BIR instructor?

[pipertommy]

Hi, with the liklihood of the IR r no longer being issued after 2021. Whats to become of instructors who teach the IR r (Imc Rating) only ? Able to teach for the BIR???
​​​​​​I am considering becoming an IR r instructor, but not full IR. I did hold an ME/IR for a few years but now only maintain my IR r.
Obviously I don't want to aquire a time limited qualification. I appreciate its still early days.
Thanks.

[Whopity]

In theory you must hold the rating for which you are giving instruction though I doubt that anyone has given any consideration to anything beyond a full IR. The IMC instructor is a UK only qualification that does not feature elsewhere in Europe.

[BEagle]

Proposed Instructor and Examiner requirements for the BIR are included in Opinion 01/2019 under the parts referring to FCL.835. You can download the document at https://www.easa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/dfu/Ib%20DRAFT%20ANNEX%20to%20DRAFT%20COM%20IMPL%20REG%20%28EU%2 9%20...-...%20amending%20Reg%201178-2011.pdf .

The RMT.0677 Task Force based the Instructor and Examiner requirements on those applicable for IR(R) instructors and examiners. Of course any BIR instructors would need hold at least a BIR themselves, although other prerequisites are less onerous than for IR instructors.

Please remember that these proposals still have to be voted upon.

[pipertommy]

That's positive, if / when I decide to complete the IR r instructor course, it wouldn't be a waste of money. Providing I obtain the BIR.
​​​​​​Thanks.

[RVR800]

Has it been decided who would conduct the BIR flight test-would it be done by a PPL examiner with appropriate approvals?

[Rivet gun]

Just want to bump this thread to see if anybody has more information on the BIR.

I understand BIR will come into effect in EASA land from September.
Will the UK implement BIR for UK licence holders identical to EASA BIR.
Since the BIR is a sub ICAO rating it would be valid only in the airspace of the state that issues it unless mutual recognition is agreed. Will the UK and EASA agree so that holders of an EASA BIR can use it in UK airspace and holders of a UK BIR can use it in EU airspace?

As I understand it:
BIR training must be at an ATO
Trainee must have at least PPL, but no further experience post PPL is specified.
Training is entirely competency based, no minimum training hours are specified. Therefore it is up to the ATO to decide the mix of FNPT and aircraft training, though some aircraft training will be required before the test. This also provides a practical route to upgrade IR(R) to BIR since it would be for the ATO to assess the upgrade training required.
Skill test is essentially the same as for IR, but presumably the operating minima agreed with the examiner would be those for the BIR, so typically the applicant would need to fly an ILS down to 400ft.?
Validity is 12 months. Re-validation requires proficiency check with IRE on the aircraft at least every second year. The intervening re-validation could be by having flown 6 hours as PIC under IFR including 3 instrument approaches plus 1 hour refresher with an instructor, or by proficiency check with IRE in FNPT II.
Instructor minimum experience would be 200 hours flight time under IFR to instruct on the aircraft or 50 hours flight time under IFR to instruct on the FNPT. Instructor must hold at least the rating they are training for, so BIR instructor could hold BIR or IR?

P.S. I just noticed FCL.905.FI has a new paragraph c which shifts all the subsequent paragraphs down a letter. Hence where my licence says (g)/(g)(IR(R))/ it should now say (h)/(h)(IR(R))/.

[Stan Evil]

Because the UK took into law Part-FCL as it was on 31 Dec, the UK will not be introducing the BIR in Sept 2021. If the UK do decide to introduce the BIR it will take a couple of years to get the necessary legislation through Parliament. I think that the IMC/IRR is with us for a while yet.

[Rivet gun]

I actually got a reply to this question from the CAA.

The amendment to the Aircrew Regulations that implemented the Basic Instrument Rating was included in the regulations that were incorporated in to UK domestic law when the UK left the European Union. Therefore it is now up to the CAA to decide whether or not to implement the BIR. A review to decide the matter is ongoing but unlikely to be complete by the time EASA implements the BIR in September.

The BIR would be of limited value unless a mutual agreement is made to allow a UK BIR to be used in EASA airspace and an EASA BIR to be used in UK airspace. Nobody knows if an agreement could be made notwithstanding that article 445 of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides for such cooperation.

In any event, I think the BIR is not a replacement for the IMC rating. The BIR significantly more demanding than the IMCR. I think therefore the IMCR should be retained as an entry level IFR qualification.

Given the precedent of the BIR, I would like to see the option of a competency based IMCR. Where the IMCR is done at a DTO there would be no change. However where the IMCR is done at an ATO approved for CB-IR or BIR, the regulatory requirement for 15 hours flight training should be removed. Instead it would be for the ATO to determine the training required to achieve competency. In practice this would enable an ATO to decide on the most effective use of FSTD, other training devices and aircraft to meet the training objectives and the needs of individual students.

[Fl1ingfrog]

In any event, I think the BIR is not a replacement for the IMC rating. The BIR significantly more demanding than the IMCR. I think therefore the IMCR should be retained as an entry level IFR qualification.

There can be no justification for the UK to end the IMCr given its fantastic safety record. The CAA have been immensely proud of the rating and fought and cajoled EASA for many years for the EU to adopt it. It will be strange to let it go now they are not forced to. My money is that it will be retained even if the BIR adopted. As for any agreements being achieved with the EU (EASA) for anything at all, this is going to be difficult for some time, the atmosphere within the powers of Europe is to make life for the UK difficult whenever they can.