I honestly can't see the problem!
I would agree that the CAA are charging far too much for a piece of paper.
However, I can not see how with a two month window to get the aircraft to the maintenance organisation, many pilots would have to hand over £80 because the weather was not good enough to get the weather to fly.
Given 62 days, even a U/S aircraft could have parts ordered, repair made, bad weather waited out, flown to maintenence organisation, annual inspection completed and still have the date on the new annual 12 months on from the old one.
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flyingfemme,
Parking is not always available at another field. A maintenance unit may not be able to store customers aircraft indefinitely. Such storage may also be expensive, if available, and certainly on top of regular parking arrangments.
Have I missed something here?
If I book my aircraft into a maintenance organisation for work to start on the first working say of January, would it not be reasonable for me to leave the aircraft outside their door that day or the evening before?
Would it not be reasonable to expect that if the weatehr was unsuitable that I could fly it over the next day or the day after or whenever the weather became suitable?
If the aircraft needs a spare part is it not reasonable to expect a U/S aircraft to be retained at the maintenence organisation while awaiting spares?
Would the above not also apply if I was silly ehough to leave myself having to pay £80 to the CAA on top of the other costs?
And what about unplanned maintenance?
If the aircraft is unairworthy it will have to be fixed where it is or trailored. If it is not U/S then it will be safe to fly.
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I think it is quite right that the CAA should charge. If it was not so then the costs would have to be recouped probably via the C of A revalidation charge or similar. I do not want my C of A charges to increase simply because some people can't get an aircraft from A to B within the same country in a 2 month window.
£80 may be a bit on the high side however.
Regards,
DFC