Is PIFR training sufficient to fly IFR.
 

I never quite got to the end of my CIR training and others suggest I just do PIFR. I have several concerns about this. There are more people I have spoken to that have not flown IFR once they passed their flight test PIFR than those who actually use it. I suspect this is due to the limited time in actual IFR conditions. There is a big difference between a quick trip through cirrus cloud enroute on AP to manuvering handflying in cumulus cloud. I have been privileged to fly IFR with pilots who hold a CIR and feel perfectly safe but have also flown with PIFR pilots and felt quite apprehensive in IFR conditions. I’m not sure I’d be happy with them handflying at all. Everything is done with the AP. Am I just being uptight or do others share my concern with PIFR?

IFR is not something to be done half assed. Go the full rating.

I suspect that if you do the PIFR with the full suite of endorsements then you are probably good-to-go but then, you might as well just do the CIR! :)

Dr :8

In my opinion, either will prepare you well enough for flying IFR.

Currency is the real killer. Flying IFR often in poor conditions and flying approaches as often as possible is what will keep you safe.

The main advantage for the PIFR is that it is good for 2 years. I was flying an aircraft that was the only one of its type in Oz, so searching for a testing officer once every 2 years was far better than doing it annually. It really galled me to have to pay for a CASA FOI to fly up from Melbourne, pay his hotel costs, pay for the review, and then let him have a fly at the end of the review because he hadn't flown a helo of this species, let alone the sub-type, since a basic endorsement 10 years previously. In no way was he current on species, and had zero knowledge of the systems in the type.

In addition, the renewal is a "Review" not a "Test", so if something isn't up to speed, instead of "You failed, take me home" it is "Let's try that one again".

I still did the whole shebang of approaches and enroute approvals, more paperwork than the CIR, but overall far less stress.

Thank you all. I don’t think I would be happy unless I’d done the CIR, just to test myself.As you have said, maintaining currency is essential.

When the PIFR was introduced there was a lot of discussion around whether there would be a plethora of smoking holes in the ground caused by pilots flying beyond their capabilities.

That certainly doesn't seem to have happened but having a lapsed MECIR I think the comments by Brakerider are the most important. Flying under IMC and doing approaches can only make you safer.

I would suggest a complete IR (no longer referred to as CIR) for the training. When you conduct the initial assessment, have the examiner include the PIR and all associated endorsements at the same time.

This provides you with the ability to continue an IR flight if your IR recency lapses, as you can plan a Private IFR flight.

However as others have pointed out, currency is the key. Even if a PIR pilot is legal, but hasn't flown in 5 months, is it safe?