Geoffers said:
PS. Don't forget that any ATP check-ride I am aware of requires an IR section and once you have that ticket you have right to fly into some of the busiest airports in the world. It is only right and proper that that fragile skill is kept in good shape and NOT doing so can be counted as part of the problem.
An ATP is a Certificate or Licence depending on where you are and an Instrument Rating is a rating. The ATP is good for operating anywhere anytime (non IMC) without a current instrument checkride.
I routinely take ATP OPC's, LPC's and 135 checkrides in various jurisdictions with no IR portion, along with many heavy helicopter pilots who fly the machines in predominantly external load work, and we operate into some pretty busy airfields from time to time.
Further; the comment ' Go away and get a VFR job until ...........Yada yada!
Many of the ' B206 with a longline' guys have extensive offshore experience, and simply moved on to something more challenging...
