CPL vs IR difficulty
 

I've noticed a few comments recently in which posters have commented they found the CPL harder than the IR, contradictory to the common perception that seems to be the IR is the hardest. What elements have people typically struggled with on the CPL?

From what I remember the tolerance of errors in terms of altitude/speed/heading are stricter in the IR than the CPL. There are so definitive "not below" under any circumstances in the IR. This is just due to the nature of the exam.

The requirements/tolerances will be available for the respective exam on the CAA website.

I personally found the cpl more subjective than the IR. IR is all black and white, follow that heading, fly the hold, etc. it is as per the plate which takes some thought and judement out of it somewhat.

Cpl is about you making the correct safe, commercial calls, vfr navigation etc.

Both have there trickier aspects, on balance IR i found tougher, as your learning new skills, cpl is about polishing existing skills

CPL is harder in my book.

You spend a large portion of the time dead reckoning with no positive idea of where you are, where on the IR you pretty much always have an instrument position fix.

With the CPL every radio call you make is a very long winded introduction of yourself and your flight plan, on the IR you are expected every step of the way so make little more than a position report.

With the CPL you are assessed all the time not only on your accuracy of flying, but also looking out for other aircraft and not flying into crap weather. On the IR you can pretty much just fly as if on rails looking only at the six instruments in front of you.

In the CPL the emergency will mean having to choose a field and prepare for a crash, IR you just keep on climbing with one foot hard on the floor.

On the whole I found the IR a lot easier, it made more sense and there was a lot less pressure on the day, particularly with things like appropriate weather.

Depends which one you do first to be honest.

IR first in a twin and they really don't give a thought about the CPL

Multi/IR in 10 hours. (Duchess)
CPL in 15 hours. (Arrow)

Both were a piece of wee!!!! :}

How about doing both on the DA40/42...!?:}

Don't know, neither existed when I did mine! :{:sad: