@Peter CDG: You're on good track :ok: I can personally vouch for Gestair, the Cascais bay is gorgeous, weather can be exceptionally fair, experienced and professional instructors, there are a couple of precision approaches nearby and a non precision one on the airfield, last but not least a lovely little restaurant nearby where you can get awesome grilled fish for a couple of euros :)

All,

I've been paying particular attention to this thread as I'm currently in the process of reviewing IR options.

As noted in previous threads the SE vs ME IR argument is well documented. However, as Peter CDG pointed out there are organisations in mainland Europe offering less cost prohibitive ways of achieving an IR - without paying UK prices.

My concern is the "validity" of an R44 IR in the eyes of the CAA. Unless organisations such as Helibravo are offering an FAA IR and therefore, I've missed something?

Done anyone have actual experience of gaining an IR through Helibravo or Nortavia which has subsequently been accepted by a north sea operator for purposes of employment?

Hi Kevin,

Any course you are considering doing must be acceptable to the UK CAA if that is your licence-holding authority. Make sure the acceptance process is complete before undertaking any such course.

The question of whether NS operators favour/discrminate with respect to courses/authorities is a separate matter.

TT

@Kevin: Check my post of December 22nd. Yes is the answer, the UK CAA has issued and as I speak should still be issuing SE IR(H) based on training completed on single engine piston helicopter in a mainland european FTO. But better check with good ol'licensing dept: [email protected]

As Torquetalk said, the NS Operators discriminating with respect to course/autorities is clearly another issue. As it has already been suggested in the past, you may upgrade your SE IR(H) to a ME IR(H) after completion of an Initial ME type rating and the additional minimum 5 hours instrument instruction followed by a LST. And that could be done through a UK FTO, or Norwegian or Danish! At the end of the day you will get your ME IR(H) stamped on your UK CAA issued License and your ME training will have been conducted in one of the North Sea countries club, if that is really a concern for you. ;)

Several things from my own experience:

Consider EHC in Norway for an ME IR(H) - excellent school, and they compare very favourably to UK costs (0% VAT!). I believe you can now train there in an AS355 as well as the original Bo105. Accomodation on site, good selection of approaches at home base, and lots of budget airlines flying direct to their airport.

The CAA will require a copy of every single JAA approval (school, instructor, examiner, aircraft, etc. etc.) from a non-UK school, but assuming you have all the paperwork, it's no problem getting them to add the right things to your license (what? The school you chose was JAA-approved, right?). I assume this will continue, replacing JAA with EASA.

Of the 3 major offshore companies in the UK, only Bristow will accept a SE IR; CHC and Bond both require a ME IR to even consider you. Bristow, however, require a minimum of 500 hours ME time, if you didn't attend Bristow Academy, so you may not benefit from the SE IR anyway. The above applies to low-experience co-pilot applicants, obviously - if you have a bunch of useful experience, they'll probably make an exception on the SE IR rule.

Yes, according Lasors, section E 2.2, SE instrument ratings are introduced and available in the UK

IR(H) - Simulator Now Available in Italy
 

If anybody interested, now (when I already spent a lot of money on real machines :*) this FTO is accepting from external FTOs bookings for IR, MCC etc.


Simulatore elicottero

Hmm, do thay have page in english? Only italian...:ugh:

No english page at the moment it seems.
 

As the business is growing, I believe they will load at least the english page.
If you need help, I can give them a ring. You can post here or PM me.

Actually in the last 6 months CHC in Aberdeen have employed 3 new FOs with SE IR(H). Incidently these were all completed at Billund Air Center in Denmark.

Having also completed this course and been subsequently employed by CHC in 2010 I can highly recommend this route. I reckon I saved myself in the order of £15k which is hardly to be sniffed at and the BAC course was excellent (don't believe a word from anyone who tells you it's not as worthy as a ME IR, the skills learned are very easily transferred into a big twin.)

Assuming you mean Microsoft Flight Simulator, is it approved by the CAA/EASA?

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/72638451/ar...dding%20me.jpg

Have a look here. They have their english page now.
Simulatore elicottero

EASA Training Devices
 

Have a look at this one:

http://www.easa.europa.eu/agency-mea...al%20Issue.pdf

You need a night rating and 50hrs cross-country before.

The requirements for the commencing of an IR (or should i say the ME TR) are away to change. If the ME TR is not completed before Sept 17 you will require 70 Hr PIC before you can start the TR course.

All fun and games with EASA at the moment.

LZ

"The requirements for the commencing of an IR (or should i say the ME TR) are away to change. If the ME TR is not completed before Sept 17 you will require 70 Hr PIC before you can start the TR course."

Where does it state that? do you have a link anywhere?

Er.... not quite.

Stoey,

I do not have a direct link however it is happening. It has been communicated through a number of channels (mainly flight schools) and is also now stated in the IR providers Pre Reqs.

From Bond :
"If your application for the multi engine type rating, including evidence of having complied with all of the requirements for that rating, is not received by the CAA before 15th September 2012, it may not be possible for the CAA to grant the rating until you have 70 hours as pilot in command of helicopters."

LZ

@simondlh:
The 50hrs XC must be met at the time of application (i.e. before the checkride). You can log XC for any training flight which goes beyond circling your local airport for shooting approaches. However, if that can be logged as PIC is another question. Our national CAA says you can if you have a type rating. Also note that the majority of IR training takes place in the simulator. You can do just 10hrs in the aircraft, so this will not increase your XC time by much.

It won't increase PIC time by anything as it will be logged as PUT.