Odd problem obtaining licence - Advice?
Having recently left the military with no civilian licences (not even a PPL!) I find myself in something of an odd situation. My background was heavies, with over 1500hrs on them and over 1800hrs TT.
I do not qualify for any of the QSP schemes because of this. But, it also seems I do not qualify for even a straight CPL, since I only have 58hrs PIC! it seems the only way I can qualify myself would be to obtain a PPL and hours build, followed by MEP rating, CPL skills test and IR... And paying for it all myself, it works out eye-wateringly expensive; I have calculated a worst-case scenario cost iro £23k! And even that would only yield me a fATPL. (I plan to take the full raft of ATPL theory in any case).
But here's the odd thing... I have read, re-read, and re-re-read LASORS until going cross-eyed, and even dived into JAR-FCL 1... And it would appear that I meet ALL the flying experience requirements for an ATPL! All I would need is a type rating on a MPA... For which I would need to build another 12hrs PIC (easily done) to make up the 70hrs requirement, and I already have a valid IR (green procedural valid in the last 5 years).
Have I misread something here? Am I missing a vital piece of info? Surely this can't be correct, or can it?
Has anybody ever heard of someone combining a MPA TR course with an ATPL skills test for INITIAL licence issue? I can find nothing in LASORS or JAR-FCL 1 that (in my circumstances) would preclude it.
I'm considering trying this route because a layout of £23k just to get a fATPL with ME/IR seems excessive... With that money, and already meeting the experience requirements, I could come out the other end with a full ATPL and a useful TR.
Any advice or comments?