Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By Kemble Pitts
#1839317
When I had a similarly stupid output from FCL section and was getting nowhere with them I wrote a polite e-mail to Mr Moriarty (then only weeks into his new job) asking for his assistance in resolving the issue. The same day I had an e-mail from one of his 'oppos' saying they'd look into it.

Less than a week later a new and correct licence dropped through my letter box.

I sent them an e-mail saying thanks very much and offering (genuinely) to profer 'user suggestions' as to how they might improve things. They liked my offer but I heard no more from them.

That was about three years ago though, and they sound rather worse now.
By riverrock
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1839398
If you pay for a service with an SLA of 10 working days, and it takes longer than that, should what you pay not be reduced, as you haven't reached the service you've paid for?
By johnm
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1839418
I suspect their problem is partly the extra work contingent on our departure from EASA and partly similar to the DVLA where their back office systems are paper based and so working from home is well nigh impossible and they need to keep office staff levels within social distancing guidelines.

On the other hand it might be that they are just mostly clueless :roll:
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By Gustosomerset
#1839430
Based only on my limited personal experience I fear it's the latter. The comparison of the CAA to the DVLA is interesting. This may have been discussed before (apologies if so) but I wonder if the difference in the way they are constituted goes some way to explaining why the former appears to be consistent only in its failure to meet reasonable expectations of customer service.

According to Google, the DVLA is an executive agency of the Department of Transport with an annual budget set by the Treasury, whereas the CAA is a 'public corporation' and '...the UK government requires that the CAA's costs are met entirely from its charges on those whom it regulates...there is no direct government funding of the CAA's work'.

Is this why the DVSA has been able to spend £500m on IT infrastructure (which seems to me to work very well) while the CAA still say (to me on at least three occasions) 'Your application has been lost in our post room', apparently reading, without irony, from a 70's sitcom script?
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By seanxair
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1839501
Also a shout out to my local plod firearms licensing unit.

Applied for my shotgun certificate renewal. Letter by return acknowledging receipt and giving an automatic 3 month extension due to covid and workload. New certificate received by post well before the extension ran out.
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By Genghis the Engineer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1839649
johnm wrote:I suspect their problem is partly the extra work contingent on our departure from EASA and partly similar to the DVLA where their back office systems are paper based and so working from home is well nigh impossible and they need to keep office staff levels within social distancing guidelines.

On the other hand it might be that they are just mostly clueless :roll:


Given all the other authorities - non aviation in the UK, and aviation outside the UK, are mostly managing to hit their SLTs in these difficult times: and there were four years to prepare for an exit from EASA.

And BMAA and LAA on comparatively tiny budgets have managed to run their airworthiness and licencing systems effectively during Covid.

Your second proposition is the most compelling.

G
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By rich_g85
#1840238
rich_g85 wrote:Having applied via eLicensing to add the IR(R) to my CPL it’s taken them 3 weeks to decide that eLicensing can only be used to add an IR(R) to an ICAO licence, not my FCL licence :?

So I’ve submitted the paper forms and presumably gone to the back of the queue. Not impressive given the £120-something application fee.

Just to follow up on this - I received my licence back today, 12 days after the application was delivered at the CAA.

Quite pleasantly surprised, wish I'd just done that to begin with!
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User avatar
By MattL
#1841007
After chasing I got an email back saying system was crashing because I hadn’t completed part of the registration - turns out this was as a ground exam student so I’ve had to register at my own DTO as a student for PPL ground exams and this seemed to unlock it

I’ve now had a further email back saying I need to upload certified scans of my logbook to the course completion certificate document upload link - but it will only accept one PDF so I need to print my electronic course completion certificate and then scan it all with my logbook to one PDF. This is to prove I have 500hours as a pilot apparently - the fact I have added many qualifications and been an authorised FE for many years that require more than 1000hours doesn’t seem to count.

I genuinely pity the poor SSC staff having to work with all this, the e portal seems totally unfit for purpose.

Don’t know if @Genghis the Engineer has had success yet?
User avatar
By carlmeek
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1841009
I've now had success. I received a phone call from someone very helpful (not an officer though), and then within a week the license magically appeared with nearly all the ratings I've applied for on it correctly.... including one I applied for just 10 days prior.

Now just to chase the missing one....
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By Genghis the Engineer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1841060
MattL wrote:
Don’t know if @Genghis the Engineer has had success yet?


Nope. Communication got a little faster, but the latest is that they claim not to have some documents I sent and they acknowledged receipt of five months ago. I provided them with new copies, 2½hrs after they told me that, by email. I'm giving them no excuses at-all.

My wife is saying I've got so annoyingly obsessed with this, she's considering writing to the CAA Chairman too.

G
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By Ben K
#1841067
Genghis the Engineer wrote:
....the latest is that they claim not to have some documents I sent and they acknowledged receipt of five months ago. I provided them with new copies...


I hope you sent them a copy of the acknowledgement too!
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By Genghis the Engineer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1841078
Ben K wrote:
Genghis the Engineer wrote:
....the latest is that they claim not to have some documents I sent and they acknowledged receipt of five months ago. I provided them with new copies...


I hope you sent them a copy of the acknowledgement too!


Time, date and name of the person in FCL who sent it.

G
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By Flyin'Dutch'
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1841126
FCL has been **** for a long time. I had to write to the then CEO in 2016 when I wanted to add an aerotow rating. They had no clue about their own rules.

The notable exception the SOLI process but I suspect the threat of legal action for any delay causing loss of licence was probably very much realised by those involved.

I advise everyone with an issue to write to their CEO as anything else just doesn't work.
Last edited by Flyin'Dutch' on Sun Apr 18, 2021 11:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.