Jaa multi ir flight test in the states

[alexadams]

Does anyone have any info on flight schools approved to train IR in the states? Ive heard that EFT can provide multi IR training and a JAA flight test afterwards but they have no places until September. Anyone know of any other schools that can provide an examiner? I have a jaa single ir cammercial licence and need to convert it to a multi asap by the cheapest means nessary!!

Thanks,
Alex

[Stan Evil]

Although there are schools approved to train for a JAA IR in the US, you must take the test in a JAA country. For a list of US schools approved by the UK CAA look on their web site.

[BillieBob]

I understand that the next amendment to JAR-FCL 1 will include the facility for the initial IR Skill Test to be conducted outside of the JAA. That's the good news, the bad news is that a minimum of 15 hours 'familiarisation' training at an approved FTO will be required in JAA airspace after a successful Skill test.

In the case of a school approved by the UK CAA (99% of schools in non-JAA states) you can add the cost of that flying (15 x £350?) to the cost of getting a CAA flight examiner (Flexible business class airfare, accommodation at the local Hilton, £1000+ per day charge-out, etc) as well as the test fee.

Looks like this new relaxation will be of great benefit to schools that are allowed to test their own students, like Lufthansa and.....err...that's it. How strange that the amendment was pushed so hard by the LBA - or perhaps not.

[Mark Davies]

I think you will find the proposed ammendment to JAR-FCL you mention was shot down in flames months ago. Personally I very much doubt JAR will ever allow initial IRT's to be done away from European airspace.

[Keygrip]

All the above depends on the individual JAA State's interpretation of JAR-FCL.

At least one State will allow a conversion from Single engine I/R to multi engine I/R as an "add on" (which may be flown by any suitably qualified JAA examiner) as opposed to doing the conversion as an "Initial" - which requires a Staff FE to do the test.

There most certainly IS a way to do the IR-SPA-ME in the USA already.

[Mark Davies]

Keygrip. More information please. As far as the UK CAA are concerned 'upgrading' from an SE to MEIR requires a visit to a flight test centre, i.e. the terms are exactly the same as for an initial. With that in mind is what you describe valid ?

[BillieBob]

Mark - the way that the CAA choose to interpret JAR-FCL is not the way other member states choose to interpret it. In the UK all initial Instrument Rating Skill Tests are conducted by CAA flight examiners but this is not the case elsewhere - many countries delegate the test to industry and, while I don't know to which state Keygrip is referring, I am more than prepared to believe that he is correct.

This is one of the few things that is unlikely to change, as I understand it, on the inception of EASA and it will always be easier to get an IR in most countries than in the UK. I'm noticing that the airline recruiters are beginning to realise this and I sense an increasing bias in recruitment by UK airlines towards candidates who have passed the IR in the UK. If the quality of the two chaps I have just trained (or, in one case, failed to train) is anything to go by, I can well see why!!

[Philip Aerodynamics]

15 hrs conversion is not enough you need at least 20 hrs for the ME IR. We use the BE 76 here in Malaga and have had several successful students with only 2 having to re-test. Both of them tried the IR conversion in the minimum time (15 hrs). If you think it might be worth doing a FAA IR first then converting to save money. It doesn´t!