This conversion route was set to end in April 2012, and be replaced with
Applicants for Part–FCL licences already holding at least an equivalent licence, rating or certificate issued in accordance with Annex 1 to the Chicago Convention by a third country shall comply with all the requirements of Annex I to this Regulation, except that the requirements of course duration, number of lessons and specific training hours may be reduced.
The credit given to the applicant shall be determined by the Member State to which the pilot applies on the basis of a recommendation from an approved training organisation.
(from EASA FCL May 2011 Article 7 page 6 here )
which basically means that the 15-hr conversion route may be replaced with another 15-hr route, or something shorter, or longer, or nothing (i.e. you have to do the full 50/55hrs) and it may vary from one country to another.
Does anybody have any news on this?
My take is that few FTOs will want to deprive themselves of income by offering something shorter... even if IMHO nobody will do the IR conversion under 15hrs and pass the UK CAA IRT (the one with the NDB holds and approaches
) at the end of it.
Mine took well more than 15hrs and most of the time was spent on NDB stuff.
But if say there was a shorter conversion then one could get up to speed with a freelance IRI (who knows the IRT protocol and requirements) and then go for the IRT.