JARTR-FCL Approved Courses of Flight and Ground Training

[bumpfich]

Hello,

I hope someone can assist me with a question regarding CAA "Approved" JAR-FCL courses.

I am researching where to do the CPL and IR (Modular) courses. I started by checking the CAA website to find which courses are approved by them. After a while hunting the CAA website - I found the appropriate document: http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/177/srg_eld_Part147approvedbasicTOs.pdf

I already have a short list of schools for both the CPL and IR. However, one shortlisted IR school is not listed as approved. It does appear that there are a number of schools who are offering a Modular IR courses, but (from the CAA document) they are not listed as an approved school for that course.

In addition one shortlisted school for the IR is listed as an approved IR school but is not listed under the "Instrument Rating (A) Modular Synthetic Flight Training" - but part of their training is provided in a simulator.

What does this mean for me - the student (with the eventual aim of flying for an Airline)? I feel I should be concerned by this?

Any assistance greatly received.

Many Thanks

Bumpfich

[BillieBob]

If a school is not listed in the Standards Document, the chances are that it is not approved. However, bear in mind that the list is only updated monthly and there may be some schools that have been approved in the meantime. You could always phone the CAA and ask.

No school is allowed to start approved training until they have the approval certificate in their possession , so an easy way to check is to ask to see the certificate - if they don't have it, they're not approved. If you undergo training at a school that is not approved, the FE will not conduct the Skill Test and you will not get the rating.

Which school, not on the list, is saying that it is approved?

[bumpfich]

Hey BillieBob,

I appreciate your thoughts on this...I may not have been clear in my first message. The school that is missing from the approved list is not advertising an "approved IR", just an "Instrument Rating". So I can only assume that the IR they advertise is not approved - I just don't understand what the implication is for a student who is intending on progressing to Airline employement.

What's the difference between an "approved IR" and just an "IR" (the course content seems to be the same)? Based on your information, no school can train you for an Instrument Rating unless they are approved - so how could they advertise an IR at all?

(BTW - I'd rather not get into a discussion about which school is/is not in the approved list. I don't want to unfairly implicate a school and some schools can be so twichy about these matters!)

Also - Any idea on this: "In addition one shortlisted school for the IR is listed as an approved IR school but is not listed under the "Instrument Rating (A) Modular Synthetic Flight Training" - but part of their training is provided in a simulator."

Bumpfich

[bumpfich]

Are there any flight school instructors out there who can help me? I'm sure the results of this subject would be of interest to everyone on this forum?

Someone must know?

I could call the CAA but their phonetree never gets you to the FCL department human - you only get a lot of verbal information and told to look on the web site. Which is fine - but the information provided there does not answer this question (at least having spent over an hour looking). If someone can prove me wrong please do!!! If I send an email as suggested on the website there is never a response (just an automated response stating that if the answer is on the web then you will not get a reply).

[LFS]

bumpfich,

There is no longer a non-approved IR. All schools offering training towards a JAA IR must be approved with the CAA. This involves being annualy inspected, having approved training manuals and quality system as well as approved instructor standardisation. FNPT simulators must also be approved and annualy inspected by the CAA. If the school is not on the CAA list you should ask them why not and to see a copy of their approval certificate if they say they have been approved. It may be that they have recently gained approval and the CAA list has not yet been updated.