IR ME training and time constrain

[slr737]

Hello everyone,

The Belgian CAA has once again invented or discovered something.
I was wondering how it is working elsewhere.

We have students that hold a PPL and SEP and proceed in our school for a modular IR ME.
As they don't have a MEP and as per appendix 6, we do the MEP training, the IR ME training and at the end a complete MEP and IR check.

However now the belgian CAA want us to do that in 6 months as the time constraint for a class rating is 6 month. However it is difficult with people working to do a complete IR ME in 6 months.

Appendix 6 state that if the applicant of an IR ME does not hold or have hold a multi engine rating, he should before perform the training for the MEP.
Only state training and not the skill test as it is done within the IR ME test.

How is is working in your school or CAA? only modular IR ME.

thanks

[Edgington]

Seem that each EASA country interprets the rules differently. In the UK you have to do a MEP skills test separately before you can do an ME IR Skills test. In Holland you can do both in 1 skills test.
Can't recall anything in the rules saying a class rating has to be done in 6 months, it's the result of a skills test that is valid for 6 months. So you have to apply for your license within those 6 months or redo your skills test.

[Whopity]

Can't recall anything in the rules saying a class rating has to be done in 6 months

The reference to 6 months is in FCL.725

The applicant shall pass the skill test within a period of 6 months after commencement of the class or type rating training course and within a period of 6 months preceding the application for the issue of the class or type rating.

Is this another back to front sentence, where they meant 6 months after completion of the course, rather than commencement?

[BillieBob]

In the UK you have to do a MEP skills test separately before you can do an ME IR Skills test.

Not true. The only requirement is to have completed the training - there is no requirement to have passed the skill test. It is perfectly acceptable to have an MEIR issued without ever having passed the MEP skill test and to then proceed directly to an MPA type rating course. Mind you, there are those who have followed this route and, having either failed the MPA type rating course or failed to find a position in an MPA, have then fallen outside the 6 month period for the skill test and have had to repeat the whole MEP class rating course.

Is this another back to front sentence, where they meant 6 months after completion of the course, rather than commencement?

No, it is simply a conjunction of two separate but interdependent requirements from JAR-FCL1. There is no acceptable reason for an MEP class rating course to last more than 6 months nor for the application for issue to be delayed for more than 6 months after passing the skill test.

[slr737]

Quite interesting comments you made BillieBob.

I was always under the impression that for a type rating you needed a MEP, however you only need a valid IR ME.

Could you hold a valid IR ME if you do not hold a ME class rating ?

Which is valid for one year and can be renewed easily in a simulator.
Would you be able to revalidate it the second year in a MEP if you did not hold a valid MEP(land) class rating.

[milan.pilot]

Personally, I have dealing with this issue for a long time. Within the EASA member countries, there are a few ways, how to explain this. And unfortunately, differen CAA, different explanation.
- CAA UK - I have been asked to split MEP and IR-ME skill tests into 2 separate tests, same in Hungary, Slovakia, France,...
- few other authorities - like Belgium, Czech republic, etc, they accept the skill test for MEP and IR-ME as 1 skill test

There is no direct rule for such issue!
milan

[milan.pilot]

this is correct!
But unfortunately, for initial issue of IR-ME, you need to fly the aircraft. So you either need a type or class rating for the initial IR-ME skill test.
m

[S-Works]

Does anyone have the FCl reference stating that an IR or ME/IR is required for a Type Rating?

[Whopity]

FCL.720.A Experience requirements and prerequisites for the issue of class or type ratings —aeroplanes

(c) Single-pilot high performance complex aeroplanes. Applicants for the issue of a first type rating for
a complex single-pilot aeroplane classified as a high performance aeroplane shall, in addition to
meeting the requirements of (b), have fulfilled the requirements for a multi-engine IR(A), as
established in Subpart G.
(d) Multi-pilot aeroplanes. An applicant for the first type rating course for a multi-pilot aeroplane shall
be a student pilot currently undergoing training on an MPL training course or comply with the
following requirements:
(1) have at least 70 hours of flight experience as PIC on aeroplanes;
(2) hold a multi-engine IR(A);
(3) have passed the ATPL(A) theoretical knowledge examinations in accordance with this Part;
and
(4) except when the type rating course is combined with an MCC course:
(i) hold a certificate of satisfactory completion of an MCC course in aeroplanes;

[S-Works]

Thanks Whoppity.