Well, bu**er me backwards with a bendy birch twig

[bcfc]

...I passed my skills test today!

Flew like an idjit but obviously didn't scare him too much. Got all the forms and dying to send off for the big ticket. Only question I have is, How much do I send the CAA? Search the web site but went round in circles. Any new PPL's know the Damage?

Thanks
bcfc
PPL(A)

boy, it felt good to write that! :D

[Cahlibahn]

Well done that man!!!

According to the CAA website at http://www.srg.caa.co.uk/documents/srg_fcl_Schargesppl.pdf
you only need to cough up £143 for the issue of your licence.

[I have control]

Congratulations!!

Don't hold your breath, though. I seem to recall it took them about 6 weeks to process the licence. Compare & contrast to the FAA who issued me with a U.S. licence in 20 minutes for no fee at all...

[bcfc]

Cahlibahn - thanks, just the info I was after. It says that the cost of the skills test is £150, yet my examiner only wanted £100. Is this a fee dictated by the CAA or the individual examiner? Anyway, it'll be the best £143 I've spent.

ihc, 6 weeks!!! :eek:

[BEagle]

Congratulations - and I think you'll find that, so long as your FCL102 was completed correctly, your licence will be with you in a lot less than 6 weeks!


The scale of charges for Flight Tests on the CAA site is for tests conducted by them. I charge 10% less for the PPL Skill Test, 50% less for a LPC SPA for renewal/revalidation and nothing for an IMC test as I consider that to be a safety enhancement. I don't charge anything for PPL ground exams either; £37 a throw by the CAA is pretty steep, but remember that you are debriefed on the PPL exams you pass so that any errors are corrected, whereas you might never know what you got wrong in a commercial licensing exam! Partial PPL Skill Test passes I charge £65 per hour - so if it's only 30 min in the circuit which they need, then they won't get stung for another full Test! I am NOT advertising here, just indicating that not everyone charges quite as much the CAA scale would have you think!

[ 29 July 2001: Message edited by: BEagle ]

[bcfc]

I thought £100 for 3 hours work (1 ground prep & 2 in the air) was quite reasonable. I assumed it'd be 'round the £150 mark.

Then again, I did pay cash ;)

[BEagle]

You must have done well to get it done in 2 hours - the navigation element alone is supposed to take not less than an hour!

The Examiner is supposed to turn up, check the weather, greet the Applicant, brief the Applicant and then let the Applicant have an hour's planning time. During this time the Examiner checks the paperwork. I've never managed the flight in less than 2 1/2 hours; others may have done. Then there's the debrief and all the other paperwork to do - that'll take about an hour in total. I reckon that it's nearer 0.5 + 1.0 + 2.5 + 1.0 = 5 hours' work!

[sinkingfeeling]

Think you will find the CAA FCL now states that a PPL will take 10 working days to issue from the day it is received. You can also hand applications in at their public counter Monday-Friday 09-00 to 16-00. Not as bad as they used to be!!

[LowNSlow]

Congratulations bcfc, I hope you get the most expensive little book you'll ever buy soon.

Welcome to a lifetime addiction :D :D

[Aussie Andy]

Hey! Well done! Enjoy!!!! :)

I think I paid £143... I got mine just last month. Your club should be able to tell you - but just phone CAA Licensing dept. at Gatwick (number is on the website) and they'll tell you for sure.

Andy

[ 30 July 2001: Message edited by: Aussie Andy ]

[FlyingForFun]

bcfc,

Congratulations! Hope you enjoy the first couple of months of you PPL as much as I've enjoyed mine! £143 sounds familiar - but your flying school should be able to help you.

I couldn't believe how expensive the whole thing was - having to pay for hiring the aircraft, then pay for the test, then pay again for the license!

You need to make sure you get your logbook stamped by the school before you send it off (I can't remember if it says this on the form or not, but you do). Also, it doesn't say so on the form, but you need to include your qualifying-cross-country certificate, or else they'll just ask you to send it in a couple of weeks. (At least, that's what my instructor told me.) But your instructor or school should be able to give you all the info you need.

Anyway, well done! Now you've got the most difficult part - having to decide where to fly, instead of having an instructor there to tell you!

Have fun, :D

FFF
----------

[Wibbly P]

I have control,

Don't hold your breath, though. I seem to recall it took them about 6 weeks to process the licence. Compare & contrast to the FAA who issued me with a U.S. licence in 20 minutes for no fee at all...

1. It takes 10 working days not 6 weeks.
2. If he hold's his breath for even 10 working days he will die.
3. The FAA is government funded.
4. The CAA is paid for by the people who use the services I.E YOU
5. Compare and Contrast what? The things that you don't like? or something remotely relevant?


WP'd

[bcfc]

There was one other question I had...

What should I put in my log book for the skills test? I've put 'Self' as captain, P1/s and logged the time as In Command.

Sound right?

[Wibbly P]

bcfc,

Flight tests should be logged as PIC/US or P1/US or P1/s unless the examiner takes control of the aircraft, in which case it is PUT.

If you don't have a PIC/US column in your logbook then log it as P1, just make sure it is annotated as PIC/US.

When you apply don't forget

PPL application form

RT Application form

Skills test report (copy, in case examiners copy doesn't get to the CAA)

Qualifying Cross Country Certificate

Logbook(S)

Copy of your medical

Copy of either Passport or Birth Certificate

Fee of £143.00

SEND IT BY REGISTERED POST

and make sure it has all been signed.

WP

:D

[bcfc]

Thanks everyone for the good wishes and help. Now I'm going to spend the next fortnight waiting for posty :D

[Dan Winterland]

Low n Slow, if you think the brown book is expensive, try the green one!