Blueskis,
You stated it is allowed to fly out of sight of the surface outside of controlled airspace, do you mean fly by the French definition of VMC rather than in IMC?
No, because the the ANO allows an ICAO IR holder to exercise the privileges of the rating in a G reg without formality, but only outside CAS. Now as the French recognise the british ruling on this they also allow the holder to exercise the privileges of this rating in a G reg outside their CAS. This means you can fly in actual IMC, out of sight of the surface outside CAS in France [and Germany etc]
You also gave the impression that you can fly in actual IMC , but again outside of controlled airspace. Does this then exclude approaches in IMC and transits of C D and E airspace in IMC?
Correct, as you are not allowed inside CAS while flying in accordance with IFR with an ICAO IR in a G reg plane, you cannot shoot an approach.
You also in two different posts mentioned that credit would be given for instrument hours flown when undertaking training for an FAA IR, but you gave two different figures, 50 hours, and 40 hours.
Ah sorry, I was getting ahead of myself there. The FAA IR requires 40 hrs instrument time [simulated or actual] before you take the flight test. 15hrs of this must have been done with an FAA CFII who needs to endorse you as ready for the flight test, and you must have completed a qualifying cross country which is a flight of 250nm I think, in airways under an air traffic controlled routing or something along those lines. So in theory, an IMC holder with 25hrs actual instrument [or simulated] could take a 15hr course with an FAA CFII and walk away with an IR. Note that this is instrument time and not "under IFR".
The way the IMC rating is worded is that it allows flight in IMC IFR outside controlled airspace but then there is an exception for Class D and below, meaning you can shoot an approach. When talking about an ICAO IR this exception doesn't exist which leads to the outside CAS thing. I think there is some confusion in the CAA over this, a friend of mine who is an FAA CFII and JAA FI had it confirmed verbally that holding an ICAO IR "gives the same privileges as the IMC rating". IF this statement was issued in writing it would then mean that an ICAO IR holder could exercise the privileges of the IMC rating throughout Europe in a G reg as the foreign CAA's effectively accept the CAA's validations without formality. In fact the French will now give you an IR based upon your FAA IR as long as you are non resident in the EU and can prove it.
Cheers
EA
