Route to CPL IR

[RichieC43]

Folks, many a similar thread but Im looking for specifics to an oft asked question.

As a 125hr CAA PPL/night holder Im looking to get my CPL/IR frozen ATPL together in the next couple of years. Class 1 medical is sorted so I am planning on hour building to 150hr TT as a next step followed by ATPL theory exams.

Im not entirely sure of the time constraint of the ATPL exams with regard to how long I have from commencing them to finishing them and from finishing them to getting the IR, 3 years rings a bell, can anyone help?

Next step would be to complete an CPL/ME in the US. Is there any benefit to complete an FAA IR as part of this or any hour building? (is there in fact a pre course hour requirement for the FAA IR?) I understand the CPL/ME offers a 10 hr reduction off the CPL/IR, Ive read the 40hrs of the FAA IR offers a saving from the subsequent JAA IR??

Im steering away from a UK IMC for the uncertainty surrounding it at present but having little instrument time may well prove worthwhile if I treat it as an intro to the full IR.

Finally my plan would be to complete a JAA IR with a UK provider for issue of a frozen ATPL. Is it still the case that prespective employers are looking for quality training in a logbook, perhaps the IR from one of the better UK schools would be beneficial? Im not expecting all of the doors to open with a minimum hours frozen ATPL but gather several regional turboprop operators are still actively recruiting with just this.

Essentially I want to keep the price of my remaining "modules" down without ending up with a logbook which may look like cheap hours abroad.

Thanks for any thoughts or opinions

Rgds

Rich

[RichieC43]

Anybody?

Thanks

Rich

[neilia]

Rich,

For conversion of FAA IR to JAA IR the requirements are in LASORS. I doubt you'll see any financial benefit from doing the FAA IR first.

3 years to get your IR after completion of ATPL exams, can't remember max timescale for ATPL study, most people seem to do 12 to 18 months.

If you satisfy the FULL requirements for issue of a CPL when you start the IR course, the course can be reduced to 50 hours (if you've passed the CPL but still need to do a few hours, for example, you have to do the full 55 hour IR).

If you do a CPL abroad you will also have to convert that to JAA.

As regards pick n mix training - some will tell you it doesn't make the slightest difference where your training is done. However, food for thought - FlyBe, probably the biggest recruiter in the UK at the minute - state a requirement for "one stop" modular, i.e. CPL and IR done at the same school.

Hope that offers some help.

Cheers
Neil

[RichieC43]

Thanks Neil,
Ill have a good scan of LASORS but had in my mind 40hrs of the FAA IR stood towards the issue of the JAR IR. The thing which may have made a difference would have been any minimum requirements for commencing the FAA rating vs the JAR one, therefore it might have been a good thing to do in the US tagged onto hour building.

With regards to converting a CPL done abroad, it was my intention to complete it at a JAR school stateside.

Interesting point about FlyBe, although I can see that the IR and CPL would be the obvious ones to watch to demonstrate quality of training.

Thanks again,

Rich

PS, I recall a website which listed who was recruiting and what they required as Im not really revealing many small airline/turbo prop type jobs, what are the favourite job sites?

[neilia]

Just had a quick butchers at an old LASORS, with an ICAO IR you have to do 15 hours instrument training, of which 10 can be in an FNPT2, plus the flight test, so I guess there's a bit of a spreadsheet required to work out your cheapest option! ;)

My personal opinion is that this whole gaff costs a lot of money whichever way you do it, so why gamble with training - pay the money and do all your professional training at a well-regarded school in the UK. As I say, though, that's just my opinion, and I'm still looking for a job!

ppjn.com lists recruitment info, not always current for all airlines. Though if you're a couple of years away, the situation will be completely different when you enter the market.

[RichieC43]

Thanks again Neil. I think to be honest, in the big scheme of things, there isnt a massive diference in cost between an FAA IR converted to JAR vs doing it here to begin with.

I see your point, you only get one crack at putting together quality training, thanks for the link.

Rich

Update: having had a poke about, ball park figures, an FAA IR wil cost about £4500 (plus flights etc), the 15 hr conversion in the UK is approximately £3500 so a bit of a saving on a UK based IR - prime example though of quality vs £$