Revalidation of FI Rating

[MaxAOB]

I obtained my FI(R) last August and was told by the Examiner that it was valid for 3 years. Turns out that all tests taken before 1 Jan 2000 were only valid for the old duration ie 13 months even though we had to do the JAR course! Having been away a lot this year I only have about 70 hours instructing and may not be able to take a test within 13 months. I have the seminar booked but what are the penalties of not taking the flight test until after my rating effectively expires? Answers please.

[Meeb]

I am pretty sure it is the same whether you are inside the 13 months or outside, you just do the test.

Does any knowledgeable soul know if a FI C of T on a multi engine type cover the SE FI privileges?

[DB6]

Max, old fruit, fear not. I was in exactly the same situation as yourself but a call to the CAA revealed that there was a slight mistake in the AIC in question and your rating (i.e. JAR rating issued before 1 Jan 2000) is in fact valid for 25 months. I think Tim Denyer is the man to speak to, good chap and very helpful. The revalidation criteria remain the same but you have 2 years to meet them. Ratings issued after 1 Jan 2000 have 3 year validity.
Meeb, Watford will know that one if he's around.

[pondlife]

I should check that last post. I suspect that the 25 months is for the FI rating revalidation, and it would be 13 months for the FI(R) revalidation or initial.

[DB6]

Nope, FI(R) is what I meant. At the time I spoke to the CAA that is what I had (restriction has since been lifted) and that is what they told me.

[MaxAOB]

Thanx for the response I will try and call Tim Denyer and publicise his answer. :) ;) :)

[MaxAOB]

:) Have spoken to Tim Denyer who was very helpful. The answer is that if you completed a JAR course and flight test before 1 Jan 2000 your FI(R) rating IS valid for 25 months. He also impressed on me the importance to get on with the revalidation process as soon as you can in the last 12 months of the rating. ie Once you achieve two out of the three you will get a new 3 year period commencing on completion of your old rating. For example, rating expires 25 September 2001. Have more than 100 hrs instructing and 30 between October and say December 2000, attend seminar in March 2001 you will get a new rating which expires on 25 September 2004! Trust you get the idea. Was all to do with ANO not being amended etc.
:) ;) :)

[This message has been edited by MaxAOB (edited 06 July 2000).]

[watford]

Sorry, Meeb, I hadn't spotted your question when I glanced at this thread earlier.

When you revalidate your FI rating by proficiency check, as one of the two required items, the FIE should note that you are dual qualified and, if the revalidation flight check is on a twin, should ask questions on the single during the ground element, and vice versa. That having been done, the CofT should be endorsed SE/ME.

However, under the wierd JAA rules, if you choose to revalidate by experience and seminar you will still revalidate both SE and ME assuming that you hold both qualifications. So, having become a ME Piston CRI (for that is what a ME instructor rating now equates to) you retain the qualification whether or not you ever subsequently instruct on a ME aeroplane. It's just another one of those things that the JAA bureaucrats have let through as a result of not understanding the industry they are legislating for.

Most of the JAA's problems can, in my view, be put down to the fact that the vast majority of members of the various committees are not now and never have been in possession of a pilot's licence. Furthermore, few of the minority that are or have been pilots have been either instructors or examiners and so the FI legislation is even more of a mess than the rest of JAR-FCL. But that's another story.

[foxmoth]

MAXAob
I thought the renewal test was mandatory and it was then either/or for the 100hrs/seminar- but I am probably reading it wrong as usual.
Also seems a bit unfair to me that we have to do 100hrs instructing still when we now only have 25 months to do so. (not ALL of us instruct full time!).

[watford]

Well done, foxmoth - you couldn't have got it more wrong!
---------------

JAR–FCL 1.355 FI(A) – Revalidation and renewal

(See Appendices 1 and 2 to JAR–FCL 1.330 & 1.345)
(See IEM FCL 1.355)

(a) For revalidation of a FI(A) rating the holder shall fulfil two of the following three requirements:

(1) completed at least 100 hours of flight instruction during the period of validity of the rating, including at least 30 hours of flight instruction within the 12 months preceding the expiry date of the FI rating, 10 hours of this 30 hours shall be instruction for an IR if the privileges to instruct for IR are to be revalidated;

(2) attended a FI refresher seminar, as approved by the Authority, within the 12 months preceding the expiry date of the FI rating;

(3) passed, as a proficiency check, the skill test set out in Appendices 1 and 2 to JAR–FCL 1.330 and 1.345 within the 12 months preceding the expiry date of the FI rating.

(b) If the rating has lapsed, the applicant shall meet the requirements as set out in (a)(2) and (a)(3) above within the last 12 months before renewal .

JAR–FCL 1.315 Instructor ratings – Period of validity

All instructor ratings are valid for a period of three years.

-----------------------------
If an FI has not achieved 100 hours instructing in 3 years (not 25 months) then it is, in my view, quite right to require him/her to attend a seminar and undertake a proficiency check to confirm that he/she has not become too rusty.

Strangely enough, there are a few FIs around who instruct so little and have such a tenuous grasp of the regulations of their trade that the seminar/proficiency check is a very good option.

[BEagle]

Watford - I'm with you on this!! I find it quite unbelievable that so few FIs seem to have kept up with the regulations now in effect; although to be fair the CAA could have done a much better job of publicising the requirements directly to their FI database. You do have one, don't you chaps??
The seminar is a good option for most, bearing in mind the nature of the FI revalidation flight test, the British weather and the availability of aircraft and FI(E)s. One of my FIs tried 8 times to do his revalidation flight test - whereas I just turned up and had 2 thoroughly enjoyable days courtesy of Tony Kember over in Cambridge.

[foxmoth]

Watford
I may have got the 2 out of the 3 wrong (which was a bit of a question anyway), but as far as the 3 years validity(not 25 months) goes, THIS was the whole subject of the thread - from what has been already said on the thread, an AIC has been put out and if you renewed before the beginning of the year you DO NOT get the three years.

[DB6]

On the subject of these seminars, do any of you knowledgeable folks know how to find out where and when they take place ?

[BEagle]

Try http://www.flightexaminers.com or http://www.aopa.co.uk

Don't know about the AOPA seminar, but the ETA one was mostly excellent. Cost around £200-250 PLUS overnight acccommodation.

[This message has been edited by BEagle (edited 09 July 2000).]