ZA to the UK - what gives?...

[TikkiRo]

Hi
I've just returned from 7 weeks out in 43rd Air School, Port Alfred, ZA training for my PPL. I'm disabled, and had a few health probs (nothing major) while there, that slowed me up somewhat, hence I didn't manage to complete and get a licence. Have come home with 35 hours (38 all in)bar crosswinds/precautionaries/Dual/solo x-c.

Now, having spoken to one of the local CFI's I'm beginning to fear any chance of ever getting my licence here. He tells me that not only would i have to repeat ALL of the groundschool exams (which I passed) but would also need to repeat the Medical. On top of the high cost of lessons in a Cherokee, we're talking the guts of £2000 here - not nice figure for someone on disability benefits (perhaps I should at this stage point out that my training was on a Scholarship). SO - I just wondered if anyone here has any more clarity of the situation. I accept I would have to redo the Law and perhaps the Radio exams - was prepared for those, but why the Medical - surely this should stand. S. AFrica is an ICAO country and the licence was provided through the CAA in Pretoria - is it thus to be assumed that the UK CAA would now consider the doctor who passed me to have so little judgement that they deem it necessary to get another opinion?? Seems totally ridiculous to me, that if I'd actually managed to get the licence I wouldn't have any of these issues apart from the couple of exams to do, yet because I just didn't get that far I'm being 'penalised' financially in being expected to redo half of what I've already done. Apologies - I know this sounds a bit of an angry email - don't mean it to be. I'm just VERY confused and really, really want to get my licence. My disabilities are rheumatic in nature, and what meds I'm currently on are acceptable to the CAA here (checked that one out long ago).

Anyone any suggestions on a way forward or a clearer picture for me of the true situation??
Thanks
TikkiRo

[RVR800]

The CFI is not medically qualified to comment on your case - Its just a matter
of going to see a CAA doctor who will
take note of the fact that you are a pilot
with solo experience and act accordingly
so should be no problems

It is a great pity you didnt get the licence
issued in SA as an ICAO licence conversion
is quick and easy compared to a student
cross over

Sad to say but you probably will have to do some flying and all exams if you cant return to SA to complete ?

I had the same situation many years ago on return from the USA and the CAA said - it will be cheaper for you to return to the US to complete than carry on in the UK !!

I took option B and payed a high price..

[TikkiRo]

Thanks RVR, for the info - from a newbie into this scene, i have to say, someone somewhere is getting paid a lot of money for something, that in my view is a bit silly. Why should your number of hours make any difference as to whether you require a medical or not - I can appreciate the groundschool repeats more of a requisite, considering knowledge is power and all that.

At any rate, I've already considered your suggestion of returning, as it does indeed seem to work out cheaper. When you said you paid a high price for doing so yourself, which way did you mean that - higher financially or otherwise?? Just in case there are any further pitfalls awaiting me.

TR

[Wibbly P]

TikkiRo,

RVR Is right, It would be better to complete the Training in ZA, BUT, as far as I know you will still be required to:

Get a JAR Class 2 Medical
Sit 6 PPL Exams (unless you've over 100 hours)
Complete training at the discretion of an approved FTO
and then.....
Pass the PPL Skills test

You should get a credit for the Radio practical and the comms paper.

If you don't want to do that you could fly on your ZA licence on Golf reg aircraft but with restrictions, VFR only, no night, no instrument, no instruction, and VMC only as per the ANO

check out the licence requirement docs on www.srg.caa.co.uk read GID 21 requirements for the grant of a JAR-FCL PPL Aeroplanes and GID 35 Requirements for the FRTOL.


Good Luck whichever way you choose.


WP

[RVR800]

TR

Pitfalls were time and money and frustration

[Vortex what...ouch!]

I had a similarish problem.

I had taken and passed all the CAA written exams. I was due to sit my GFT the following weekend when my company sent me to Australia to work at short notice.

Arrived there and found out if I wanted to sit the Australian licence I would need to do their exams and fly a bunch of extra solo time and of course prove what I had already learnt. This I did, and guess what? Yep you guessed it I had to come back to the UK at short notice without sitting the Australian GFT either. Now my flight time is growing now.

Anyway I arrive back in the UK and did not have time to fly for a month or so. I then found out that because I had not completed by the end of 2000 my exams were worthless and I had to do the JAR ones. Very annoying.

I finally took a week off sat the exams and passed my GFT. A wonderful day I can tell you after all the hassle of getting there.

Still the final twist of the knife is I got home and my girlfriend left me that afternoon . Life is a bitch eh?

So keep in there and you will get it done in the end.

[TikkiRo]

Thanks everyone for your replies - at least I don't feel quite so isolated with this problem having heard about your experiences.

Ah Vortex - as you say, life is a bummer at times - your girlfriend obviously wasn't impressed by your incredible prowess in getting your PPL - her loss!! Your story makes me shudder to think what might yet be up ahead for me in this. If I was working or could otherwise somehow justify the extortionate amounts of money requested to complete this PPL, it might make my life just a shade easier. SOmeone, somewhere must be making something out of all these daft regulations. I can appreciate that perhaps in certain cases the UK CAA might not be the most comfortable with experience gained elsewhere being up to its (perfect of course) standard. But I'm sorry - personally I think they just want to penalise those of us who want to save our pennies for other purposes by insisting that regardless of how much we've done elsewhere it's of no value whatsoever here. Like I said, to me that argument only holds water if you take it all the way - i.e. ignore a foreign GFT/licence etc and just tell people that you have to do the heap here or else!! I am getting a bit angry about it, only because I can't see any sense in these regulations - somehow though, I suspect I'm only flogging a dead cow here - probably many of you have been there done that, and bitten the bullet - perhaps you were able to manage the money just a shade easier than I can though - if everyone just accepts this state of affairs will it ever change, or is avaiation doomed to be the province of the rich alone?? I feel a bit like I won the lottery only to have the cheque torn up and no hope of re-issue. To have got so far with my flying, yet be forced to consider giving it up over such regulations is really upsetting. I thought that there was supposed to be a drive to persuade people to take up GA - not penalise them for trying to save money by doing so overseas (and besides, in some respects, doing so wasn't entirely my choice in the first place).

Apologies again - I know none of you are to blame for my situation, so forgive me for venting off steam here - only place I can do so where someone may at least understand my predicament. Anyone out there fancy sponsoring my flight back to SA???? All offers extremely appreciated, so long as reciprocation isn't expected!!!Thanks.
TR

[ 26 July 2001: Message edited by: TikkiRo ]

[Wibbly P]

I can appreciate that perhaps in certain cases the UK CAA might not be the most comfortable with experience gained elsewhere being up to its (perfect of course) standard. But I'm sorry - personally I think they just want to penalise those of us who want to save our pennies for other purposes by insisting that regardless of how much we've done elsewhere it's of no value whatsoever here.

Oh in THAT CASE, fill in form JAR-FCL 101, 'Application to convert half finished PPL courses, undertaken in non-JAR compliant states to a full JAR-PPL'

Its the new provision made by the CAA to accept, without question, anything done anywhere by anyone, anytime.

They are quoted as saying "Safety, don't be silly, we just make up rules for the sake of it"

Oh and the Licence issue fee is only 99p

WP

[ 27 July 2001: Message edited by: Wibbly P ]

[TikkiRo]

Ok - you got me there. Fair enough point I suppose. I'm all for safety, but I still have certain objections and criticisms although accept that my ignorance or inexperience in this area is perhaps showing here. But surely, you can see where I'm coming from nonetheless. I just feel that what I've learnt so far, and to my knowledge 43rd Airschool is THE best in S. A. so I also consider that I have been well trained thus far, has to be of some more value in the UK, than seems to be the case. Is this thus the same situation with all foreign training or licences. If so, I feel it should be more heavily pointed out somehow, somewhere, before people assume that heading off overseas will sort out the problem.

Thanks for talking this through with me nonetheless - it's been interesting to discover all is not what it seemed at first glance.

TR


[ 27 July 2001: Message edited by: TikkiRo ]