Indeed, but this just leads to the question I was posing earlier, which is why not tie (in JAA-land) professional pilot status to the ATPL?
I think this is a misconception too. Perhaps there is an element of the IR being a "gatekeeper" for professional pilot evaluation in the UK - because the initial IR test in the UK can only be done by a CAA Examiner. But that is NOT a JAA or EASA requirement. In fact, under EASA, the UK system will not be able to continue, and any Examiner will be able to do an initial IR test. The requirements for the IR stem from several intersecting items of JAA/EASA philosophy and some historical hapstance.
The philosophy is that of approved training organisations and approved courses. The hapstance is that the JAA IR was designed as part of an integrated ATPL course, and not much thought went in to making more flexibile routes more available. There is not really much opposition from the professional pilot community to a more flexible IR for "status" reasons - the pro-pilots "status" comes from the rather difficult requirements for the ATPL, of which the IR is only an element. However, regulators and commerical airpace users are concerned that any user of the IFR system must be able to meet a common, high standard for pilot knowledge and training.
The FCL008 objective, as I understand it, has been twofold.
1. to make the theoretical knowledge for the IR specific to the privileges granted - and not a super-set bundling in other commercial and advanced aircraft knowledge
2. to make the training process by which someone can sit the IR Flight test include a more flexible and competence-based method.
But, the key point is that all IR applicants will need to pass the same TK exams and Flight test - therefore there can not be an accusatioon of "lower standards", which is the kiss of death in Europe on this subject!
brgds
421C
I would also observe that while one needs the MCC TR for the JAA ATPL, this is going to be more or less automatic
But I am not sure what point you are making with this observation? The requirements for getting a JAA ATPL are very demanding. It happens that the flight test requirements can be complied with before the hours requirements. But there is no question that someone getting a JAA ATPL has, following their CPL/IR and MCC qualifications, passed a further test to ATPL standards, their Multipilot aircraft Type Rating. (just to be clear, the MCC is a seperate qualification and course from the TR)