Driving you nuts - Me too!
Afternoon all.
Time for my input.
9th May - Passed skills test.
10th May - Posted all paperwork, passport, logbook etc.
12th May - Royal Mail confirmed package was delivered and signed for at the CAA (Safe to say the ten working days have
started).
17th May - Huge amount of money disappears from bank account (I assume this is a good sign, the CAA are getting on with it
just three working days after receipt of the application).
27th May - Received an email stating that the third page (declaration) of the Night Quanlification is missing. Within two
hours of receipt of the email I printed off the required page, signed it and faxed back to them. Ten minutes later I
followed the fax up with a phone call to ensure they had received it. The email stated that I would be looking at another
ten working days. Harsh, I thought, especially as I had responded so quickly and the mistake was a simple one. This occurs
eleven working days after they had received the original applciation.
3rd June - Telephoned the CAA for progress of my application. Was informed that the fax was received on the 27th May and
that I'd be looking at ten working days from that date. Harsh, I thought again, though five days had already elapsed. Only
a week to go, I thought. Went for just over an hour's flight in order to stay current that afternoon. Unfortunately I had
to make the flight alone, which wasn't exactly what I'd got in mind.
Today (11th June) - Nothing. Telephoned the CAA again for a progress check. Was informed, again, that the fax was received
on the 27th and linked to my application successfully (??!!! It was two hours after they emailed me!! How hard could that
be?). I was then given the usual 'Ten working days from the 27th'. Not realising, I gave a disheartened 'OK thanks' and
ended the call. IT WAS ELEVEN WORKING DAYS TODAY!! ON THE DAY OF THE PHONE CALL I WAS TOLD IT WAS DUE YESTERDAY!!
Some investigation has become necessary. After a quick trawl around on here I found a thread 'CAA driving me nuts.' This
triggers a flood of worries. Am I going to be waiting months? I checked the above link and it shows that on Monday (7th
June) they were checking paperwork received on the 19th May. TEN DAY TURNAROUND??! Assuming they process a specific day's
applications each day, that would mean that today they're assessing applications from the 23rd June. This means that they'd
be looking at processing the applications from my day (Now the 27th May) next Thursday (17th June). This equates to a
staggering 15 days. 50% over quoted time. Plus a good few days in the post.
Unlucky for me, holiday coming up, passport needed. Another solo flight probably needed to stay confident. I don't agree
with the fob-offs on the telephone when it clearly contradicts both what has already happened and what it states on the CAA
website.
Anyway, apologies for long, drawn out description of the long, even more drawn out process. I understand I made a mistake,
fair enough. I do feel, however, that the money should not have been taken from my account until the licence was issued.
This, to me, is wrong. Supposing I get the licence next Monday (21st June), that means I'll have gone six weeks since the date of passing my skills
test!
Any views/opinions? Surely on the CAA's part some common-sense and perhaps a little heart would be welcome. I mean, if I
were processing applications and I found an error that was rectified in less than two hours by the applicant surely the right
thing to do would be to carry on where I left off, not brush it to the back of the queue and start fobbing off?
Joe.