Waterford Aero Club recently took delivery of a Cessna 172S equipped with a Garmin G1000 cockpit and a GFC700 autopilot. The aircraft is ideal for instrument training. The C172 is now online and available for self-hire by members for €200/hr. The Club is open for new members to join, with hour building ranging from €140 in the PA28 to €200 in the C172 G1000.
The aircraft will also be used for the Basic Instrument Rating (BIR) Course. EASA introduced the BIR as an alternative to the instrument rating targeted at recreational pilots looking to further enhance their skills without having to sit all seven written exams previously required to gain an EASA IR (the BIR only has three exams and they’re valid for life with no expiry). The rating grants pretty much the same privileges as the IR other than you have to add 200 feet to the approach minimums and it’s only valid in EASA airspace. It can also be upgraded to an IR without any further written exams after gaining 50 hours of IFR experience.
For more information about the Waterford Aero Club, please visit their website here.
