IMCR and IR
I find the politics surrounding this debate criminal. We are talking about promoting flight safety and perhaps saving peoples lives, and all we are hearing are various European bodies trying to outdo each other in ''my way is best'' arguments.
Surely the UK IMC rating can remain intact in the UK by CAA approved grandfather rights,it is a lifesving qualification and hopefully will lead some rating holders to go on to the full IR.
The crux of the problem is, the UK IR having far too much technical content fopr the PPL user. We have a perfectly good template for change in the FAA IR model where the exam content is tailored to the knowledge needed, but the flying test remains the same as the professional qualification. If the statistics are read in the USA we do not find scores of USA IR holders falling out of the skies.
Holding both a JAA and FAA rating I found the FAA test superior and far more practical, ie no more interminable NDB holds and letdowns and proper testing in modern GPS procedures. ( I believe the CAA still do not have examiners who can test GPS approaches in an Initial IR Test)
We live in a fantasy world where I can fly happily around Europe in the Airways with my N reg aircraft with my FAA IR, But if I get a paint brush and change the N for a G the same aircraft with the same avionics is now banned from IFR in Europe.
The attitude of officialdom in the UK also needs pushing into the 20th. Century. I wrote a year or so ago to the CAA SRG department, asking the reason for their continued aversion to an FAA style IR for PPL holders. In his reply, the CAA Flight Operations Capt, stated as one of his reasons, that the FAA rating was not suitable for European weather conditions! I received no reply when I asked him why the United Airlines B777 Capt was therefore allowed to fly into UK airspace with the selfsame FAA IR.
It is incredible that EASA fiddle with politics when peoples safety is at stake. Common sense and air safety should come first.