Minimum Equipment for IFR
 

Hi all I appreciate this has been asked a million times but I'm struggling to get a straight answer.

I'm currently doing my IR(R) and am interested to find out what the minimum equipment is that I would need to fly in controlled (D+E) airspace under IFR.

CAP393 states that I need:

"10. Aeroplanes operated under Instrument Flight Rules must be equipped with a means of—
(a)
measuring and displaying the— (i) magnetic heading;
(ii) time in hours, minutes and seconds; (iii) pressure altitude;
(iv) indicated airspeed;
(v) verticalspeed; (vi) turn and slip;
(vii) attitude;
(viii) stabilised heading;
(ix) outside air temperature; and
(x) Mach number, whenever speed limitations are expressed in terms of Mach number;
where gyroscopic instruments are installed, indicating when the supply of power to those instruments is not adequate; and
preventing malfunction of the airspeed indicating system required in paragraph (a)(iv) due to condensation or icing.
(b) (c)" and a transponder

Where as the AIP states that I need DME and ADF if it is needed as part of the navigation. As well as a Mode S transponder.

I'm probably being really thick but I just want to make sure I fully understand this prior to completing the IR(R)

You've just said what is needed.
First lot for flight in IMC.
Second lot if needed for navigation. I understand the A380 has a dispensation not to have and ADF or DME, can't remember which but I think the ADF.
Some aircraft, like Cirrus, don't have an ADF or DME. But they can be flown IFR. The legality of some approaches is debatable so you will find you get conflicting advice. You can perfectly well fly without the ADF and DME using a second GPS as the best ADF ever. GPS gives distance to the threshold anyway. But it may or may not be legal, probably not. The solution is to arrange a different missed procedure with ATC.

For the IR(R), when you won't be in airways, the answer is 'navigation equipment required for the planned route' or something like that. I can't remember the location of the quote but no doubt someone else will. But as things stand, you can't substitute e.g. a GPS (still less a handheld, non approved GPS) for an ADF, for example, although many people use a GPS to 'assist' them on an NDB approach.

Even with a proper IFR approach GPS, there is a gotcha as some approaches have a missed approach based on a conventional navaid which you are therefore required to have. Depressingly often this is an NDB.

Sorry for the late reply. Been away without internet! Ok so if I've got this right I need the first lot of equipment as a minimum for flying in IMC. And should I need a zone transit IFR for example all I need is the equipment I'm using for navigation? Obviously for an approach you need the equipment needed for the approach your doing. As for the transponder does it need to be Mode S or would Mode C be ok?

EASA aircraft, you need to look at the EASA rules not the National Rules. Part NCO
To confuse things further:Changes to aircraft instrument requirements | UK Civil Aviation Authority

Ok so the EASA part NCO as far as I can tell states the same instruments as CAP393. Slowly this is beginning to be a bit clearer. But what a bloody minefield!