CPL skills test expired? Help

[M2thend]

I completed my Cpl skills test back in August 2012 and ME/IR ratings in Dec 2012. Through numerous mistakes with paperwork from my school who provided the ME/IR, my application kept getting rejected as they were not submitting complete paperwork. The latest hiccup with my IR school is that they missed my actual skills test papers, in order to re-issue the skills test papers my school required my log book etc back off the CAA. The CAA sent it direct and then was sent back to the CAA by my school, for the 1st time in 4 attempts with complete paperwork. The CAA have now e-mailed me saying that my skills test has expired as its been over 12 months since i applied. I have rang the CAA but they have requested i reply to the e-mail I have been sent. I can't find anything in CAP to suggest that there is a time limit on my skills test validity. Can anyone shed any light on this at all for me? Any guidance would be appreciated.

[Dash8driver1312]

CPL skills text expired? Help

Might be something about revalidation now...Sounds like a really bad effort on the school's part, but you do need annual checks too so that could be where they are coming from.

Good luck straightening that all out...

[M2thend]

The EASA CPL doesn't expire which is whats confusing me. I would be able to see their point of view if it was a rating that was over 12 months old. I just hope that I don't have to sit another CPL skills test, I'm sure it would render my ME/IR invalid too as its connected to my 'expired' skills test.

[RTN11]

I'd ask the CAA for a reference. In LASORS there used to be a line that specifically said the skills test pass was only valid for 12 months for licence issue, but I can't find anything like that in CAP 804.

Even then, you could say that the application was made within those 12 months, it's not your fault it was rejected.

However, knowing the CAA they will stand firm, and the skills test is invalid, which means you will have to retake it.

It is honestly beyond me why people decide not to apply for things when they have them. You passed your CPL, why would you wait more than a day to send off the paperwork? If you'd sent it off before starting the IR, you'd have the licence now and would simply be applying to add a rating to it. Where are the benefits in sitting on the paperwork for 6 months before you send it in?

[M2thend]

As soon as i passed my CPL end of August I tried to get onto a ME/IR course, I needed my CPL pass papers to do this as i had no JAA license before that point. I got a start date of mid November, i'm not going to chance trying to get my CPL issued before that point with all the EASA conversions going on, especially as i was waiting for a cancellation for an earlier start date. I completed my course end of December, paperwork sent by my school start of January. Like I said, this is a catalogue of mistakes by my ME/IR school. Not me sitting on a bit of paper for 12 months having just spent copious amounts of money on training. Thanks for your input before that last paragraph, I hope that answers your question.

[RTN11]

i had no JAA license before that point

But you must of had a PPL of some kind? Would copies of your CPL pass documents not satisfy your school enough for you to start the CPL?

paperwork sent by my school start of January

Did you check the paperwork in full before it was submitted?

You're now in a tough situation, but I still see no reason why you didn't apply for the CPL immediately, and just sort out the IR paperwork once you'd passed that rating. They are entirely different courses, so as long as you have copies of things like logbook pages to prove to an examiner that you meet any requirements to take the IR test, I really don't see that you need the paperwork in hand.

If I were in your situation, I'd take a day trip to the CAA office in Gatwick to talk to someone face to face at their public service counter and try to get it resolved. You can take any relevant documents with you, and the school can fax any other documents that the CAA request.

If it is indeed the school's fault that the paperwork was incorrect, then I would start to ask for a free retest, which the CAA will surely require. The school may well come back and say that it remained your responsibility to check the paperwork though, but I've known a few schools offer free or reduced price retests as a goodwill gesture in situations like this. Beyond that, I don't see what else you can do.

[mad_jock]

You're now in a tough situation, but I still see no reason why you didn't apply for the CPL immediately, and just sort out the IR paperwork once you'd passed that rating. They are entirely different courses, so as long as you have copies of things like logbook pages to prove to an examiner that you meet any requirements to take the IR test, I really don't see that you need the paperwork in hand.

Because you save a bloody fortune if you apply for them all at once.

Its a well trodden route to apply for CPL/IR/MEP all at the same time.

If its the schools fault with dodgy paper work go and see the citizen advice. Then with the legal facts in hand start talking to people.

[M2thend]

I have an FAA PPL. The school insisted that I need original documents for my course - whether this be the case or not, at this point I had no reason to be suspicious they may not be correct. It wouldn't be ideal me logging hours and not being able to present a clear record of hours for examiner etc.

I filled in what I needed to, but the school failed to enclose documents relevant for a foreign school offering a JAA recognised course. Even when exact document numbers were listed they still managed to send the application in short of documents.

The school are accepting liability so far for not issuing relevant paperwork, I will pursue them to my fullest ability for any costs that arise from it.

I'm going to take your advice on going to aviation house if i'm unsuccessful with my appeal through E-mail.

I hoping that the fact that they can see full assessment was started long before CPL skills test expired and only rejected because it was short of documents to add ratings to the CPL. The fact that there is no reference in CAP to 12 months expiry, and my license being issued as EASA so should follow those rules. And finally them willingly sending documents back to my school in the knowledge that when it left the building, they wouldn't accept it back, giving me no prior warning that would be the case. That there will be some lee-way. Im preparing my self for the worst news, but I want to gather as much info as I can to create a case for issue.

[RTN11]

Because you save a bloody fortune if you apply for them all at once.

How much do you save? Even if they waive the IR issue fee, that's only a saving equivalent to three holds on your IR training, hardly a fortune in the grand scheme of things compared to the peace of mind of having the licence in your hand.

Anyhow, I hope this situation is resolved without too much trouble for you, it's always a pain dealing with the CAA. I've never heard of them specifically wanting e-mail contact only, maybe that's new and a sign of things to come.

The public service counter can be quite a useful resource for getting answers and resolving things quicker, but it can also involve a lot of waiting around. At least the cafe does a decent lunch, even if they do make it clear you're being charged more for not working there!

[mad_jock]

you get the IR and a class rating for the same price as the license.

So in my day it was 45 mins in a twin. And everyone did it unless they were doing the FI first and then doing the MEP and IR later after instructing for a year or two and completing before the exams ran out .

[Lokki]

M2

Im quite interested to know which school you did the Cpl with?

If theyre that bad with paperwork, you may want to make others aware

[M2thend]

It's not my CPL school. All CPL docs are present and correct, just expired. The problem lies with my ME/IR school. It states this in the first paragraph. Zondaracer please edit out PanAm.