Still no licence! Grrrrr.......
 

Hi all, just wanted to get this off my chest, as I am so damn frustrated!!!

Passed PPL skills test nearly a month ago, and took all the paperwork down to the CAA personally (The next day). Still no sign of the licence.

In the meantime, I am still a 'student pilot', I cant take a passenger, I cant go abroad, I need a seven day 'checkout' at the flying school, I need to be signed out by an instuctor:mad:

I know that everyone goes through this, but my questions are;

A) How did you kill the time awaiting your licence?
B) Is there anything at all I can do to get it 'hurried up'?
C) What is the longest you have had to wait?
D) Why don't the CAA issue a 'permit to fly' as the FAA do in the States?

Thanks guys,

PS I think its a great idea that we have a new PPL's bash, sooner rather than later.
:D

money for nothing
 

Just take a look at the money for nothing thread on wannabes , and you will see that you are not the only one who has had a gut full of FCL,s lack of customer service.

The whole thing is a national discrace and the top man dont give a damm if the interview with him has been correctly reported.

Not too soon mate - wait for me... :)

I had to wait about 6 weeks between passing my Skills Test and getting my licence as there was a screw up with my medical. I remember it being v. frustrating, so close yet so far :(

How about doing some continuation training? Having no doubt sweated in the run up to the PPL you'll find that training from now on takes a different tack - its now not a case of whether you are a numpty of not as you have proven you can meet the basic required standard to be a real pilot. I have undergone quite a few checkouts and its been a surprisingly stress-free and pleasant affair.

A good way to improve your handling skills, particularly in the landing, is to do a tailwheel conversion. Or how about getting checked out on a different type (I got checked out on the club 172s whilst I waited for my licence). Some aerobatics peut-etre monsieur? All good, worthy ways to feed your flying addiction.:)

All good ideas but this wont change the fact that the service from FCL at the CAA is way below what it should be in this day and age.

I took my GFT on December 6th, and the date of initial issue is January 9th :( I spent the time saving up money, and eating and drinking far too much (only because it was Christmas and New Year though!) :) Tried to fly on January 27th, but the cloud came down 500' while I was taxiing and holding :eek: and finally made my first P1 flight on February 8th, when I had an alternator failure. :D

It's never plane sailing (sorry, pun intended), but that's half the fun. Wouldn't it be dull to just turn up at the airfield, jump into an aeroplane, and scoot off with no worries? Ok, so maybe that would be great, but ... umm... well...

Hope it comes through soon :(

How 'new' does the 'new PPL' have to be for this bash anyway? ;)

One of my students has just had his PPL through in less than two weeks - might be worth checking with the CAA that all the paperwork was OK.

I too got mine through less than 2 weeks. From posting it, to getting it back through the door.

Give FCL a buzz, and ask them what the hold up is. They really aren't as bad as people make them out to be. I just rang up, asked if they recieved it. "Yes, where working on it". Then I said it is my birthday in like 5 days, could they have it by then. "We'll try".

Seemed like the usual response, but without delay, it was there 5 days later, with the envelope covered in "Special Delivery" stickers. I felt like a VIP!..

Like I said, give them a buzz and ask what's going on.

As already suggested give FCL a ring wth your details, they will almost certainly be able to give you an update on progress, don't bother sending letters phone call should suffice.
By the way if you know how to beat the system it is possible to get a PPL in the same day, but please don't ask me how it's done......but it is possibe.......Good luck with your flying!

When I took my stuff to the CAA, they told me it would be 10 working days, and that's exactly what it was. I did ring to check that they had everything OK in case there was a problem. Try that, but ring early (at 9 when they open) and hold hold hold - they're not easy to get through to.

As for what to in the meantime, I did a few solos in the trusty 152, but also started checking out in an Archer ready for those nice French lunches!! :)

Took my bundle of paperwork to them yesterday and I was quoted 15 days for turning the whole lot round and was charged £150+ for the priviledge presumably to pay for that swanky electronic security pass system!:p

Phone FCL as often as possible. When they screwed things up with my CPL(H), I started phoning daily, asking how it was going, when I could expect to get it, etc. I think they got fed up with me and issued it!

Heard a great one in the office today...

Manager A to Manager B: We need to sort this one out. The customer said to me "... aah, so it isn't done yet? Okay, I'll ring for an update this afternoon." :eek:


Try this with the CAA, as per Whirlybird's suggestion.

In Canada the examiner simply endorses the back of your student permit and then you have full PPL privileges for the next 60 days, during which your new license will arrive. The same goes for any subsequent upgrades (night rating, IR, etc.).

I can't think of any reason why the same practice could not be followed in the UK.:confused:

MLS wrote: I can't think of any reason why the same practice could not be followed in the UK

I can! NOT INVENTED HERE.

FAA licences valid for 90 days are issued by the examiner on the spot. The full licence arrives before they expire.

Seems to be the way in many places. Someone with better communication skills than us ordinary pilots needs to talk to FCL.

£150+??

I thought the liscence was £143???

My instructor sent one of his students to Gatwick over the Christmas/New Year period a couple of years ago. It was quiet, so they told him to wait outside, and issued it on the same day. :cool:
I was going to do the same, as I did my GFT at the beginning of December, but I couldn't afford to fly for a month anyway, so just popped it in the post.

Got mine today - 7 days!! hurrah (still too scared to take pax though!)

Kirstey Well done.! I will be your 'Test' pax if you want someone to take up for a while.. :)