My experience of the IR since JAR
Expensive
Time-Consuming
Difficult
Many jobs in the UK going to none UK nationals
People are economical about the real cost
The maintenance of an IR is high
The ICAO airlines are binning it for direct entry cadets in 2005
The GA man-machine interface in different than Glass cockpit
The single crew mentality has to be unlearnt in the airlines
Many people give up the IR
Only a handful of people get PPL IRs many elect to go FAA IR
It costs 6 pounds a minute and stress is disproportionaltely high
If your old, not wealthy, have kids, have a full time job forget it
The CAA partially fail you very nicely though
The Uk airlines are becoming low cost .. reciprocate - you go low cost
You could go abroad ................................... less than 6K for an JAA-IR
http://www.f-air.cz/www_anglicke/index.htm
In short its a disaster...