FCL.625 IR – Validity, revalidation and renewal

ANNEX I (Part-FCL) · Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 · EAR revision 25 Nov 2025

IRImplementing rule

FCL.625IR – Validity, revalidation and renewal

(a)Validity An IR shall be valid for 1 year.

(b)Revalidation

(1)An IR shall be revalidated within the 3 months immediately preceding its expiry date by complying with the revalidation criteria for the relevant aircraft category.

(2)If applicants choose to fulfil the revalidation requirements earlier than prescribed in point (1), the new validity period shall commence from the date of the proficiency check.

(3)Applicants who fail to pass the relevant section of an IR proficiency check before the expiry date of the IR shall exercise the IR privileges only if they have passed the IR proficiency check.

(4)Applicants for the revalidation of an IR shall receive full credits for the proficiency check as required in this Subpart when they complete EBT practical assessment in accordance with Appendix 10 related to the IR at an EBT operator.

(c)Renewal If an IR has expired, in order to renew their privileges, applicants shall comply with all of the following:

(1)in order to determine whether refresher training is necessary for the applicant to reach the level of proficiency needed to pass the instrument element of the skill test in accordance with Appendix 9, they shall undergo an assessment at either of the following organisations:

(i)at an ATO;

(ii)at an EBT operator that is specifically approved for such refresher training;

(2)if deemed necessary by the organisation providing the assessment in accordance with point (1), they shall complete refresher training at that organisation;

(3)after complying with point (1) and, as applicable, point (2), they shall pass a proficiency check in accordance with Appendix 9 or complete EBT practical assessment in accordance with Appendix 10 in the relevant aircraft category. That EBT practical assessment may be combined with the refresher training specified in point (2);

(4)they shall hold the relevant class or type rating unless specified otherwise in this Annex.

(d)If the IR has not been revalidated or renewed in the preceding 7 years, applicants for the IR shall pass again the IR theoretical knowledge examination and skill test.

(e)Holders of a valid IR on a pilot licence issued by a third country in accordance with Annex 1 to the Chicago Convention shall be exempted from complying with the requirements in points (c)(1), (c)(2) and (d) when renewing the IR privileges contained in licences issued in accordance with this Annex.

(f)The proficiency check specified in point (c)(3) may be combined with a proficiency check performed for the renewal of the relevant class or type rating.

IR · FCL.625 — Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 · Regulation (EU) 2020/2193 · Aircrew Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 25 Nov 2025

AMCAcceptable means of compliance

AMC1 FCL.625(c)IR – Validity, revalidation and renewal

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RENEWAL OF INSTRUMENT RATING AT AN APPROVED TRAINING ORGANISATION (ATO): REFRESHER TRAINING

(a)The objective of the refresher training at an ATO is to reach the level of proficiency needed to pass the instrument rating proficiency check, as described in Appendix 9, or the instrument rating skill test as described in Appendix 7 to Part-FCL, as applicable. The amount of refresher training needed should be determined by the ATO on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the following factors:

(1)the experience of the applicant;

(2)the amount of time elapsed since the privileges of the rating were last used;

(3)the complexity of the aircraft;

(4)whether the applicant has a current rating on another aircraft type or class; and

(5)where considered necessary, the performance of the applicant during a simulated proficiency check for the rating in a flight simulation training device (FSTD) or an aircraft of a relevant type or class. The amount of training needed to reach the desired level of competency should increase with the time elapsed since the privileges of the rating were last used.

(b)Once the ATO has determined the needs of the applicant, it should develop an individual training programme based on the ATO’s approved course for the rating and focusing on those aspects where the applicant has shown the greatest needs. Theoretical-knowledge instruction should be included, as necessary. The performance of the applicant should be reviewed during the training, and additional instruction should be provided where necessary to reach the standard required for the proficiency check.

(c)After successful completion of the training, the ATO should provide a training completion certificate to the applicant, which describes the evaluation of the factors listed under (a) above and the training received, and includes a statement that the training has been successfully completed. The training completion certificate should be presented to the examiner prior to the proficiency check. Following the successful renewal of the rating, the training completion certificate and examiner report form should be submitted to the competent authority.

(d)Taking into account the factors listed in (a) above, an ATO may also decide that the applicant already possesses the required level of proficiency and that no refresher training is necessary. In such a case, the certificate or other documental evidence referred to in point (c) above should contain a respective statement including sufficient reasoning.

AMC · AMC1 FCL.625(c) — Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 · ED Decision 2017/022/R · Aircrew Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 25 Nov 2025

All rules in SUBPART G – INSTRUMENT RATING – IR

Consolidated from the EASA Easy Access Rules (revision 25 Nov 2025, extracted 17 Aug 2026) for convenience. Not the official publication — verify against the Official Journal of the European Union and the EASA publications before operational use.

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