Fuji,
I think the reason there are not many responses is because of the title- no one knows what the thread is about, so perhaps dont bother looking.
As for your C of A renewal costs, sounds like bad news, glad Ive got Permit aircraft!
I have an IR and ATPL, but only use it for work, for fun I just fly around VFR.
Im not sure what the problem with the PPL IR is?? I did mine when it was still CAA (just) training seemed appropriate, it cost a lot, because a/ it was in a twin and b/it was a CAFU approved aircraft.
I guess you still get problem b/ doing it in a single. Very odd situation when you can do almost the same stuff with an IMC rating, but you dont need a CAFU approved aircraft for that.
I guess the question to ask here, is do other EASA country aircraft have to be specifically approved to do IR training and if not why do they need to be here. (or maybe this regulation no longer exists and Im talking cr*p!)
Now do you have to do all those pointless ATPL ground exams to get a PPL IR. If so then this is really stupid. This is just a job creation scheme for people in the CAA. The whole lot is 99% pointless certainly to airline flying.
Now wouldnt it be better if the CAA just accepted an FAA IR and that was it!
How about finding out how all those East European pilots flying for Ryanair got around all of this?? Perhaps the Ukraine CAA will give you an IR based on an FAA one, then you can get an Irish IR based on the Ukraine one, which maybe our CAA will then recognise!??
The new GA alliance seems to be getting things moving a bit with the Government and EU. Hopefully they will save us from some of the rubbish coming our way, at least they suceeded with the attempt to charge aircraft below 2000kg Navigation charges.
I think AOPA is a member of the GA alliance, which seems to represent most of the aviation groups.