N Reg IFR advice

[bumfich]

Hi all. I fly a N reg aircraft on my EASA license and have an IR(R) (IMC) rating which allows me to get out of trouble cloud-wise in the UK.
I also have an FAA piggyback certificate, so that I can fly the N reg aircraft in Europe.
To allow me to get the occasional IFR clearance in Europe (and I realise there’s a lot of work involved) I’ll need a full instrument rating. Would I be best to get the FAA IR (and ? upgrade my FAA certificate to stand-alone) or get the EASA IR instead? Would the EASA IR be valid when flying in Europe using my FAA certificate, or would the rating be carried over onto my FAA certificate automatically?
Thanks for your thoughts...
All I really want to do is be able to get occasional IFR clearances in Euro-land!

[ETOPS]

bumfich

As you're at Wellesbourne just pop in to On Track Aviation and ask for Coookie. He will give you an in depth answer - he is also an FAA examiner.

[piperboy84]

Hi all. I fly a N reg aircraft on my EASA license and have an IR(R) (IMC) rating which allows me to get out of trouble cloud-wise in the UK.

which affords me a better chance to get out of trouble cloud-wise in the UK.[

[rudestuff]

As you've already got an IR(R) - and (I assume) a few hours logged on instruments - this would be one of the few occasions I don't suggest going FAA...

An IR(R) and 15 hours actual or under the hood qualifies you to take a 10 hour CBIR course. That would give you a full EASA IR - which you can piggyback on to your 61.75 to fly N reg in the soup as well.

[sapperkenno]

ask for Coookie... - he is also an FAA examiner.

Can anyone else confirm that he is a DPE, as I thought it was only (Capt) TPH, and AH in the UK, and I can’t find his name on the FAA database.

As far as the original question, the FAA IR is by far more easily attainable in terms of a reduced amount of study and general p1ssing about with theoretical exams, and not having to pay massive test fees to the CAA. I would recommended a visit to the US and an intensive course done inside 3-4 weeks. I wouldn’t bother trying to find a FAA CFII (of which I’m one of many in the UK) to do the training in the UK and try arrange a test in France/Jersey. Simply do it in the states, get a stand-alone FAA certificate issued, then find a sensible person with Euro IFR experience once you get back to fill in the blanks with airspace and filing.

I don’t think some people quite appreciate that an instrument rating is still a fairly big deal, and a lot more involved than just having an IMC/IR(R) and flown through a few clouds - you may well find that your “only 10 hours CBIR” course runs over that amount by some margin, plus you’d still have a load of theoretical hoops to jump through.

What I can say from experience, is that neither FAA nor EASA will give you any idea of actually filing and flying airways throughout Europe. If FAA, you’ll be able to jump straight into an IFR flightplan in the US, and competently conduct the flight. Under EASA, you may have an idea of flight-planning and filing, but your training will likely have amounted to concentrating on 2-3 test routes, which no doubt you’ll be able to do come the day of the test, but you’ll be completely frazzled by flying anywhere else, having never covered this.

[ETOPS]

Can anyone else confirm that he is a DPE

Used to say FAA on his business cards - maybe lapsed?

[tdbristol]

Ref Cookie, I think that there are two different levels of FAA person: a 'DPE' [examiner] which is what is required to do a test; and a CFII [certified flying instructor, instrument] who can do BFRs etc. Certainly Cookie does mine; I would expect that he is still a current CFII but obvs need to check.

[sapperkenno]

I think that there are two different levels of FAA person

I think it’s UK people getting muddled up, as an IPC or Flight Review can seem like it’s a test to the uninitiated, but a mere CFI/CFII does these... Whereas under EASA, the only people who can bring a rating back to life, or conduct proficiency checks are examiners. There once was a lady at a certain northern airfield (with VOR) purporting to be an FAA instrument examiner, and charging for unofficial instrument approaches to said airport, and she was just a CFII - so I feel it’s important people know the difference.