EASA Licensing / FCL Gatwick
I get the impression that all is not well at the Flight Crew Licensing Department of the CAA. I've not had any problems with them before now, and so I'm guessing that they don't have the staff to cope with an increased flow of applications for the new EASA licences.
My CPL expires on Sunday. The postman has already been past our house today, and so I'm now hoping that my new licence arrives tomorrow. If not, then to all intents and purposes I'll be unemployed. All a bit worrying as I'm meant to be working all day on Sunday.
I posted my application to FCL on the 8th October, and they received it on the 9th October. I sat back and waited for five weeks, and then started to wonder when I might expect to receive my new licence. Since then I've emailed them twice, but never received a response. I've phoned twice, and been told that my application will be given priority. The MD of the company that I work for has also written to FCL on my behalf. This week I've enlisted the help of my local MP, and he's been in contact with FCL. They've said that they'll do their best to get my licence out to me. There's still the chance that my licence may arrive tomorrow, but if it doesn't then their best won't have been good enough.
This isn't a dig at FCL. I'm sure that they are doing their best. What worries me is that surely whoever is responsible for FCL should be doing something to rescue what on the outside appears to be a rapidly developing problem.