How long for PPL Processing
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: South West England
How long for PPL Processing
Its been two weeks since i sent all my personal affects, off to the CAA. I am just wondering how long it took others to receive their PPLs . I have been told 2-3 weeks, is this realistic?
Many Thanks
Many Thanks
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: South West England
http://www.pprune.org/go.php?go=/pub/fun/caajoke.html
I cant understand why they take so long, for example provided that you have all the right stuff, a passport can be renewed in six hours
I cant understand why they take so long, for example provided that you have all the right stuff, a passport can be renewed in six hours
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
From: Milton Keynes
Have they changed the colour of the wallet now mine is a muddy browny orange colour and I only got it last year?
Oh and I won't hear of anyone implying that the CAA is a money grabbing organisation, I got something free last week. Change of address "No charge" yippee <:0-))
Oh and I won't hear of anyone implying that the CAA is a money grabbing organisation, I got something free last week. Change of address "No charge" yippee <:0-))
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
From: UK
I called up the CAA about a week ago and they said it was taking them 10-14 working days on average.
This really made me laugh. I followed the link and it hadn't been updated since September 5th! 
It doesn't exactly fill you with hope does it?
This page:
CAA FCLD
shows the received dates of applications presently being processed.
CAA FCLD
shows the received dates of applications presently being processed.
It doesn't exactly fill you with hope does it?
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,684
Likes: 3
From: Down at the sharp pointy end, where all the weather is made.
I think this is absolutely appalling!
When Mrs Odd One and I got our licences back in the early eighties, we went up to Kingsway as the office opened, gave them the stuff, went off for a wander around London for a few hours & picked them up again after lunch. With a bit of energy, we could have nipped back to Denham in time for a flight the same day (if we hadn't had a celebratory bottle of wine at lunch)
I even managed to get mine done over the counter when I moved up to a blue one (back to yukky brown again, now).
Now it takes 3 weeks. That seems completely unaceptable to me. What is there to do? Tot up the hours in your log book? I can't believe they check up with the examiner to see if you really did your papers properly or that you actually visited the airfields on your qualifying x-country.
I know many people can't get there in person, but surely the post could turn it around in 72 hours...
Cheers,
The Odd One
When Mrs Odd One and I got our licences back in the early eighties, we went up to Kingsway as the office opened, gave them the stuff, went off for a wander around London for a few hours & picked them up again after lunch. With a bit of energy, we could have nipped back to Denham in time for a flight the same day (if we hadn't had a celebratory bottle of wine at lunch)
I even managed to get mine done over the counter when I moved up to a blue one (back to yukky brown again, now).
Now it takes 3 weeks. That seems completely unaceptable to me. What is there to do? Tot up the hours in your log book? I can't believe they check up with the examiner to see if you really did your papers properly or that you actually visited the airfields on your qualifying x-country.
I know many people can't get there in person, but surely the post could turn it around in 72 hours...
Cheers,
The Odd One
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
From: Lincs
Renewal of old (very) CAA PPL to NPPL in August this year took just under 4 weeks from posting out to receiving back. Not bad considering it was presumably vetted by one organisation before being submitted to CAA for issue.
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 160
Likes: 0
From: Behind a computer screen
I was very annoyed with my license application. I was told via email that if I turned up in the morning they would do it there and then and give it back a little later. Catching the stupid o'clock bus to Gatwick wasn't a pleasing experience, but I did it so I could have my license in hand at the earliest possible moment. But when I arrived and handed over the paper and money they said it would get back to me in 10 working days! I questioned this referring, to the email they sent me, to which the man replied
"Well, as you can see we're very busy at the moment so it'll be more like 12 or 13 working days"
Looking over the counter, less than half of them appeared to be working. In fact most were standing around the water cooler. Yeah, real busy... the fact that "working days" excludes weekends meant I had to wait about a month for it to arrive. A day (and bus fare) wasted, and the fact they told me a blatant lie, I was not a happy boy.
h
"Well, as you can see we're very busy at the moment so it'll be more like 12 or 13 working days"
Looking over the counter, less than half of them appeared to be working. In fact most were standing around the water cooler. Yeah, real busy... the fact that "working days" excludes weekends meant I had to wait about a month for it to arrive. A day (and bus fare) wasted, and the fact they told me a blatant lie, I was not a happy boy.
h
Joined: Jun 2004
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 481
Likes: 0
From: Portsmouth
Mine came through on Friday having taken 4 weeks almost to the day. Odd then that my cheque was banked 2 days after I sent off all the paperwork and I recieved their receipt 2 days after that......
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 516
Likes: 0
From: Wide Brown Land
Yer laffin!!!
They're not doing checks to make sure you're not a terrorist... here in Aussieland it took me eight weeks to get my licence - took four phone calls and two emails to hurry them along - THEN they issued me the wrong licence anyway (student licence instead of PPL... doh!).
Mind you, even that's not much - mate of mine was waiting no less than four MONTHS for his. So of course he needed to go and get current again...
We reckon they found something on the security check .
They're not doing checks to make sure you're not a terrorist... here in Aussieland it took me eight weeks to get my licence - took four phone calls and two emails to hurry them along - THEN they issued me the wrong licence anyway (student licence instead of PPL... doh!).
Mind you, even that's not much - mate of mine was waiting no less than four MONTHS for his. So of course he needed to go and get current again...
We reckon they found something on the security check
.
Sellby_date Expired
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 169
Likes: 0
From: East Anglia
Well, lets face it, there is no way on gods earth the Cancel Amateur Aviation can warrent the cost of a PPL issue. When I had mine in 1989 it was well over a hundred pounds then, so if they did offer a 'By Return'service they would be charging even more than a solicitor per hour. By taking weeks and weeks it seems as if somethking is actually done for the money.
By the way, does it still look as if it is printed on recycled brown paper?
I did hear a rumour that there was in fact only ONE individual that could wield the rubber stamp. and he used to do PPL's between other tasks.
By the way, does it still look as if it is printed on recycled brown paper?
I did hear a rumour that there was in fact only ONE individual that could wield the rubber stamp. and he used to do PPL's between other tasks.
Joined: May 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 27,401
Likes: 857
From: Quite near 'An aerodrome somewhere in England'
Enough of this silly whingeing!
There are 2 main reasons why licence issue is slow:
1. CAA staffing levels have been cut back to the bone, thanks to that mad old bat with the handbag who was PM a decade or so ago.
2. There are still an absurd number of PPL applications which contain some error or another. Logbook certified incorrectly, medical certificate not included, no ID.... This, to my mind, is the fault of the FE who conducted the PPL Skill Test. He/she demands a fee for this service, he/she should check EVERYTHING connected with the application.
The CAA's Head of Licensing is acutely aware of his department's performance with regard to licence issue and is doing everything he can to speed the process up. So please be patient, he's only trying to help you!
There are 2 main reasons why licence issue is slow:
1. CAA staffing levels have been cut back to the bone, thanks to that mad old bat with the handbag who was PM a decade or so ago.
2. There are still an absurd number of PPL applications which contain some error or another. Logbook certified incorrectly, medical certificate not included, no ID.... This, to my mind, is the fault of the FE who conducted the PPL Skill Test. He/she demands a fee for this service, he/she should check EVERYTHING connected with the application.
The CAA's Head of Licensing is acutely aware of his department's performance with regard to licence issue and is doing everything he can to speed the process up. So please be patient, he's only trying to help you!
