UK Instrument Rated Private Pilot and Instrument Flight Instructor
I had put an enormous amount of time and effort into passing the CPL theory exams in 2017/18 which are required to become a fully qualified Flight Instructor. I didn’t want that to go to waste or to have to repeat them. These exams are only valid for three years after the final test and so I decided to complete the practical side of the training and gain my Commercial
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I don’t directly sell or organise Flight Instructor Seminars – the article below is simply a review of my experience attending one. If you wish to participate in a seminar, please contact an approved training organisation such as AOPA UK, FPT, On Track Aviation or Pooleys. This list is not exhaustive and is not a recommendation for or against any particular provider. The review below is based on my experience
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This week saw the final step in my journey to become a qualified EASA IRI (Instrument Rating Instructor) – similar to an FAA CFII – which allows me to instruct pilots towards a full Instrument Rating as well as the UK IR(R). Over the past 18 months, I’ve passed 11 CPL Theory exams, undergone a six week practical training course and Assessment of Competence to become an EASA Flight Instructor,
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As part of my journey to become an EASA qualified IR instructor, I needed to take an approved groundschool course and pass the set of CPL (Commercial Pilot Licence) exams, of which I get to skip 2 of the 13 because I have an IR. This is one step below the 14 ATPL (Airline Transport Pilot Licence) exams but the scope of the CPL is smaller and the course should
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One step at a time While what I’ve described below is the practical EASA flight instructor course, it is just one step towards my bigger goal – to become qualified to instruct for private instrument flying, which would include privileges for: IR(R) / IMC (UK only) Competency Based Instrument Rating (CB-IR) En-Route Instrument Rating (EIR), which has had very limited interest to date Basic IR, being developed by EASA for introduction
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A mandatory element of the EASA Flight Instructor course relates to spins. Potential flight instructors must not only receive training for incipient and full spins but demonstrate to a Flight Instructor Examiner that they can correct demonstrate and recover from these abnormal conditions. Although this can be combined with the FI Assessment of Competence at the end of the course, typically this is scheduled as a separate exercise with two
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VFR Revalidation for SEP rating VFR private pilots normally have to take an hour’s instruction every two years to be allowed to retain their licence privileges. Even airline pilots have to do this separately for smaller aircraft, ensuring their SEP (Single Engine Piston) rating remains current. This isn’t an exam or skill test, although any instructor would be cautious to sign off someone who was thought to be dangerous. In
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The benefits Pilots of non-pressurised small aircraft such as ours are limited to 10,000 feet, above which an oxygen system is usually required. EASA european rules allow you to fly up to 12,000 feet for 30 minutes without one; passengers are considered OK up to 13,000 for any length of time. After the few airways flights I’ve had at FL100, I have felt slightly the worse for wear and believe oxygen would
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I passed the CRI (Class Rating Instructor) skill test today. Read on to find out what that entitles me to do, and what was involved in gaining the rating. What is a Class Rating Instructor and what can they do? The CRI is a European (EASA) qualification that is fairly easy for a PPL to achieve, yet gives quite wide ranging privileges. You need 300 hours total time including 30 hours on
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My FAA airman certificate is based on my European EASA PPL/IR and medical, which both have to be current. In addition, for the FAA certificate to be valid I need to have had a VFR Flight Review within the previous 24 months and be IFR current. The US system to maintain IFR currency is quite different to the European one. EASA mandates an annual proficiency test with an examiner, and
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