Thanks 40/80 and Captain Smiffy for your respective replies. I agree that this situation is ludicrous. I intend to try and seek some common sense from the CAA but I am not hopeful. Isn't it funny that we are always being told to think outside the box in aviation and yet the regulator is clearly unable to do this. No one who is actually reading this particular thread is likely to be flying without a current instrument rating as a current professional pilot but most are operating under an ICAO system of licencing.
I plan to firstly visit the CAA in April and seek clarification. If I am only directed at Lasors I will write to someone higher up the food chain. The idea of a collective response from pilots in this position working for foreign companies is appealing but how do you establish who is affected and communicate. I will start by trying to find out who of the british pilots in EK is affected by this situation. I already know of at least five but their will be many more.
If anyone wishes to PM me with their details we can start collating a database of who is affected and whether anything can be done.
otherwise it is staying in the sandpit till retirement
or back to going through all those exams again.
Surely it must be easier now we have internet and you can get practise questions!!!!!
Will update if I get any more info.