It is applicable only to students who do not already have a type rating on a multi-pilot aeroplane.
For the relevant JAR ruling see my post below.
I can vouch for this: the bmi TRE who signed my bus type rating said it is a requirement; there is a section including date of previous IR expiry in the type rating paperwork AND the TRE also said that new starters HAD been sent away because their IRs had expired. It is unlikely that he said this to frighten us, given that he had already checked our licences...
Edited to remove misleading information.
Last edited by CarltonBrowne the FO; 5th Oct 2007 at 20:48.