Damned good idea.
At present the IR is clearly designed to allow a huge range of aircraft to be operated, in virtually any conditions.
Strikes me that in the same way JAA have effectively made PPL/CPL/ATPL modular, the same might be the way ahead for an IR.
For the sake of argument, lets say there were three levels, which I'll term IR1, IR2 and IR3. One could perhaps peg them:-
IR1 - non air transport use, not above FL100 / 140kn, 500 ft local cloudbase during let-downs.
IR2 - commercial use, not above FL249, 250ft local cloudbase during let-downs. P2 to an IR3 holder.
IR3 - unrestricted instrument flying, subject to limitations of the aircraft.
Peg the experience, training and exams against each, level, and set it up so that it's possible for the holder of each level to simply do the next chunk of work for the higher rating if required.
I'd have thought in general, IR1 would probably correspond to an IMC but include lower airways, IR2 to an FAA IR, and IR3 to a JAA IR.
I disagree with Fuji on one point, I think that exams should be properly supervised, otherwise the risk of abuse and consequent loss of credibility is too high. But, no reason that the necessary exam(s) can't be administered in the flying school.
G
Rustle's point is all very well but:-
(1) Not everybody wants to have to run a foreign registered aeroplane, particularly when French customs will keep trying to charge import duty on it.
(2) Whilst JAA permits a PPL/IR, it's the full IR and even holding an FAA IR gets you no credit at-all unless you've got at-least 1500 hrs P1.
G