Use of a CRI rating

[nick14]

Hello all,

I was contemplating getting a CRI rating along with a Ground instructor certificate to keep my touch with the GA side of things with the time off I have from the day job.

My main question is would any school want someone with just a CRI rating or would they much rather use a FI? What real use could I get out of a CRI rating if any?

Many thanks

Nick

[S-Works]

You can do everything but ab-initio PPL training and Night Qualification.

Tailwheel
Constant Speed
Retract
Pressurised
Turbo
EFIS
SLPC

You can do an IRI Course and teach for the IR and the IMCr. You can do a type rating course and teach for SPA Type & Class Ratings.

You can convert the holders of NPPL from ML to SSEA and vice versa.

You can carry out the 2 year Instructional flights. You can do type conversions, training for pilots who have a lapsed licence in preparation for an LPC.

You can do a CRI (ME) and teach for the Multi Engine rating.

If you have more than 800hrs P1 you could apply to become an LAA Coach and with it become a Revalidation Examiner and sign certificates of revalidation by experience.

With enough teaching time and a need you could become a Flight Examiner and carry out LPC/LST test for a variety of purposes and become an IR Examiner able to do IR revalidation's. If you do the GRI certificate you could become a GRE and conduct the PPL & IMCr ground exams.

There is more, but I think you should be able to get the drift. Whilst I hold an unrestricted FI as I work in an AOC and TRTO environment I only ever use the privileges of my CRI (SE/ME) and Examiner ratings.

If you are looking to get involved with GA to put something in rather than wanting to work in the ab-initio field the CRI is a superb rating. Just bear in mind that there is less involved in gaining the rating and thus the onus is on you to ensure that your skills match the privileges that you will gain. Small steps rather than giant leaps.

[nick14]

Bose-x

Thanks very much for your reply, it certainly does seem like a useful rating however would I be irritating people by trying to offer the use of the rating to schools when they have FI's to do the same job? Is there anything a CRI can do that an FI can't?

Cheers

[belowradar]

I suspect that a CRI cannot act as duty FI for restricted FI's (can anyone confirm this for me ?)

[S-Works]

A CRI does not come out of the box restricted for a start so has larger opportunity for freelance.

If a school needs an Instructor and they have work for a CRI then who would you be irritating?

Personally I would suggest that you think outside the box. Aviation is a much bigger place than the average flying school and there are far more fish to fry for a freelance!! If you want to teach for the PPL you will need a school or a club. You will need an FI to teach for the PPL.

However I know of quite a number of schools who use part time CRI's for club checks, recurrent training etc. Also if you do the GRI you will find yourself with plenty of work, in my experience most of the hours building FI's are not interested in teaching Ground School as it puts nothing in the logbook.

[nick14]

Thanks for the help

I will ask around at the local clubs and see whether there is a need.

Cheers:ok:

[Whopity]

I suspect that a CRI cannot act as duty FI for restricted FI's (can anyone confirm this for me ?)

JAR–FCL 1.325 FI(A) – Restricted
privileges
(a) Restricted period. Until the holder of a
FI(A) rating has completed at least 100 hours
flight instruction and, in addition, has supervised
at least 25 student solo flights, the privileges of
the rating are restricted. The restrictions will be
removed from the rating when the above
requirements have been met and on the
recommendation of the supervising FI(A).How could you supervise something you are not qualified to do?

[belowradar]

Whopity

Thanks for the answer - I suspected so but with CAA logic is not always the best guide

[nick14]

Ok then,

Supposing I did get a rating would I be restricted to only signing and conducting training for those with the same state of licence as my own?

I have an irish licence so would I be restricted to only being a CRI in the eyes of the Irish?

Cheers

[S-Works]

No. A CRI is a JAA rating in exactly the same way as an FI, TRI etc.

[gijoe]

Given the recent announcement about training at unlicensed airfields can someone give me an answer to this question, or point me in the right direction to get a reference?

The scenario:

Lifetime PPL(A) holder with lapsed rating wants to do undertake training at an unlicensed airfield with a CRI(A) in preparation for a LPC to get his licence back upto speed. Assume properly maintained and insured aircraft not operated by an FTO.

Q. Can a CRI(A) carry out this training?

:confused:

[ifitaintboeing]

Yes, the CRI can conduct that training. They do not need a licensed airfield for that anyway :- it is not training for the initial issue of a licence or rating.

ifitaint..

[gijoe]

Ifitaint,

Many thanks - Having studied LASORS 2008 (New one when?) I will go with that and totally agree with you.

G :ok:

[BillieBob]

Make the most of it, guys. Come the revolution, the privileges of a CRI will be to instruct for:

(1) the issue, revalidation or renewal of a type or class rating for non-complex non high performance single-pilot aeroplanes, when the privileges sought by the applicant are to fly in single-pilot operations;

(2) a towing and/or aerobatic rating for the aeroplane category, provided the CRI holds the relevant rating and has demonstrated the ability to instruct for that rating to an FI qualified in accordance with FCL.905.FI(i).

and nothing more. Note that these privileges do not include differences training for tailwheel, constant speed, retract, etc, etc. Welcome to the wonderful world of EASA where the concept of grandfather rights does not exist.

[S-Works]

Billiebob, where did you extract that from? Do you have a link to the original document?

That would have a crippling effect on us as a company as many of our pilots who teach for our type ratings do so on a CRI (ME). We are a line operation not a flying school and there is no benefit in sending people on an FI course. I should imagine that apart from the odd guys who teach in their spare time I am the only one with a valid unrestricted FI(A) yet I only use my CRI (SE/ME) privileges generally.

[Whopity]

The latest EASA-FCL NPA http://hub.easa.europa.eu/crt/docs/viewcrdpdf/id_44 and http://www.easa.europa.eu/ws_prod/r/doc/CRD b.2 - Combined Subparts + Appendices.pdf

[BillieBob]

Bear in mind that you can now comment only on the changes that have been made to the original NPA and not on the NPA itself, for which the comment period has long expired. The original wording of the article was:

(a) The privileges of a CRI are to instruct for the issue, revalidation or renewal of a type or class rating for single pilot aeroplanes.

What the amendment has done is to (i) prevent a CRI from instructing for any SPA type or class rating if the candidate is seeking a rating endorsed for multi-pilot operations, (ii) prevent the CRI from instructing on complex, high performance aircraft and (iii) added the privilege to instruct for a towing and/or aerobatic rating.

It is these three changes on which comments will be accepted and they must be made by 9 June 2010 using EASA's online Comment Response Tool.

Instruction for a SPA type rating endorsed for multi-pilot operations or for a type rating on complex, high performance aeroplanes will be the province of the TRI(SPA). The privileges of this new animal will be to instruct for:

(1) the issue, revalidation and renewal of type ratings for single-pilot high
performance complex aeroplanes when the applicant seeks privileges to
operate in single-pilot operations.

The privileges of the TRI(SPA) may be extended to instruction for single-pilot
high performance complex aeroplanes type ratings in multi-pilot operations,
provided that the TRI:

(i) holds an MCCI certificate; or
(ii) holds or has held a TRI certificate for multi-pilot aeroplanes.

(2) the MPL course on the basic phase, provided that he/she has the privileges
extended to multi-pilot operations and holds or has held an FI(A) or an IRI(A) certificate.

So it will be necessary to hold a TRI(SPA) certificate to instruct in complex, high performance, single-pilot aeroplanes and, additionally, a CRI certificate to instruct in non-complex, non-high performance, single pilot aeroplanes.

Welcome to the brave new world of EASA.

p.s. And I've just noticed that the bi-annual flight for revalidation of a SEP class rating will have to be conducted by an examiner and not an instructor, one more thing that the CRI will no longer be able to do.

[S-Works]

Interesting. So who will be able to do differences training? What about things like SET?

This is an interesting bag of worms, as I said at work we have CRI's but not many current FI's. These guys are flying Turbine aircraft for a living and I even if we paid are unlikely to want to go back to doing a piston FI rating, this leaves me with limited resources to train new pilots and handle recurrancy training.

[mad_jock]

bi-annual flight for revalidation of a SEP class rating will have to be conducted by an examiner

Thank goodness for that.

[gijoe]

MJ,

Why is it a 'thank goodness for that' then?

Please do tell...

Is 'biannual' rather than 'biennial' another little EASA gem?

[BillieBob]

Is 'biannual' rather than 'biennial' another little EASA gem?No, just a brain fart caused by reading too much EASA bull$hit. Sorry.

[BillieBob]

So who will be able to do differences training? What about things like SET?As far as I can see, only FIs will be able to conduct differences training as theirs are the only privileges to include instruction for class and type ratings for single-pilot, single-engine aircraft generally (i.e. without specifying "the issue, revalidation and renewal" of ratings as the CRI privileges do) and for class extensions, which I take as meaning tailwheel, VP prop, etc.

So far as SET is concerned, a CRI will be able to instruct for SET class and type ratings provided that the aircraft is not classified as a complex, high performance aeroplane (e.g. Cessna SET, etc.) Instruction for complex, high performance SET ratings (e.g. TBM700, AT802, etc.) will have to be done by a TRI(SPA). Mind you, the problem is not helped by EASA getting up to its usual tricks and throwing in new terms without defining them - I cannot immediately find a definition of 'complex, high performance aeroplane', either in the NPA or in CS Definitions. We might assume that 'complex' and 'high performance aeroplanes' are as defined as in JAR-FCL but it is only an assumption.

It is also not clear what will happen in the case of aircraft that currently hold national ratings for which there is no EASA equivalent, such as the Finist SET and DO28G-92. Since they do not qualify as Annex II aircraft they will, presumably, have to be issued with an EASA type certificate in accordance with article 5 of the Basic Regulation if current class/type ratings are to remain valid.

....are unlikely to want to go back to doing a piston FI ratingThe privileges of an FI do not include instruction on complex, high performance aeroplanes, only a TRI(SPA) can do this.

I'm still working my way through the almost 4500 pages of text that comprise the CRD and so there may yet be more to come. For example, the pre-entry requirements for an FI certificate still include CPL level knowledge, although they have at least eased the requirement to actually hold a CPL. A PPL holder with a FI certificate may be remunerated but only for the provision of flight instruction for the LAPL or PPL (i.e. not for class or type ratings, differences training, etc., which must be unremunerated.)

[S-Works]

This is another clusterf*ck.

The Dornier is not an Annex II aircraft it is a full EASA type certificate and type ratings are issued as such, the Finist however is in a world of it's own and various countries issue the rating in different ways. The UK issues as a national rating although non are on the G Reg. Hungary issue unrestricted as do Italy and Spain...... Nothing like JAA consistency!!!

[BillieBob]

Apologies, bose, I missed the DO28 in the EASA list. I was fooled by the CAA still publishing it as a national rating. However, the comment still stands for the Finist and Glasair II/III SET.

I finally found reference in the Expanatory Note to the meaning of 'complex' in relation to the NPA, which refers to the definition in the basic regulation and not the JAR-FCL definition. Consequently, complex in this context means an aeroplane with a maximum certificated take-off mass exceeding 5 700 kg, or certificated for a maximum passenger seating configuration of more than nineteen, or certificated for operation with a minimum crew of at least two pilots, or equipped with (a) turbojet engine(s) or more than one turboprop engine. Consequently, a CRI will be able to instruct for SET class ratings but not for any MET type rating (or for SE turbojets when they arrive).

[mad_jock]

Its thank goodness because its a load of bollocks.

Also by making it examiner only there may be a chance that they can actually do something about someone who is sub standard.

It also stops inflicting zero to hero, hour grabbing pillocks on pilots who are more experenced than they are.

[gijoe]

Thanks for your eloquent thoughts...

:ok:

[S-Works]

Consequently, a CRI will be able to instruct for SET class ratings but not for any MET type rating (or for SE turbojets when they arrive).

What about SPA MET under 5700kg?

[BillieBob]

Only if it is not defined as HPA (Currently only the Asta MET, DHC6, DO128/228/28-G92, EMB110,Tracker S2FT, P166, BN2T & Skyvan). An aeroplane with more than one turboprop engine is defined as 'complex' by the Basic Regulation and if it is also classed as HPA only a TRI(SPA) can provide instruction for a rating on such a type.

[MIKECR]

A bit of an odd question, but does anyone have any idea what a restricted FI would have to do to gain a CRI rating? Would the CAA perhaps issue a CRI rating on the basis of the already gained FI(r) rating or would they require the candidate to complete the relevant CRI course?? I have checked Lasors etc but cant find anything. Theres method in the madness for asking this one!

[Whiskey Kilo Wanderer]

I must confess I'm not sure of the relationship between an FI(r) and and AFI(A). However Section H3.6 of LASORS seems to indicate that the holder of a valid AFI(A) needs to meet the revalidation requirements of the CRI. The holder of an expired AFI(A) needs to meet the renewal criteria. Both of these are listed in Section H 3.5.

I hope this helps. No doubt someone more expert will be along in a moment with the correct answer.

Safe Flying,
Richard W.