FFF - Thanks for the suggestion, wont go into personal details but it was very defiantly beyond my control and a very tough time to go through. Will contact the CAA and see if they can grant an extension but am not holding out much hope!
Smith - Thanks for that, utter madness though !! So after doing the ATPL's already along with another 150hrs flying including a CPL course the only benefit I get is not having to sit the VFR coms exam !!!
It really seems to me that this is a whole grey area that the JAA haven't really thought about.
For example this must surely have a major impact on flight instruction in the future. Many people under the old CAA system as we know have traditionally instructed for a few years to build up hours whilst also saving & studying to undertake an I/R.
Under the JAA system however you have 36months and no more, you must do an I/R or be limited to nothing more that a CPL unless you want to re-sit all the exams again. This would then seem to me that anyone going through the system is basically forced to go from PPL to Frozen ATPL as quickly as possible and therefore to go straight into an airline.
Surely it would make more sense to allow an upgrade from a CPL to ATPL theory by sitting merely the I/R element of exams again?? To be told that despite having done all 14 exams already and holding a CPL that you have effectively no more theoretical knowledge than a PPL seems utterly ridiculous to me!!!
Just out of interest, how many others out there are in or are approaching this same situation? I now know of a handful of others so far and I guess since the JAA system is only around 4 years old these numbers will soon start to increase.
Regards
UA