The CAA has announced that it is “likely” that the European Commission will allow the UK to continue issuing the Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) rating for pilots until April 2019.
The proposal comes after efforts from the CAA and UK GA to support the retention of the rating.
Since its introduction in the 1960s the IMC rating has been acquired by thousands of UK private pilots to help them plan and fly safely in instrument weather conditions.
‘National’ ratings, such as the IMC, were to be phased out by April 2014, but today’s proposal, which is expected to be included in the next amendment of the European Aircrew Regulation, will extend this deadline.
It had previously been agreed that pilots who already held the rating before April 2014 would be allowed to use it indefinitely within the UK and to transfer it to a new EASA Private Pilot’s Licence as an Instrument Rating (Restricted) and this agreement remains.
For more information on licensing visit http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=175
