Help Please - Converting an MEIR to an IMC Rating !??
For the past 3 years since getting my MEIR in April 2005 I have been diligently renewing my IR (and multi rating when not in the sim). However, as I have now pretty much drawn a line under trying to get in with ‘the airlines’ and moving on with my life I now question the logic and cost of renewing my MEIR, which since it was done in the sim last May would have to be done in a twin this year !
I fly 100+ hours per year but never IFR. I do however, regularly encounter IMC as I paradrop and we often need to transit cloud layers or fly in marginal conditions. Now here is the slight twist. During the course of our high altitude drops we must enter controlled airspace and so the IR allows me to do this legally. However, for the purposes of paradropping only, pilots with an IMC rating are allowed into CAS.
So, I was wondering what is involved in converting an MEIR into an IMC rating. Another option would be to convert it to a SEP IR, but from what I gather there are only a handful of these issued each year ! As an aside I’m off to Florida in April so would be in a position to renew my MEIR at a cheaper cost (though thanks to pummelled £ - not so cheap !!) than in the UK. Indeed, this was my initial intention, but I’m now thinking what is the point, and IMC rating is really all I need !
I was going to pose this in Wannabes but on reflection feel that this or ‘Private Flying’ is perhaps a more appropriate forum. Your thoughts please.
Thanks.
CG.