JAA IR(A) Reqt's being reviewed for PPLs

[RVR800]

I think that FFF has it right - countries wanting to be part of the international civil aviation scene should have a common IR.

The IR was seen under JAA as a test of metal for the ATPL rather like (as rustle suggests) the ATP check ride is in the USA although for Airline Pilots there is now one IR specific to Airline pilots under JAR - that has an appropriate standard.
Its the "multi-crew" IR. Many JAA airline pilots let their single crew IR lapse since the multi-crew one was introduced.

The technology is another big challenge - in the USA NDBs are being withdrawn and GPS approaches are being introduced
The IR is currently out of date and needs changing to reflect the new technology - that change is happening abroad and will happen here soon. The regulators are having difficulty keeping up I reckon. Anything that involves instruments is bound to need updating with the new technologies more often as time progresses and the gap between GA and airlines is widening in the area of instruments. The cost of a simulators and technology is falling as well - trouble is the cost of operating an old GA twin is rising.......

Much of the discussions as to how this new IR will manifest itself will be about how to get from A to B without upsetting the applecart. Many people are involved in this. If it's done right it could be safer and there could be more pilots flying and the sector could expand in Europe. A vision of where they want to go has been set though and thats a big step in iteslf.

The unfortunate thing though, is that in Europe, particularly in those countries without the IMC rating, there is a such a low take up of the JAA-IR that it cannot be sustainable or safe to let that continue.

Another big thing coming in next year is the MPL which severs the link between some new airline pilots and the single crew IR training which for these MPL rookies will be done on on a simulator in a multi-crew glass cockpit environment.

Challenges ahead....