PA28-161
27th Aug 2002, 12:52
Well....I contacted the Miami FSDO to check out the process...just show up with licence and medical, they said - no problem. I'm going 02 September for 18 days holiday, thought I could rent a new 172 from marathon airport in the Keys for a laugh...next day FSDO informs me the FAA have suspended all licence conversions!
Indefinitely.
1 week later...FSDO mail me, say the FAA will give the tempo licence if you follow a verification procedure and mail copies of all the paperwork to the Oklahoma City offices...so I do that. Ask for expedite on this as it's close to travelling time. They mail back - seems the CAA won't verify my licence on data protection/medical privacy/staffing issues! Oho!
Read interesting info on CAA website:
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/175/srg_fcl_flying_in_USA.pdf
This says the CAA sent the FAA a guide to spotting dud CAA licences! Salt in the wound after 9/11 or what!
Rang FCL - I don't know about all of U but privacy be damned, sure all they'd need is for the CAA to say YES, Mr X DOES have licence no 12345, medical 67890. FCL say they only have 4 very hard pushed staff as it is without processing an estimated 3000 verifications per year.
And there it is. Detente - Impasse. FAA will grant if you're verified, CAA haven't the manpower.
Does anyone else think this really sucks?
In addition, I contacted Naples AC in western Florida - thought someone might have a loophole somewhere. Nope - and now it seems that unless you're hourbuilding, if you fly stateside for the provision of a licence or rating you need a student visa, and over a month's notice for the granting of one. So much for any last-minute flying breaks.
I hope this madness ends soon!
Indefinitely.
1 week later...FSDO mail me, say the FAA will give the tempo licence if you follow a verification procedure and mail copies of all the paperwork to the Oklahoma City offices...so I do that. Ask for expedite on this as it's close to travelling time. They mail back - seems the CAA won't verify my licence on data protection/medical privacy/staffing issues! Oho!
Read interesting info on CAA website:
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/175/srg_fcl_flying_in_USA.pdf
This says the CAA sent the FAA a guide to spotting dud CAA licences! Salt in the wound after 9/11 or what!
Rang FCL - I don't know about all of U but privacy be damned, sure all they'd need is for the CAA to say YES, Mr X DOES have licence no 12345, medical 67890. FCL say they only have 4 very hard pushed staff as it is without processing an estimated 3000 verifications per year.
And there it is. Detente - Impasse. FAA will grant if you're verified, CAA haven't the manpower.
Does anyone else think this really sucks?
In addition, I contacted Naples AC in western Florida - thought someone might have a loophole somewhere. Nope - and now it seems that unless you're hourbuilding, if you fly stateside for the provision of a licence or rating you need a student visa, and over a month's notice for the granting of one. So much for any last-minute flying breaks.
I hope this madness ends soon!