Prerequisites
Applicants for an IR shall:
(a) Hold:
- At least a PPL in the appropriate aircraft category, and the privileges to fly at night in accordance with FCL.810, if the IR privileges will be used at night, or an ATPL in another category of aircraft.
- a CPL, in the appropriate aircraft category.
(b) Have completed at least 50 hours of cross-country flight time as PIC in aeroplanes, TMGs, helicopters or airships, of which at least 10 or, in the case of airships, 20 hours shall be in the relevant aircraft category.
FCL.610 IR
Theoretical knowledge examination subjects
Applicants shall demonstrate a level of theoretical knowledge appropriate to the privileges granted in the following subjects:
- air law.
- aircraft general knowledge — instrumentation.
- flight planning and monitoring.
- human performance.
- meteorology.
- radio navigation.
- communications.
FCL.615 IR
Theoretical knowledge
(a) Responsibilities of the applicant
- Applicants shall take the entire set of theoretical knowledge examinations for a specific licence or rating under the responsibility of the same Member State’s competent authority.
- Applicants shall only take the theoretical knowledge examination when recommended by the declared training organisation (DTO) or the approved training organisation (ATO) responsible for their training, once they have completed the appropriate elements of the training course of theoretical knowledge instruction to a satisfactory standard.
- The recommendation by a DTO or an ATO shall be valid for 12 months. If the applicant has failed to attempt at least one theoretical knowledge examination paper within this period of validity, the need for further training shall be determined by the DTO or the ATO, based on the needs of the applicant.
(b) Pass standards
- A pass in a theoretical knowledge examination paper will be awarded to an applicant achieving at least 75 % of the marks allocated to that paper. No penalty marking shall be applied.
- Unless otherwise determined in this Part, an applicant has successfully completed the required theoretical knowledge examination for the appropriate pilot licence or rating if he or she has passed all the required theoretical knowledge examination papers within a period of 18 months counted from the end of the calendar month when the applicant first attempted an examination.
- If an applicant for the ATPL theoretical knowledge examination, or for the issue of a commercial pilot licence (CPL), an instrument rating (IR) or an en route instrument rating (EIR) has failed to pass one of the theoretical knowledge examination papers within four attempts, or has failed to pass all papers within either six sittings or within the period mentioned in point (2), he or she shall retake the complete set of theoretical knowledge examination papers.
- Before retaking the theoretical knowledge examinations, applicants shall undertake further training at a DTO or an ATO. The extent and scope of the training needed shall be determined by the DTO or the ATO, based on the needs of the applicants.
(c) Validity period
The successful completion of the theoretical knowledge examinations will be valid:
- for the issue of a commercial pilot licence, instrument rating (IR) or en route instrument rating (EIR), for a period of 36 months.
- the periods in 1 shall be counted from the day when the pilot successfully completes the theoretical knowledge examination, in accordance with (b) (2).
FCL.025
Flying training course
- A single-engine IR(A) course shall comprise at least 50 hours instrument time under instruction of which up to 20 hours may be instrument ground time in an FNPT I, or up to 35 hours in an FFS or FNPT II. A maximum of 10 hours of FNPT II or an FFS instrument ground time may be conducted in an FNPT I.
- A multi-engine IR(A) course shall comprise at least 55 hours instrument time under instruction, of which up to 25 hours may be instrument ground time in an FNPT I, or up to 40 hours in an FFS or FNPT II. A maximum of 10 hours of FNPT II or an FFS instrument ground time may be conducted in an FNPT I. The remaining instrument flight instruction shall include at least 15 hours in multi-engine aeroplanes.
FCL.620 IR / Appendix 6 Part A to Annex 1
Crediting of flight time
- The holder of a single-engine IR(A) who also holds a multi-engine class or type rating wishing to obtain a multi-engine IR(A) for the first time shall complete a course at an ATO comprising at least 5 hours instruction in instrument flying in multi-engine aeroplanes, of which 3 hours may be in an FFS or FNPT II.
- The holder of a CPL(A) or of a Course Completion Certificate for the Basic Instrument Flight Module may have the total amount of training required in paragraphs 1 or 2 above reduced by 10 hours.
- The holder of an IR(H) may have the total amount of training required in paragraphs 1 or 2 above reduced to 10 hours.
FCL.620 IR / Appendix 6 Part A to Annex 1
Language Proficiency
(a) General. Aeroplane, helicopter, powered-lift and airship pilots required to use the radio telephone shall not exercise the privileges of their licences and ratings unless they have a language proficiency endorsement on their licence in either English or the language used for radio communications involved in the flight. The endorsement shall indicate the language, the proficiency level and the validity date.
(b) The applicant for a language proficiency endorsement shall demonstrate, at least an operational level of language proficiency both in the use of phraseologies and plain language to an assessor certified by a competent authority or a language-testing body approved by a competent authority as applicable. To do so, the applicant shall demonstrate the ability to:
(1) communicate effectively in voice-only and in face-to-face situations.
(2) communicate on common and work-related topics with accuracy and clarity.
(3) use appropriate communicative strategies to exchange messages and to recognise and resolve misunderstandings in a general or work-related context.
(4) handle successfully the linguistic challenges presented by a complication or unexpected turn of events which occurs within the context of a routine work situation or communicative task with which they are otherwise familiar and
(5) use a dialect or accent which is intelligible to the aeronautical community.
(c) Except for pilots who have demonstrated language proficiency at an expert level (level 6) , the language proficiency endorsement shall be re-evaluated every:
(1) 4 years, if the level demonstrated is operational level (level 4) or
(2) 6 years, if the level demonstrated is extended level (level 5).
FCL.055
Skill Test
(a) Before a skill test for the issue of a licence, rating or certificate is taken, the applicant shall have passed the required theoretical knowledge examination.
(b) The applicant for a skill test shall be recommended for the test by the organisation/person responsible for the training, once the training is completed. The training records shall be made available to the examiner.
(c) Applicants for an IR shall pass a skill test to demonstrate the ability to perform the relevant procedures and manoeuvres with a degree of competency appropriate to the privileges granted.
(d) For a multi-engine IR, the skill test shall be taken in a multi-engine aircraft. For a single-engine IR, the test shall be taken in a single-engine aircraft. A multi-engine centreline thrust aeroplane shall be considered a single-engine aeroplane for the purposes of this paragraph.
(e) An applicant shall pass all the relevant sections of the skill test. If any item in a section is failed, that section is failed. Failure in more than one section will require the applicant to take the entire test again. An applicant failing only in one section shall only repeat the failed section. Failure in any section of the retest, including those sections that have been passed on a previous attempt, will require the applicant to take the entire test again. All relevant sections of the skill test shall be completed within 6 months. Failure to achieve a pass in all relevant sections of the test in two attempts will require further training.
(f) Further training may be required following any failed skill test. There is no limit to the number of skill tests that may be attempted.
(g) Applicants who have completed a skill test for a multi-engine IR in a single-pilot multi-engine aeroplane for which a class rating is required shall also be issued with a single-engine IR for the single-engine aeroplane class or type ratings that they hold.
FCL.030 / FCL.620 IR / Appendix 7 to Annex 1