Current work of things in EASA is towards a simplified IR ground school (basically removing all content which is jet transport specific), make the dual training hours requirements much smaller (i.e. in line with "demonstrated competence" which frankly is a hard one to argue against), and a few other bits.
The need to do the flight training in a professional school is likely to remain, but as I say it is likely to itself be significantly reduced.
The ICAO minimum dual time is 10hrs. The FAA requires 15hrs. The JAA requires 50/55hrs and that will come down. Obviously nobody can do it in 10 or 15hrs from ab initio but that is in line with going the demo competence route.
The medical requirements will also remain, JAA Class 2 for the PPL/IR but notably still with the stupid audiogram which ensures that anybody who fails it in
one ear will never be able to do the IR. This has stopped a lot of older pilots (the majority of private IR intake are older people, 50+) going the JAA route. I guess the medical departments in the national CAAs are simply too powerful.
This is just committee work so could fail, partially or totally. In any case I don't expect implementation before 2012.
A slightly reduced (maybe 20%) ground school was developed in a committee 2-3 years ago but the UK CAA (which runs the IR writtens for much of Europe) has delayed the implementation of even this little bit till late 2009. The detail is on their website somewhere. They blame some tech issue to do with exam paper production or question bank standardisation. Hohoho.
Somebody who actually wants to fly IFR around Europe should not be waiting around. Life is too short. Get the FAA IR now, get an N-reg plane, and make sure it doesn't have any mods which would be impossible to certify under EASA. Then do some fun flights
