The European Aviation Safety Agency (
EASA) has made it possible for private pilots to obtain a full European instrument rating in an alternative, flexible, “competency-based modular” way. In addition to a private pilot license, a candidate can use a UK IMC rating or an overseas (FAA, for example) instrument rating as the basis, along with experience logged flying in IMC or under instrument flight rules.
On August 1 the UK CAA released an Information Notice stating: “The European Aircrew Regulation [EC Regulation 1178/2011] has introduced an alternative route to obtaining an instrument rating (IR) that is often referred to as the ‘competency-based instrument rating’ (CBIR). The CBIR is available for aeroplanes only. The privileges of the CBIR do not include flying ‘high-performance aeroplanes’ (HPA) under IFR unless further theoretical knowledge is obtained.”
