Jujupilote wrote:
« holders of an IR shall have demonstrated the ability to use the English language at the appropriate proficiency level »
An IR : which IR ? All of them ?
You got it right already in your post #15. Just to clarify about the point “Which IR?”
Well, in Part-FCL, for this purpose, there is only one IR. It’s the “real one” under Subpart G, Instrument Rating – IR, FCL.600. It is also referred to in other contexts, such as the night landing recent experience. There, it says:
FCL.060 Recent experience
[…] A pilot shall not operate an aircraft in commercial air transport or to carry passengers: […]
(2) as PIC at night unless he/she:
(i) has carried out in the preceding 90 days at least 1 take-off, approach and landing
[…] (ii) holds an IR.
The BIR doesn’t count for that either, because it is an “additional rating” under Subpart I and is not an IR per se. The night rating, aerobatic rating, etc. are other examples of additional ratings under Subpart I.
By the way, upgrading from BIR to IR (via CB-IR course) should be very easy if someone already has 50h IFR PIC on the BIR. The ATO will only have to fly with the applicant and if they are good to go, send them directly to the skill test.
I seem to finally have understood this thing.
So FCL 055 (d) says
By way of derogation from the paragraphs above, holders of an IR shall have demonstrated the ability to use the English language at the appropriate proficiency level as defined in Appendix 2 to this Annex.
But in Part-FCL, “an IR” means IR (A) or IR (H) as seen in FCL.035 (b) (3):
Holders of an IR or applicants that have passed the IR theoretical knowledge examination for a category of aircraft shall be credited towards the requirements for the theoretical knowledge instruction and examination for:
(i) the IR in another category of aircraft; and
(ii) the BIR.
So :
Note that to convert a BIR to IR (CB or not), you have to go through an ATO.
So the ATO will ask for your ELP test before you taking the IR skill test.
Is that clear and complete @Rate2 ?
To take the IR or CBIR course in France you have to have ELP to level 4 at least. Or get it during training.
The French National IR which was put in place mainly to get EASA to get on with what at the time was “The All Weather Rating” which became the CBIR did not need an ELP, basically so that French ga pilots had a simpler merhod to getting an IR but like the UKs IMC rating (which a number of NAAs wouldn’t accept as the European all weather rating) could only be used nationally.
BIR does not need ELP if you are happy to use it in France only. (Although there is debate about this and no ATO seems to be clear on this. I believe some DTOs are quite happy to have no ELP.) But with no ELP you are limited to French territories.
Likewise French PPLs and.LAPLs do not need ELP if they limit their flying to French territories.
The IR and CBIR both need ELP even if you are happy to restrict your flying to French territories.
A French ATO writes « No ELP required to fly in France with a BIR. ELP is required to fly out of France with a BIR ».
Just like a PPL.
FCL 055 says :
« holders of an IR shall have demonstrated the ability to use the English language at the appropriate proficiency level »
An IR : which IR ? All of them ?
Shall have demonstrated : when ? For initial issue of the IR or permanently ?
The BIR to IR was discussed at length (get 50hrs PIC XC under IFR (not IMC, just IFR) and then pass the skills test) but can’t find a reg text for it either.
Peter wrote:
But isn’t there e.g. an EASA LAPL to EASA PPL route? That is also going sub-ICAO to ICAO. How is that defined?
Entry requirements for certaing licences and ratings are prescribed in EASA rules (or applicable authority).
EASA accepts flying hours that happened on EASA (LAPL) rating towards (ICAO) PPL, I think ground on that is that ICAO do not prescribe rules on how to obtain certain licence.
If I remember correctly, in order to complete CB-IR training, one needs to have, at least 45 IR flying hours. Out of that, 10hr MUST be completed in ATO,
other can be anywhere else, but competency (hence, competency-based training) of candidate needs to be determined in ATO. It does make sense that ATO claims that if one holds only BIR, that certain procedures were never covered, and that they needs to be covered in ATO.
On theory side, one needs full EASA IR theory, that means 7 subjects, (or higher) to enter CB-IR programme.
@Rate2 wrote:
I was looking at the rules for the Basic IR to CBM IR upgrade. I read that
It would be helpful for the discussion if you could tell us where you read this.
Interesting question.
I think you are right. The “conversion route BIR → CBIR” must consist only of training or other credits. They can’t really call it a “conversion route”.
But ELP could also be a “credit”. Like colour vision, which you do once only per lifetime (except in Germany, according to one German pilot who was here years ago).
But could a “lack of ELP” also be a credit? That’s funny 
But isn’t there e.g. an EASA LAPL to EASA PPL route? That is also going sub-ICAO to ICAO. How is that defined?
Do we (again?) have missunderstanding of what CBIR is?
BIR is a rating (non-ICAO one).
CB IR is a programme, to get full IR rating. So there can not be conversion from BIR to CBIR. Or CBIR in this thread refers to something else?
gallois wrote:
As a novice in IT. How could a tk exam be invigalated on line?
I don’t know the rules, but I know how it is done in my club. We have a classroom with computers. The invigilator (appointed by the CAA with no formal relation to the club) starts the computers. The students log in to a web page with the test system. The invigilator checks that no cheating is done. I don’t know if there are any technical attempts to prevent cheating, e.g. by preventing window switching during the test.
I am avoiding the well discussed topic of why so few people in Europe do an IR Yes, the TK is a load of BS but doing the stuff locally and avoiding staying in a sh1tty hotel in Bournemouth, and doing it in your own plane, is much bigger for those with enough €€€/£££ to actually fly anywhere, but is outside EASA powers, so we are still in JAA days for practical purposes 
The ICAO IR to CBIR conversion route (which needs 50hrs under IFR) involves an oral with the FE. Doesn’t any route to the CBIR involve an oral? That’s the key really. Even if EASA doesn’t specify how to “convert” ELP, the candidate will fail the oral.
All FAA exams have an oral and this is partly to check you have good ELP, because you cannot hold any FAA papers without that.
