Originally Posted by
teubreu
If you choose not to revalidate IRSE or IRME, beware you'll have to do all the ATPL theory again if they have lapsed for more than 7 years. Therefore you should renew any IR privileges every 7 years to keep the benefits of your theoretical ATPL.
You can let your ATPL exams lapse by 7 years and get your IR back via CBIR with no exams. Technically you could even get an airline job as the requirement for a first MP TR is to have passed the ATPLs, there is no validity date specified.