CASA Cost Cutting getting a bit extreme?

[kalavo]

Recently added an NVFR to the logbook. Haven't seen anything in the post from CASA so checked the self service gateway. License was updated with the NVFR a month ago, service request marked as done, but last reprint of license was 2006.

Not a major issue, since I've got the stamp in the logbook, but seriously... 2 A4 pages and a postage stamp?

[PLovett]

kalavo, you forgot the $25 fee for a licence reprint.:ok:

[kalavo]

Yikes, I thought you were joking! A lot has changed in the two years I've been away from it!

Ok next question then. I know they charge a fee to process the medical, is there another fee to print the medical? Am I required to get a reprinted license (and medical if its two separate fees) to make use of the extra endorsements? I'd assume not since it's in the logbook... but then what's the requirements regarding carrying a current license/medical/logbook if we get ramped?

[PLovett]

kalavo

With the medical they will send you a new one without payment of a fee (perhaps that is included in the fee to process your medical - you know, all that processing that is required when the information is received electronically from the DAME with the decision already made for them :ugh:).

However, should you need another copy of your medical (I had to get a copy by fax as there was some doubt the new medical would reach me in time before the expiry date of the old one) they will charge you for that.

I think the rationale behind the difference is that your logbook has all the stickies that authorises your activities but a new medical authority is required each time. Strange when you think that a logbook does not have to be carried with you at all times but a licence and medical does.:uhoh:

[kookabat]

In the letter CASA sent out when they introduced all the new fees, it was specifically mentioned that nowhere in the regs does it state that your licence needs to be up to date when you fly.


Makes no sense to me, but there you go!

[Ando1Bar]

Slight thread drift, but kind of related...

I just signed up to the self-service portal and was told I would be sent an email confirmation. The CASA system worked well, I had an email within a couple of minutes. The downside is the email told me a letter would be sent to me with my password - this will take up to 14 days.

Now, if CASA are going to all of the effort to set up this portal (in an effort to be more efficient and save $$$) why don't they just email me my password? They already had my email address in the system - it can't be a security issue. Every other organisation in the world set up online services this way.

Also, if CASA charge us $25 per letter they send, wouldn't they be saving money themselves by fully automating the system?

So to the CASA IT people who may possibly read this (:hmm:), if you are serious about improving service and reducing costs then just email us our passwords please.

[morno]

Kookabat is correct. Nowhere in the CAR's or CASR's does it state you must have your medical or licence with you, for a flight within Australia.

However, for those of us who are flying for a living, your Ops Manual probably states otherwise, therefore you must carry it to satisfy your companies ops manual. Maybe you should hit your company up for the $25 fee if they want you to carry a current copy, :hmm:.

morno

[kalavo]

Kookabat is correct. Nowhere in the CAR's or CASR's does it state you must have your medical or licence with you, for a flight within Australia.

However, for those of us who are flying for a living, your Ops Manual probably states otherwise, therefore you must carry it to satisfy your companies ops manual. Maybe you should hit your company up for the $25 fee if they want you to carry a current copy, :hmm:.

morno

Actually, CAR 139 (1)(d) requires that the pilot in command of an aircraft, when flying, must carry on the aircraft unless CASA otherwise approves, the licences and medical certificates of the operating crew.

This is not exempted for aircraft operating wholly within Australian Territory.

So the big question is whether we're required to carry the most recent copy or whether CASA otherwise approves (given they're charging an extra $25 for a license to be printed despite a fee being paid to an authorised representative of CASA for the test, one would assume they have indeed approved us either carrying no license or a license not showing everything we're qualified to do).

*seriously considers digging up his first paper license* :)

[max1]

PLovett,
I had an interesting time with a medical about 2 1/2 years ago.
After not hearing for 5-6 weeks , I was getting a bit twitchy. Rang them up, they told me the notification from the DAME was stamped 3 weeks ago. Rang the DAMEs office ,(he was an office holder in the DAME Assoc) consequently they keep a log of when these letters are sent, and it was 5 1/2weeks ago.

Person at CASA admitted that they stamp when they start to action them, I advised I did my medical exactly 2 months before it was due to lapse i.e. the earliest I could, and if they then sit on it for 3 weeks it is their problem not mine. They said they would hurry it up.

Another couple of weeks later I speak to someone in the office on a Thursday, tell them next Wednesday is crunchtime. They tell me it will be put in tonights (Thursday) mail. Oh goody I think maybe Friday, definitely Monday. Nothing either day . Ring Monday arvo. Friday was a Public Holiday in Canberra, Thursdays mail goes out tonight. You think they may have mentioned this.

Blood Pressure now 300/200, they tell me they can fax it, but will cost me 20 or 30 dollars. Get someone on the phone who I run through the whole debacle with. I explain if I can't work , my employer doesn't pay me and pays someone else extra to do the job. That small claims court may run into thousands.And guess who'll be billed for that.

End result, there was no charge for putting it in an express o/night envelope. I don't know if I was given preferential treatment but next time they try to charge $20 odd for a $1< fax ,ask for the cost of express post.

To be fair probably 3 out of 4 people I spoke to were quite helpful, especially the last bloke. I won't mention his name as it would probably wreck his career if he was outed as being helpful, and I would get sinbinned.

[PLovett]

max1

At the risk of getting stomped on by the friendly moderators I found that CASA was extremely efficient (I know, very strange but true). I had seen my DAME with plenty of time to get it all done (my medical expires early Jan so I get the medical done early Dec) and duely got the extension stamped for expiry about mid Feb. All in good.

However, whoever reviews the results in Canberra decided that my eyesight had improved too much over the past 12 months (I kid you not) and they wanted an opthalmologist's report. This was early Jan. I am of an age where presbyopia is taking effect and I have noticed that my eyesight for distance vision has been gradually improving for several years now. I was sure this was the reason for the improvement.

Well, where I live and work opthalmologists are as rare as rocking horse droppings, but one does visit but he wouldn't be in town until 11 Feb, 5 days before the extension is due to expire. The local hospital managed to completely mess up the appointment despite their assurance that I would be first "cab off the rank". However, due to the good grace of the opthalmologist he agreed to see me at the end of the day.

When I explained the problem I had to wait until he had gotten off the floor from laughing before he could do the examination. The result was as thought, presbyopia. I explained that my medical was due to expire in 5 days and could he fax his report to CASA?

He could do better and would ring them immediately. I explained that CASA was government, located in Canberra and it was now 1800 CST. He said he would ring the next day.

Well that got me thinking that CASA may not react to a phone call so I would call them as well and ask that they fax the medical certificate while waiting for the issued one to arrive in the mail. When I rang them they explained that they had issued the new certificate and that it had been sent to the mail room for posting. If I wanted a fax copy they would have to run another one off and that would cost $25 (see mods, I do get to the point eventually). I exclaimed that this was legal thuggery but I was between a rock and a hard place and agreed to pay.

Ironically, the new medical certificate arrived before the fax copy and it was well before the old medical certificate expired. I was shocked.:eek:

[PyroTek]

PLovett:
I too found that CASA was very efficient with their medicals. I phoned asking about my medical about a week after i sent my payment, the girl on the phone said "It's sitting on the examiners desk right now, i'll put a note on it saying to do at ASAP (I didn't even ask for that!)" I got the medical 3 days later.
I was very impressed :ok:

However, that's some thread drift I think.

[Cap'n Arrr]

When you get a new LICENCE it is sent to you though (CPL, PPL, ATPL etc)

When you get a new endorsement or rating, it is not. (CSU, PA31, B737 etc)

But the sticker in the logbook covers you for the rating/endorsement. It does not for the licence.

i.e. you need an up to date licence, but if the ratings aren't on it it doesn't matter, so long as the sticker is in the logbook.:ok:

[flying-spike]

Forgive me if I'm wrong but isn't the licence perpetual and it is only valid if the medical is current?

[Mach E Avelli]

If you fly international, you need to have the current instrument rating and endorsements etc on your licence, or you have to carry your logbook with the sticky strips. 'Cos if you are missing something and you get ramped - say in Singapore or Tontouta - you WILL be hauled out of the driver's seat. Your employer gets to pay for a new crew to fly you home. Tea and bickies with the Chief Pilot.
Moral of the story - pay the 25 bucks to always have your latest ratings etc on your licence. Lugging your logbook around and eventually losing it is just too painful. The 25 bucks is tax deductible.

[max1]

Thanks all,
I found the people at the coalface helpful and felt that they were probably under resourced and mired in red tape. My suggestion was to ask for the free? express post and save yourself the $25 fax cost.
Will they ever divest themselves of the Oxygen Thieves ?One day, who knows?

[Cap'n Arrr]

And just on what Pyro said.... I've found everyone in CLARC I've spoken to recently incredibly helpful, they spent a good while letting me know how to apply for a PIFR based on having a CIR, and called me to let me know they'd recieved it, then sped up the application process as I had a flight booked which I was planning to use the PIFR on, and it turned up well in time.

I've heard from the manager too that they've been doing very well (considering their staffing levels) with issuing initial SPLs.

Nice work guys!:ok:

[PyroTek]

It could be because they referred the hefty process of ASIC renewals to AsA, thus, giving them more time to do other things.