PPL / IR / ME THEN CPL... too good to be true?

[jameslongworth]

Now I've maybe got the wrong end of the stick, but with passes in all my ATPL ground school subjects is there anything to stop me going to spain and adding and IR and ME to my PPL, then returning to the UK to get a reduced 15 hour CPL?

It seems too good to be true - the license is UK issued, I save a fortune training in somewhere like Aerofan in Spain, and get a holiday thrown in too!

I know the CAA aren't keen on foreign issued CPLs but I can't see any flaws with this cunning plan...

Any thoughts or opinions on the subject much appreciated.

[jamojdm]

Cant help with ur question, but hopefully you can answer mine, what schools and how much will it cost? I'm just about to start the atpl's and am already looking ahead to where I'll do the flight training.

Many Thanks


Jamo

[G SXTY]

My first thought – without knowing your background - is that the jump from PPL to multi IR is a huge one (e.g. C152 to Seneca), so you may well end up needing additional hours (and money) to bring you up to IRT standard.

On the other hand, there is a more gradual progression from PPL to CPL / multi to IR, as you’re going from a simple single engine type to a complex single, then multi, then the IRT.

Horses for courses.

[Philip Aerodynamics]

Our students do exactly that, some find it hard going back to the visual CPL after 65hrs on instruments. But some find it hard doing the Instruments on the CPL course. For me its about timing. With weather good in the U.K during the summer get the CPL done. Come september onwards look for brighter shores and here in Spain we have it. I would recommend to everybody do at least one of the courses (MEIR CPL) in the U.K. We offer a combined course with BCT kemble with CPL U.K ME/IR done here in Malaga its all REAL time (80hrs) and no sims . we have a FNPT 2 for ME/IR students for a reduced price. NDB VOR ILS on airfield. You have control.

[jameslongworth]

All fair comments and much appreciated. I spoke to a UK FTO yesterday who said that they have had little differences in pass rates with students that have done CPL then IR or vice versa.

It probably is horses for courses and I like a challenge!

[smith]

I think Stapleford do it this way, ie IR before CPL in their structured modular course. This reduces flying hours and hence costs.

[EGBKFLYER]

Been talked about before, but I reckon IR before CPL is no big deal if you have a bit of experience post-PPL. That's the way I did it and though the savings were minimal (about £1000 in summer 2004) I had no problems.

[jameslongworth]

Just to confirm I can get the JAA IR in Spain then come back to the UK and train for my CPL and the IR can simply be added to it?

Thanks for all the advice!