Snow and caa exam
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Snow and caa exam
I know of 3 students taking their ATPLs tomorrow, who are desperately worried about transport to Gatwick tomorrow with the bad snow conditions.
Does anyone know the CAA policy for transport problems if the examination centre cannot be reached.
Do they allow exams to be sat the following day especially with last sittings.
Much advice needed
Does anyone know the CAA policy for transport problems if the examination centre cannot be reached.
Do they allow exams to be sat the following day especially with last sittings.
Much advice needed
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No: exam dates are exam dates (and times).
If the three people you know are that worried then they should set off today and spend the night in Gatwick.
If the three people you know are that worried then they should set off today and spend the night in Gatwick.
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I think they wouldn't really care what happened to you. You have to be there for time, otherwise.. that's you. They probably have a pretty busy schedule, plus I don't think that they could ( and want to ) waste time if everyone was late by 20 minutes or 3 hours. It's your resposibility to get there for hour XX:XX.
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I think they will let you in if you are late as long as nobody else has finished and left the room.
Could be a bit touch & go depending on the exam though - I heard the record for the Air Law exam is under 3 minutes.
Could be a bit touch & go depending on the exam though - I heard the record for the Air Law exam is under 3 minutes.
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The probability of bad weather over the next few days is not a surprise event. We have all had a pretty good idea that things are likely to be bad for the next few days. So you have had plenty of time to come up with a realistic plan to ensure that you get there on time. But your main plan appears to be to expect the CAA to change their exam dates!
Sorry if this sounds a bit harsh, but you really should treat these exams as if your career depends on them. It does. The fact that these are last sittings makes it even more important that you make a serious effort to get there and pass.
The CAA will not change the exam dates. And they will award you a FAIL with score ZERO if you fail to attend and do not provide good written evidence that it was beyond your control.
So what can you do now? Firstly set out early. Do not make a plan that will get you there just in time if all goes well. Make a plan that will get you there several hours before the start time. Then if things go wrong you will have a fighting chance of overcoming the problems.
The best plan would be to go to the Gatwick area tonight and stay in a hotel close to the airport. But it is probably too late to do arrange this now.
If possible go by train. If the trains are delayed get a letter from the station master stating that it was delayed. This is the type of proof that the CAA require.
If you must go by road and you get snowed in, then get a note from the first police officer that you see. You will probably feel like a fool asking him for one, but this is better than getting a FAIL with Score Zero.
Whatever method you choose, make sure that you get written evidence if you are delayed
If all else fails, go to your family doctor and get him or her to write a sickness certificate. You can tell him or her the truth or you can tell lies. That is up to you.
Whatever you do, do not simply talk to someone in the CAA and accept their verbal assurance that "It is all OK". It won't be. Such conversations are always forgotten, then it takes weeks to sort the matter out. I have known a number of students getting FAIL with Score Zero by accepting such assurances. You must send them written evidence if you fail to get to the exams on time.
Sorry if this sounds a bit harsh, but you really should treat these exams as if your career depends on them. It does. The fact that these are last sittings makes it even more important that you make a serious effort to get there and pass.
The CAA will not change the exam dates. And they will award you a FAIL with score ZERO if you fail to attend and do not provide good written evidence that it was beyond your control.
So what can you do now? Firstly set out early. Do not make a plan that will get you there just in time if all goes well. Make a plan that will get you there several hours before the start time. Then if things go wrong you will have a fighting chance of overcoming the problems.
The best plan would be to go to the Gatwick area tonight and stay in a hotel close to the airport. But it is probably too late to do arrange this now.
If possible go by train. If the trains are delayed get a letter from the station master stating that it was delayed. This is the type of proof that the CAA require.
If you must go by road and you get snowed in, then get a note from the first police officer that you see. You will probably feel like a fool asking him for one, but this is better than getting a FAIL with Score Zero.
Whatever method you choose, make sure that you get written evidence if you are delayed
If all else fails, go to your family doctor and get him or her to write a sickness certificate. You can tell him or her the truth or you can tell lies. That is up to you.
Whatever you do, do not simply talk to someone in the CAA and accept their verbal assurance that "It is all OK". It won't be. Such conversations are always forgotten, then it takes weeks to sort the matter out. I have known a number of students getting FAIL with Score Zero by accepting such assurances. You must send them written evidence if you fail to get to the exams on time.
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Are there snow drifts around Gatwick?? Perhaps they need to purchase some snow shoes in advance of their exams. Or a ski-doo.
I'm sure a few inches of snow won't pose too many problems.
I'm sure a few inches of snow won't pose too many problems.
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Soft southern Jessies 
But I can understand your problem. I was in Croydon when less than 1 cm of snow covered the roads.
Never seen such widespread chaos in the space of 6 hours. Car crashes folk taking 3 hours to get into work. It was great fun watching the Lombar roundabout from my office window. "turn your ABS off you idiots"
Personally I would book in overnight but yet again I always did when visiting Gatwick. There are a few BnB's in Crawley which are cheap and cheerfull. I used to use the one with the kebab shop round the corner.
And I think you will find that some places in the UK do know how to drive in the snow. In fact we learned to drive usually driving out to Glenshee or the lecht of a sat or sunday for the skiing with dad asleep in the pax seat. And in those days the breamar road was a race track of high powered company cars driven by 17-18 year olds who had 6 hours kip after being out on the lash the night before.
My first brush with the traffic cops was in Aberdeen Conference center car park with my dad. He was showing me what to do when the tail kicks out etc and 3 traffic cars turn up blocking all the exits. Give them there due after a quick chat with him they had a spin themselves and disappeared off.
But I can understand your problem. I was in Croydon when less than 1 cm of snow covered the roads.
Never seen such widespread chaos in the space of 6 hours. Car crashes folk taking 3 hours to get into work. It was great fun watching the Lombar roundabout from my office window. "turn your ABS off you idiots"
Personally I would book in overnight but yet again I always did when visiting Gatwick. There are a few BnB's in Crawley which are cheap and cheerfull. I used to use the one with the kebab shop round the corner.
And I think you will find that some places in the UK do know how to drive in the snow. In fact we learned to drive usually driving out to Glenshee or the lecht of a sat or sunday for the skiing with dad asleep in the pax seat. And in those days the breamar road was a race track of high powered company cars driven by 17-18 year olds who had 6 hours kip after being out on the lash the night before.
My first brush with the traffic cops was in Aberdeen Conference center car park with my dad. He was showing me what to do when the tail kicks out etc and 3 traffic cars turn up blocking all the exits. Give them there due after a quick chat with him they had a spin themselves and disappeared off.
Yeah, the public's reaction to a light dusting of snow is pathetic. The Media's sensationalism makes it ten times worse: Headlines of 'Worst weather in Generations' and Radio reports of 'heavy snow' are ridiculous. 
The Great Storm (in a tea-cup) of 1987 probably wouldn't excuse attendance at a CAA exam - they simply don't give a monkey's...
As for tomorrow, even if all flights from the runway 600 yards away are cancelled - like last night - and the trains plough into 1 inch 'snowdrifts' and buses and cars slide to a slippery halt on the motorways because drivers are facing 'extraordinarily severe' winter weather, you'll get no sympathy...
The Great Storm (in a tea-cup) of 1987 probably wouldn't excuse attendance at a CAA exam - they simply don't give a monkey's...
As for tomorrow, even if all flights from the runway 600 yards away are cancelled - like last night - and the trains plough into 1 inch 'snowdrifts' and buses and cars slide to a slippery halt on the motorways because drivers are facing 'extraordinarily severe' winter weather, you'll get no sympathy...
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What I wonder is how come 1in of snow stop people going to work, but you still manage to get to the ski slopes after 1ft of the stuff has fallen. 
Sorry to state the obvious, but given the hassle involved in (re-)sitting the exams, I stayed within walking distance overnight so that if, e.g., I pranged the car on the way there, I could just leg the rest of the distance and let the traffic cops worry about anything else. Very conveniently, the CAA have their own medical centre on the premises so one could get any injuries treated before entering the exam room.
Proper Prior Planning and all that
Sorry to state the obvious, but given the hassle involved in (re-)sitting the exams, I stayed within walking distance overnight so that if, e.g., I pranged the car on the way there, I could just leg the rest of the distance and let the traffic cops worry about anything else. Very conveniently, the CAA have their own medical centre on the premises so one could get any injuries treated before entering the exam room.
Proper Prior Planning and all that
