it works out cheaper to go through FAA
Does it? The way I read it is that you have to have 50 hours of PIC under IFR, after the issue of your FAA IR, in order to qualify for the conversion route.
I know flying in the US is cheaper, but I don't think 40 hours FAA IR training plus 50 hours hour building under IFR in the US will be cheaper than 40 hours EASA IR training.
What I am missing here, though, is a requirement that training for the IR needs to be done in European airspace, and/or on an EASA Annex I aircraft. That would mean that the US schools that currently already offer training for various EASA licenses and ratings, can now also offer training for the IR. Am I right?