Other countries' "IMC Ratings"?

[IO540]

Who else does this?

I've heard of

Spain
Australia (or was it NZ?)
Germany

Just curious how they worked it around their airspace system. The UK is unique (AFAIK) in allowing IFR OCAS without an IFR clearance (i.e. effectively non-radio) and this seems essential for an IMCR type privilege to work.

OTOH if the IFR sector controllers in the country in question do provide a service all the way down (which in the UK they most definitely don't) that would work OK.

[Rod1]

I was under the impression that our IMC Rating was unique, any references to the other qualifications?

Rod1

[IO540]

Only that one keeps hearing about it, plus an article on one well known IFR pilot website referring to other countries' IMC Ratings.

I can add Canada to my "hearsay" list.

Of course one could wade through the regs of each country but I am too lazy :)

[S-Works]

My interpetation of the other countries ratings are they are IR not IMC ratings. I think they confusion arises because of the fact that you can fly in IMC and because we have the unique IMC rating in the UK we like to believe that others may have the same thing and therefore possibly allow the same privelidges to UK Pilots.

Certainly I can't see anything on the PPL IR site that alludes to UK IMC rating equivalents?

[IO540]

http://www.pplir.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=107&Itemid=74

Top of the list.

[S-Works]

I think the term several countries is a bit of poetic licence on the part of the authour!

I have just spoken to my friend who is an airline pilot in Canada and he says the only rating for flight in IMC in Canada is the IR. We are just going through the paperwork at the moment so that my IR can be recognised for my trip next month. Coast to Coast from his home in Halifax to the West coast!

[Genghis the Engineer]

I visit Eastern Europe fairly often, and it's a common topic of conversation amongst pilots in the Czech republic and Slovakia - how much they would like something similar to the British IMC rating to be available to them.

G

[rustle]

No IMC rating in Australia either. Private IFR yes, but it isn't an IMC rating ;)

[OZAZTEC]

For those interested see here;-

http://www.casa.gov.au/download/caaps/ops/5_13_1.pdf

[IO540]

From the above document:

The rating allows for the whole of a flight to be
conducted under the IFR but differs from the traditional
instrument rating in that it limits the holder to flight in visual
conditions, that is with a flight visibility of at least 5000 metres
and clear of cloud when operating below LSALT. This means
that climb and descent below LSALT, even though flown under
the IFR, must be by visual reference.

A quick read does not reveal where LSALT is defined but it doesn't seem particularly useful for flying instrument approaches.

[Tinstaafl]

That's because the Oz P.IR is best thought of as a 'modular' IR. You start with what is really just a cruise IR and may then add other elements eg NDB approach, ILS approach, IFR departures etc etc.

If you do the lot then you would have the equivalent of a normal IR. Don't know if a fully loaded PIR automatically transfers into an IR or if some process has to occur (flight test? Ground test? Paperwork shuffle?) because I'd left Oz by the time it was introduced.

LSALT is published on IFR charts, approach & departure plates. It varies from route specific to area coverage. Use whichever is most appropriate.