Originally Posted by
AllanA
I agree completely with rudestuff, with a bit of thought and planning the CB-IR is an excellent route to take to CPL/MEIR.
Another 'agree' here, the CB-IR option is a no brainer for commercial wannabes who thoughtfully plan their training route. One other benefit is it enables students to spread their training out doing two shorter courses rather than say, one chunk of 8 weeks full-time.
However, when I tried to convince one chap I know self-funding his way to achieving his fATPL to get the IR(R) during his hour building followed by the CB-IR, he immediately dismissed my advice because "It's not the proper way and the airlines don't like it" (?!) apparently a 'commercial instructor' told him this. . . I don't know if this story was true or just his excuse for being too stubborn to even consider what I suggested - as usual - because I have less flying experience than him so heck, what do I know!
But it seems daft that airlines would disapprove of the course considering at the end of the day it IS the same full IR qualification, and the course has only been around for a few years anyway.
So if an instructor really did say this, call me cynical but could there perhaps be a trend of commercial flight schools discouraging the CB-IR route to students, as it means more savings for the students doing their IR(R) first in cheaper aircraft at their flying club, thus less ££££ squeezed out of them unnecessarily from commercial schools?
(The other thing which has always baffled me is students who spend a couple grand extra to do their CPL in a twin because "it looks better on your CV"
but that's a subject for another day)