N-Reg Confusion

[mm_flynn]

A summary of the rules (believed to be correct)

G-Reg Aircraft

• Old CAA/UK PPL - Can fly VFR anywhere but subject UK restrictions, Can fly IFR in a limited sense in the UK (allowed to fly IFR OCAS elsewhere but realistically nowhere else allows IFR without an clearance and an IR)
• JAA/UK PPL - Can fly VFR anywhere but subject UK restrictions, Can fly IFR in the context of night flight OCAS, but does not have the limited IFR privileges of the old CAA licence.
• JAA/UK IMC - Can fly VFR anywhere, almost surely no longer subject to in sight of surface limit globally, can fly IFR but not class A in the UK
• JAA/UK IR - No worries
• FAA/PPL can fly VFR anywhere, can not fly IFR, but maybe can fly UK night IFR (as the intent is clearly not to require any instrument skills for this type of IFR)(The referenced JAR-FCL 1.175 I believe also addresses the UK weird night IFR but not really IFR issue by excluding this case from the more general restriction)
• FAA/IR Can fly VFR anywhere, can fly IFR outside controlled airspace (But of limited use see above)

N-Reg Aircraft

• JAA/UK PPL Can fly VFR (subject to all UK restrictions) in the UK (and maybe the United States of Europe)
• JAA/UK IMC Probably can exercise all privileges of the UK IMC in UK airspace (many people say they have written confirmation of this statement)
• JAA/UK IR Can fly IFR in all airspace in the UK
• FAA PPL can fly anywhere VFR, may as stated above be able to fly IFR in the UK in VMC in the OCAS, can not fly night IFR in places like Ireland where they require real IFR (i.e. clearance and rating)
• FAA IR - no worries, but may not be able to do DIY approaches in the UK like an IMCr/IR holder (US IFR doesn't allow this, but it is in part 91 which broadly is superseded by ICAO and local regs outside the US).