too. I also now hold an IR (R) and use it frequently flaying a DA40.

I’m probably going to do the FAA conversion route for convenience of time and focus.

@GA_Pete PM me if you like and I can tell you what I’ve learnt and my thinking.

EGSX North Weald, United Kingdom

There is a certain sniffiness among UK ATOs towards the FAA IR which in my view is totally unfounded. However for the UK the FAA IR route will leave you unprepared for the UK’s predilection towards the NDB, and in particular the NDB Hold. ATC in the UK is a bit different and some examiners pick up on this.

The FAA check, if administered correctly, is in many ways tougher than the EASA IR. You have more limited panel work, including flying a non precision approach limited panel. The general handling may require limited panel work at different power settings and configurations. You have to fly to more airports to execute the different approaches (VOR, ILS and GNSS). The emergency scenarios are more varied, especially if mult engine. The oral test can be extended if your knowledge is not crisp and organised. One colleague the oral lasted all day, he tested the next day. The examiners seem to be more colourful than your average CAA type, with quite a few being Gulf War 1 veterans.

Leslie Henninger is a senior examiner out of DuPage Illinois and her videos are excellent briefings for the IR, Multi and ATP (now obsolete as you no longer can carry this out in an MEP alone).



Not sure about a one week crammer for an FAA IR. There are several good habits and practices in terms of cockpit management which are not going to be acquired in a week. The fastest full time student might take between five and six weeks to get a CBIR (excluding ground school), and this is flying six days a week with some days having two sessions. Only a few students have the capacity and focus to get it done so quickly.

Oxford (EGTK), United Kingdom

Indeed, it would be astonishing to do an FAA IR in 1 week. I went to Arizona with 500hrs and loads of IMCR currency and flying 2x a day for 2 weeks (aged 49 then, so well shagged every day) I only just made it, doing the checkride on day 13. I am assuming you have an IMCR; GA_Pete doesn’t say so. Ab initio IR – completely impossible in 1 week.

To avoid the obvious risks, you need to sort out the IR written exam pass before you go there, but they can’t be done in Europe anymore, apparently. You have to do it in the USA so that’s more time needed…

There is also the argument, put forward aggressively by certain GA personalities over this side of the pond, that IMCR training time doesn’t count towards the FAA IR dual requirement. That is widely regarded as bollox in the USA but while you might clock up the required hours in 2 weeks out there (and I did) you can’t do it in 1 week.

Leslie Henninger is brilliant. She has other videos up there too.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

I did my IR in 11 days in my own twin with IPC. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I’m not ashamed at all to say that I failed on my first ride, had to do another day of brush ups and then re-test. It’s not an easy rating to do. But if you’re anything like me and bad at retaining information, or are just a little bit older, I think cramming really helps. Full immersion keeps you in it without the option to forget. I’d tried to do it the traditional way, an hour here and there, but it was always like starting over each time.

Last Edited by AdamFrisch at 18 Mar 15:20

I did my Canadian IR starting on 27 December and flight tested on 5 January. I had about 450 hours at the time, was very current and had passed the theory test ahead of the flying. So it is possible. It was darned cold, with average daily highs of minus 20 or so :-).

However, as previously stated, you still need 50 hours IFR to convert over to the CBIR.

It seems to me you might as well take two or three weeks off work in the UK and just do an intense set of training sessions here… so that you can achieve the same result. Especially if you have your own aircraft here. You might as well practice in the aircraft you are going to fly!

Last Edited by Canuck at 18 Mar 15:37
Sans aircraft at the moment :-(, United Kingdom

Gents. Thanks so much for your input.
As always experience and knowledge flies in from all angles.
FYI, I am IMCR and despite really needing to get current at the fine details, I seem to have remained capable of flying quite well each time I refresh or renew with an instructor.

I have the same experience as Adam with learning theory.
Even when qualified I expect details-related stuff to be a far bigger issue than my actual handling.

If it’s possible to work through the hurdles of regulation and end up with a sensible path I think it still has merrier.
I would endeavour to go out once for the theory and again for the flying so more expense but a little less pressure and reduced risk if a tumbling pack of cards.

If I’m completely honest having an IR and flying 80 to 100 hrs a year isn’t going to be me I reckon on around 50 max but the alternative is to give up flying so I do want to make this work somehow. But as I first said std home study has failed me. Perhaps I could try Peters method of just hitting the QB alone……

Russ, thanks I will make contact, we’re local so should make the effort to be in touch in any case.
P.

United Kingdom

Hello Pete,

I did the FAA IR some years ago; it took me 20 days in Florida (including taking the test) and it was really hard work – exhausting. I was only doing the flying part: I had done the written before going out to the US – I took it at the CAA in Gatwick (not sure if you can still do so). I would recommend doing this if you can.
I really don’t think I could have done both the written and the flying in the same time period – I doubt very much I would have passed the test. The ground part of the IR test is really demanding – mine was over 2 hours before we even went flying on the flight part of the test.
I already had an IMCR beforehand, although only a few hundred hours.

EGGD Bristol, United Kingdom

Good to read some of you also struggled with this stuff, I’ve got 30 hrs of IR instruction on the Mooney under my belt (this took me over a year to accumulate, due to time restraints and som mechanical issues…) and now I’m with an ATO for the last 10 hours of IR instruction. I have 5 hours now in the last two weeks. So 35 hours of IR time. I feel pretty confident flying IMC and shooting an approach (ILS, VOR, LPV or localiser only), but I still struggle with some of the basic stuff, like intercepting QDM/QDR’s. It’s one thing to fly interceptions at home on your sim or iPhone it’s another thing doing it on a crappy C172 with a DG that needs alignment with the compas after every turn with a stiff wind. I’m pretty sure I won’t be exam ready after another five hours (and thus completing the minimum of hours for the CB-IR route). I’m somewhat cynical about those immersion courses that get you ready for the exam in two weeks. There are no shortcuts, I guess. I do think immersing yourself is the way to go, you need to live this stuff to make it your own. I try to train a little every day on the sim and fly now at least once a week.

The theory (CB-IR) I did just one or two subjects at a time, It took me over a year to do them all. Radio Nav I found to be the most difficult. Don’t let this discourage you, it’s good fun and it will make you a better pilot.

EHTE, Netherlands
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