Demise of the IMC/IR/R
 

Wrong! VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

The IMC Rating is a UK national qualification that has nothing whatever to do with EASA. As a national qualification, it could not be entered into a Part-FCL licence and so, in 2013, the UK CAA unilaterally began entering it as an Instrument Rating (Restricted). EASA then retrospectively permitted national qualifications to be entered in Part-FCL licences, subject to certain restrictions, by amending Article 4 of the Aircrew Regulation but this is only effective until 8 April 2019. Meanwhile, EASA has been working to develop the 'Basic Instrument Rating', an EU version of the IMC Rating, the Opinion for which has recently been passed to the European Commission.

Clearly, there is little or no chance of the BIR coming into effect before 8 April and so there are a number of options:
1. The effective period of the Article 4 amendment is extended - unlikely as this is primary legislation, but not impossible;
2. The UK CAA continues to enter the IMC Rating in Part-FCL licences regardless;
3. The Article 4 amendment expires and the IR(R) is no longer entered into Part-FCL licences.

In the latter case, the IMC Rating may continue to be included in a UK PPL, which may be held alongside a Part-FCL licence. Whatever happens, there is no suggestion that the IMC Rating will not survive as a UK national qualification, at least until the BIR is established.

To be clear: The IR(R) does not exist, it is nothing more than an administrative fudge engineered by the UK CAA. The qualification that people hold is an IMC Rating, a national qualification detailed in Schedule 8 of the UK ANO

For discussion and vote at EASA Committee today or tomorrow. See para 1(2) of the amending regulation:

Article 1
Article 4 of Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 is amended as follows:
…
(2) in paragraph 8, in the introductory sentence, "8 April 2019" is replaced by "8 April 2021".

Thanks, bookworm! Your reply was rather more helpful than mine - I was about to go but just wanted to advise the OP that reports of the imminent death of the IR(R) / IMCR are somewhat exaggerated!

BillieBob, the BIR will be rather more than just an 'EU version of the IMCR'!

This would be good news having it extended to 2021 as my IMC Rating has been expired since '05 although my FAA IR was last valid in 2010 (had a long break). My IR(R) is on the back of the EASA PPL and I've tried asking CAA FCL via email a few months ago whether the deadline of 8th April applied also to also moving expired IR(R) ratings back onto an EASA licence or whether it was for new issuance only. Unfortunately not had a reply to my query (tried again last month) but in their defence they were pretty quick at answering my EASA conversion/SEP renewal questions early last year.

Would like to renew my IMC Rating and have it transferred from the back of my EASA PPL but cannot find a definite answer as to whether this would be possible after April 8th 2019 and not able to get it done before then as I'm going to need a substantial portion, if not all, of the 15 hours course again.

Does anyone know if this was actually voted through last week? I've taken a look around some of the EU websites (that was a fun hour I don't think I'll ever get back) but can't see any concrete evidence that the date has in fact now been changed to 8 April 2021.

Paul.

Yes it was. It'll take a month or two for the amending regulation to be published. Yes, I know, were less than two months from 8 April 2019. :)

The next issue will be those training for the IMC rating who don't make it by 7th April 2021 and the training they have received will not count towards a BIR because nobody has considered a seamless transition.

Whopity , your erstwhile employers are snowed under with UK/EU exit contingency planning right now, but IR(R) credit for the BIR is certainly on the agenda...when Mother MayDay's EU exit nonsense has been done and dusted and CAA staff have more time.

Whenever the hell that will be...:mad:

So, does this all mean that the IMC rating is alive and well, and can be taught, tested and renewed for the next couple of years?

Sure, why not? We're certainly 'keeping calm and carrying on'...

TOO

So, why, pray did they get rid of the BCPL? Couldn't the CAA fudge that one?

BCPL is no longer required as under EASA rules, PPLs can receive remuneration for instructing.

BCPL's had other advantages, such as the 700 hr CPL upgrade (if I recall correctly) and no approved ground school requirements for the written exams, the elimination of the self-improver route was a tragedy.

Thank you excrab for clarifying this, as one who started training at the tail end of the BCPL I knew very little about its origins!

See the link below:
http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/1299.pdf
This is a short term extension to allow the IR(R) to continue beyond April and allow the EU legislation to come into force in a month or 2.

April 2021 is 2 years not 2 months!

Interesting to note the latest exemption does not cover a CPL holder who might just be teaching the IMC rating (IRR)! Presumably they will have to teach using their PPL privileges.