FSJ
10th Jan 2009, 11:24
In the 'old days' life was so simple! When one needed to renew an instrument rating or other rating, one simply went to the closest Examiner (UK CAA or whatever) and had it done...........then came JAR!
Suddenly an IRE was either an SPA IRE or a MPA IRE!
Not a big problem for those who remain within the European Region (or even to an extent within the USA), nor a great problem for those employed by airlines (as they have in-house examiners and the company pays).....
But for the General Aviation Pilots operating SPA the number of examiners available for renewals suddenly was reduced by almost 70%! For those pilots based outside Europe, that number was now reduced by 100%!
Previously, one could renew with an experienced Cathay Pacific Captain holding a CAA IRE in Hong Kong, or even his counterpart working for Singapore Airlines. But now it would appear that the CAA/JAA in their infinite wisdom of piloting desks have decided that these chaps operating in all weather IFR globally, accumulating hundreds of flight hours per year in a multi-crew environment, are unsuitable to continue to renew IRs on Single Pilot Aircraft. One has to wonder why what was acceptable 7 years ago is no longer the case.
Despite correspondance with the UK CAA highlighting this problem, they seem to be both entirely disinterested, and unwilling to offer assistance.
Strange really, when the Aviation Medical Department of the UK CAA appear to be so organised, providing lists of AMEs world-wide where you can have a UK CAA or JAA medical done for, in some cases, less than half of the cost in the UK. I recently suggested that the UK CAA provide similar information pertaining to FEs, which so far appears to have fallen on deaf ears! Makes me wonder why we are all paying such substantial amounts for licence fees to the CAA and other JAA authorities!
So, to finally get to the point:
1. Does anyone know of any IRE SPA (UK or JAA) within the Asian region who are able to renew Multi-Engine IRs?
2. Does anyone know of any IRE SPA (JAA) within one of the Eastern European Countries where one can arrive, get in the plane, jump through the hoops, pay the money, and have your IR renewed without having to travel the extrra distance to the UK, and, more importantly have to deal with both the BS there and higher costs?
3. Same question as 1 & 2 above but with respect to renewing Flight Instructors/Examiners Ratings also.
I hope this will assist others in similar situations.
Thanks in advance.
FSJ
Suddenly an IRE was either an SPA IRE or a MPA IRE!
Not a big problem for those who remain within the European Region (or even to an extent within the USA), nor a great problem for those employed by airlines (as they have in-house examiners and the company pays).....
But for the General Aviation Pilots operating SPA the number of examiners available for renewals suddenly was reduced by almost 70%! For those pilots based outside Europe, that number was now reduced by 100%!
Previously, one could renew with an experienced Cathay Pacific Captain holding a CAA IRE in Hong Kong, or even his counterpart working for Singapore Airlines. But now it would appear that the CAA/JAA in their infinite wisdom of piloting desks have decided that these chaps operating in all weather IFR globally, accumulating hundreds of flight hours per year in a multi-crew environment, are unsuitable to continue to renew IRs on Single Pilot Aircraft. One has to wonder why what was acceptable 7 years ago is no longer the case.
Despite correspondance with the UK CAA highlighting this problem, they seem to be both entirely disinterested, and unwilling to offer assistance.
Strange really, when the Aviation Medical Department of the UK CAA appear to be so organised, providing lists of AMEs world-wide where you can have a UK CAA or JAA medical done for, in some cases, less than half of the cost in the UK. I recently suggested that the UK CAA provide similar information pertaining to FEs, which so far appears to have fallen on deaf ears! Makes me wonder why we are all paying such substantial amounts for licence fees to the CAA and other JAA authorities!
So, to finally get to the point:
1. Does anyone know of any IRE SPA (UK or JAA) within the Asian region who are able to renew Multi-Engine IRs?
2. Does anyone know of any IRE SPA (JAA) within one of the Eastern European Countries where one can arrive, get in the plane, jump through the hoops, pay the money, and have your IR renewed without having to travel the extrra distance to the UK, and, more importantly have to deal with both the BS there and higher costs?
3. Same question as 1 & 2 above but with respect to renewing Flight Instructors/Examiners Ratings also.
I hope this will assist others in similar situations.
Thanks in advance.
FSJ