IR/Exam Discrimination: Fighting the CAA?
Here's a question for all you UK pilots:
How many pilots do you know who are re-sitting the CPL/ATPL exams because they didn't get their IR within three years? Quite a few I am willing to bet. I know at least five personally.
Also, you can gain a fixed wing IR on a single engine piston, but not a helicopter IR? Why is that?
I think it's time the CAA seriously considered changing the rules for helicopter instrument training. They need to understand that by forcing people to train on a twin turbine (yes, I know there is one 206 at Norwich) this makes it prohibitively for people to gain an IR within three years of getting their CPL. And let's not get into the utterly useless groundschool knowledge we have been forced to learn under the "interim" period.
In the USA people seeking to be a professional pilot generally do their IR straight after their PPL - much more sensible than forcing people to fly round in circles hour building to get to 155 hours.
Am I alone in thinking this situation is crazy?
Discuss.