AOPA WINS IMC CONCESSION FROM EUROCRATS

07 Oct 2010

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AN important first victory in the UK's battle to retain the IMC Rating was won yesterday - AOPA went in to fight for the Rating and won a vital concession from EASA.

At a special meeting at EASA's Cologne HQ yesterday which included members of the FCL008 Working Group, the UK CAA and AOPA, EASA agreed as a first step to "grandfather" IMC rating holders for life.

That means anyone who gets the IMC Rating before EASA takes over responsibility for licensing in April 2012 will be allowed to fly safely under its provisions for as long as they live.

AOPA UK, which was invited to an FCL008 meeting for the first time, welcomed the decision but will continue to press for the retention of the IMC rating in order to protect the next generation of pilots.

In this, AOPA has the support of the UK CAA, which sent its Head of Licensing and Training Policy Cliff Whittaker to join its representative on FCL008, Mike Dobson. Together they made it clear that it is CAA policy to retain the IMC rating - something FCL008 was hearing for the first time.

EASA's Notice of Proposed Amendment covering instrument flying is due in January 2011, at which time the precise details of its intentions on the IMC rating will become known.

Martin Robinson and Nick Wilcock attended the meeting on behalf of AOPA UK. Afterwards Robinson said: "We welcome the concession, having previously been told it was not possible to grant grandfather rights under EASA, but we will not allow it to take the steam out of the campaign to retain the IMC rating for the safety of all UK pilots present and future."

Well done AOPA and UK CAA!

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