Expert: Adrian Beney - 10/2/2006

Question
What is the difference between a IMC rating and a IR rating in terms of training syllabus and what you can use it for?

Answer
IMC is 15 hours flying and a ground course.  Exams done by the flying school.  No Class A and min visibilty 1800 m for landing and take off, also recommended higher minima than for an IR.  Very useful rating, but I would get lots more training in flight planning, en-route checks and weather than is in the syllabus.  Rating needs renewing every 25 months.

IR is fiendishly expensive, includes almost all the CPL/ATPL exams, has to be done by an approved school, examined by a full time CAA examiner. Budget on 8 grand GBP to do it, or more.  Rating needs renewing every 12 months.

www.pplir.org has lots more information.

Good luck!