Timothy you've got a great point on this. Although perhaps rather than all of this
background noise of "they must be out to cheat us"
its more a plea for information that is less than forthcoming. I would much prefer some sort forum where the CAA clearly and frequently provides updates on this matter. Understandably the EASA changes involve a lot more than GA and the IMCR; but a little information or a statement on the CAAs intent would keep many of us warm and fuzzy.
Now, sit comfortably with a stiff tipple because I fear what I'm about to suggest is probably going to upset the apple carts of some readers...
Quoted by Whopity
The most favourable solution seems to be that a Part-FCL licence and an IR will be issued with certain conditions on the basis of a specific conversion report in order to reflect the current privileges held.
(My emphasis)
To me this reads that the IMCR will become an 'IR-Restricted'. This term has been bandied about previously and probably will be again. So I feel a comparison is needed (and this is where unpopularity begins).
Not ideal but the best way I can think of comparing this is to the FI rating. An FI is an FI; with or without restrictions. For example, FIs may have 'no night' or 'no applied instrument'. Does this mean that they cannot instruct? No. In the sense of IMCR/IRs the restrictions would reflect what we are already doing, UK OCAS only, IAPs permitted UK only.
Posted by IO540
One is not allowed to state the truth that the UK IMCR is a full IR in all but name, and only the UK's extensive Class A separates the "amateurs" from the "pros". An IMCR holder who has been trained by a real IFR-flying instructor will be able to fly any published approach plate for any airport in the world. SIDs and STARs are not covered but are relative trivia. Nearly the entire difference between the IMCR and the IR is the currency of the holder and his aircraft capability and equipment, but that is nothing to do with the bits of paper.
Posted by Whopity
As IMC rated pilots are not trained to the IR standard
IO540 has stated here what I was afraid of saying. Both the IMCR and IR are similar. It is the extra 35 hours required for a full IR that causes contention, and of course 35 hours can be completed in a sim! However IMCRs are not for the commercial airline crew. They are for the GA community that want to be able to fly on PPLs when the weather is less than perfect to hour-build? Go places? Travel for work? As an addition to IO540s comment above, I was taught SIDs, STARs (as far as possible, and actually my approach for the IMC flight test was a STAR), and flew to an IR standard for probably 70% of the training, a credit to my instructor and what a fantastic job he did! I like to think every instructor that teaches something so safety critical, leaves questions of training standards irrelevant. The content of the IR is all encompassing, and so it should be if you want to sit in front of 300 paying passengers or more, 6 miles skyward, hurtling along at 500mph, without looking where you are going!
