and

Yes, I agree entirely - minimum requirements in the relatively complex instructing world of the Multi-Engine/IR demand more than a 'tick in the box'.

That is the point - most experienced pilots might have many hundreds or thousands of hours on complex aircraft types gained from an airline or commercial flying background, but minimum hours on light twins. In these cases the ME Instructor Rating is more a requirement than an achievement.

Hopefully their airline and/or training/instructing experience would stand them in good stead should they wish to transfer to the commercial training environment.

The trouble is not many want to extend their careers once their airline flying days are over - and the terms and conditions of employment with the commercial schools seem to be based on 'retired' pilots working for a salary that works hand in glove with their pensions rather than as a stand alone income that reflects the level of knowledge and experience required to deliver effective training.

Whether or not you agree with the argument that airline pilots need to be trained by airline pilots (as opposed to instructors bred in a flying school environment), that fact is the regulators appear to be moving towards that way of thinking and, as Bose-X states above, 'A basic IRI(A) on an Instructor who has not been flying real world IFR just does not cut it'.

The shortage will continue and will potentially become critical as and when the market picks up.

And with a newly acquired aerobatic rating ( 5 hours total) + a handful of extra hours (FCL.800) an FI will be able to teach :uhoh:
The same goes with mountain flying

It takes decades of experience in these niche activities to reach proficiency, the right guys for this are very often not ATPL or CPL holders nor FI's...

And the CRI ???
anyone with 300hrs TT SEP and a a valid rating ( 5hrs training !!) + a couple of extra hours, including some ground courses, without the FI can apply, and we may have some very qualified people together with a whole bunch of hopeless chaps who will have acquired their credentials not because of their skills but due to their connections and some connivent FI(E).

I resume this thread just to know where I can find the paper that states i need only 200 hrs ifr to become an IRI. I knew there was a minimum of 800 ifr hrs. What is the correct one ?
Thanks all.

Everything is in the Aircrew regulation
To teach for IR your experience must be
- 200 hours IFR if you are an FI
- 800 hours IFR if you're not.

Thanks.
I haven't found anything regarding this matter but old JAR FCL 1.
Are you talking about UK stuff when you mention aircrew regs ?
Does easa has anything about regulation on its website ?
I am italian so I did not serarch UK CAA. For sure they have better info, but I thought easa had something.
I fly GA in Italy and I have more than 2000 hrs FAA FI IRI MEP (flown in the past in the US) and I'd like to get the same FI ratings here and see if I find the way to instruct a little bit in Italy too.

FlyingTruckdriver, start here: https://www.easa.europa.eu/flightstandards/aircrew.html

Then follow the various links.....:\

I've finally found something about EASA part fcl on the website.
FCL.915.IRI IRI — Prerequisites
An applicant for an IRI certificate shall:
(a) for an IRI(A):
(1) have completed at least 800 hours of flight time under IFR, of which at least 400 hours shall be in aeroplanes;
and
(2) in the case of applicants of an IRI(A) for multi-engine aeroplanes, meet the requirements of paragraph
FCL.915.CRI(a).......
Nowhere talks about 200hrs if you already a FI.

Nobody said you needed only 200 hrs to become an IRI. The 200 hours requirement is to extend the privileges of an FI certificate to allow instruction for the IR, which is not the same thing.

Got it, thanks !