So if they can't do it in 15 hours then is the air over their different as is osmetimes claimed
after all the only things that are really likely to fail you are the skill based stuff - holds, approaches and busting levels. Or is it not really trained to the same standards as maybe the CAA would have us believe.
It can be and is done in the minimum of 10hrs in the sim and 5hrs in the aircraft. It's not easy, but it's not an issue of different standards - more a different test structure and some skills not practised often - the NDB tracking and formal Hold entry and pattern with wind/drift adjustment.
There are 6-12 standard training routes from each of the airports where the test is conducted. They take 1.5-2hrs to fly. So the 15hrs needs to include whatever de-rusting you need, practising NDB work, flying as many of the test routes as possible to get familiar with them, and, in general, practising the way you will be expected to conduct the Test flight (using the school's operations manual, performing simulated ice checks).
The ab-initio candidates will have spent 55hrs on the course - so they will know the training routes and approaches off by heart. Doing a conversion, if 15hrs sounds a lot for an existing IR, remember a lot of that is flying the training routes.
If you took the opposite case, a JAA IR going to pass the FAA IR checkride, it could take someone say 10hrs of training - to de-rust, and to get used to the ad-hoc way tasks and unbriefed procedures are thrown at you - plus the expectation that you know how to use all the aircraft equipment in what might be an unfamiliar aircraft at a training school, plus the rapid-fire ATC style and the partial panel approach. But the total time would probably be lower because there is less reason to fly long practice routes.
brgds
421C