I wouldn't bother with the CBIR exams, just take the ATPL exams and use those. You don't even need to do all of them. If you do the relevant IR subjects first, there is nothing stopping you using those instead of the IR or CBIR exams. A good idea would be:
1. PPL + Night
2. Get your IR ATPL subjects while building 50 hours XC PIC
3. CBIR (try not to use a simulator*)
4. Remaining ATPL subjects while hour building
5a. CPL SE (if tight on time or money)
5b. MEP, MEIR, CPL SE (if not)
*You dont want to avoid simulators necessarily, in some circumstances they can be very useful, but any IR training in the aircraft also counts as flight time for the CPL while simulator time does not. That's why you want to avoid anywhere that tells you to get the CPL first - you're doing 45 hours on top of your 200 rather than included in it.
Last edited by rudestuff; 11th Sep 2023 at 03:37.