Ref your post above: Quote "I bet VERY few ATPLs know this. Incidentally, on the way to an ATPL you probably did a CPL/IR course of some sort which would have been a single-pilot IR, would it not? And if so, isn't this valid all the time your ATPL is valid? If not, is there an easy conversion?"
Just like any IR it is only valid for 12 months, so the single pilot IR would run out a year after the training you mentioned above. If you are then flying for an airline, you need to do two IR tests a year to keep full privileges on both. One a single pilot IR, the other the multi pilot IR in the airline sim. This is no big deal, because if you are flying twins, you just do a combined MEP/IR every year, however, I have to say it an expensive thing to do to "keep your hand in for puddle jumping". You don't get much change out of 500 quid for a Seneca and examiner.
As mentioned, more cost effective to just renew the SEP and use your IMC which is inherent in a UK CPL/ATPL, unless money is not a issue??
