IFR in Continental Europe

[Fujiflyer]

I have done a few searches on PPRuNe with regard to this topic and drawn little avail. At present I hold a UK IMC rating, however I would like to be able to be able to unconditionally accept IFR clearances in continental Europe without having to hold a full IR.

Does anyone know what the situation is as regards the <old> proposal for the European Instrument Weather Rating? My understanding was that there was a desire to harmonise it all - can anyone confirm, either way?

Fujiflyer

[IO540-C4D5D]

I've looked into this lately and to the best of my knowledge is a full IR is the only sure (legal) way at present, and with the country of issue of the IR matching the aircraft registration.

There may be obscure ways around the latter bit, e.g. flying a G-reg plane with a UK/JAR PPL and an FAA IR, perhaps with the IR endorsed by the "CAA" of the country you are going to.

But if you want to go IFR in Europe freely, and I see you are UK based, the only way is a UK/JAR PPL + UK/JAR IR with G-reg, or FAA PPL + FAA IR with N-reg. Then you can go "anywhere".

The FAA route involves far less ground school, much relaxed (for a PPL) medical requirements, and an easier maintenance / modification regime on the aircraft itself.

[englishal]

Unfortunately it does not seem possible to get an IR endorsement if you are already a member of the EU. Take France for example, I asked them if they would recognise an FAA IR while I am PIC of a G reg plane, and their reply was "they accept whatever the CAA accept" [and hence you can fly IFR in uncontrolled airspace only] and that they will only issue an endorsement if I can prove my resideny is outside of the EU [which it isn't]....so, back to square one.

The routes I'm thinking of are either get an N reg plane, which is my goal for the longer term, or for the immediate future, convert my FAA IR to JAA IR through the 15 hr route. At least this will allow me to easily rent an aircraft and file IFR in Europe. Maybe when I get my N reg, I'll let my JAA PPL lapse and concentrate on keeping an FAA CPL......

cheers
EA:D

[Chilli Monster]

Fuji

To answer your question about the clearances - you can't - pure and simple.

Once you leave UK airspace you are a bare bones PPL. IFR flight requires an IR - you haven't got one, you can't do it.

The old "IWR" proposal is dead and buried. As far as JAA is concerned they have harmonised licences. The IMC being a NATIONAL rating only it does not exist in the JAA's thinking.

CM

[rustle]

englishal "Maybe when I get my N reg, I'll let my JAA PPL lapse and concentrate on keeping an FAA CPL."

Why, when you've gone to the expense and trouble of getting a JAA IR, would you then let it lapse?

(Genuine question ;) )

Is it because of:
the 5-yearly JAA fee for licence?
the 2-yearly JAA flight-with-instructor?
the annual JAA IR-renewal flight?

TIA

[Tinstaafl]

I'd suspect that if he has his own N-reg & FAA ratings why bother keeping the JAA ones? Unnecessary cost I think.

The only reason would be if he wants to fly a G-reg...

[Fujiflyer]

I recalled though that there was some talk a while back (after JAR came into force) that member states which had a national instrument qualification (like our IMC) may come to a set of agreements with one another to recognise certain other member states' rating. Has this died off then, or just fallen off the list of priorities? I seem to remember the source was one of the magazines (Flyer, I think).

[foghorn]

Out of interest which other states have a national rating similar to the IMC?

[rustle]

Fujiflyer Ooops :\

There was a lengthy discussion about the IWR here:

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=73102

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=72851

I would have posted the link sooner, but I thought you were Fuji Abound, which patently you are not :O