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Radiotelephony (RTF) Examiners are appointed by the CAA on a regional basis to conduct tests and examinations for the UK Flight Radiotelephony Operator's Licence (FRTOL). Persons seeking authorisation as a RTF Examiner are required to obtain the sponsorship of either a Flying Training Organisation (FTO), Registered Facility (RF)or an Approved Training Organisation (ATO); an Educational Establishment; or an Air Traffic Service Unit (ATSU), where the testing is to take place.

Under EASA, examiners are not required to be sponsored by a FTO, RF, or ATO. For some reason, this requirement appears to have remained for national authorisations such as RTF Examiners.

Further, the examiner currently requires approval by the CAA of locations in which RTF practical examinations may be conducted. CAA Guidance for this is stated in Standards Document 4, so should require no further action on the part of the examiner should they wish to conduct tests in other locations, thereby allowing the examiner to approve a location on an ad-hoc basis. Currently the CAA would wish to charge, in addition to the RTF Examiner authorisation cost of £321 initial/£239 renewal, a charge of £54 per additional site.

I suggest that the requirement for a sponsor is removed for RTF authorisations, and the requirement to obtain CAA approval for the location in which practical tests are conducted is also removed.

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[Bathman]

I agree

Out of interest Jon how is it done in other EASA states?

[chevvron]

Used to be assessment by the instructor, which was tried in the UK but didn't work.

[Cookie]

Out of interest Jon how is it done in other EASA states?

Continuous assessment, I suspect.

The Radio Telephony practical examination can actually be quite good and was introduced for the right reasons in the mid-nineties - in order to raise Radio Telephony standards; it's not that I think we need to get rid of the R/T practical - more that the CAA need to allow examiners to get on and do the job in accordance with their authorisation and the published procedures.

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[Keef]

I had to do a practical exam for my CAA RT licence in 1981.

The FCC gave me a free aircraft radio certificate for an alien, valid three years. When that expired, they asked for $50 for a valid-for-life one. There was never any discussion of competence, and no countersignature by an FAA instructor. Strange, I thought, but back then no radio licence was needed within the USA.

[Cookie]

Probably because you already hold a FAA certificate. You don't need a radio licence if operating in the US with a FAA license - it's only required when outside the US. It's still the case that you can obtain a FCC Restricted Operator Licence by application only - you still have to meet certain criteria prior to issue.

http://www.joncooke.net/faa/fcc-restric ... or-licence

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[chevvron]

Out of interest Jon how is it done in other EASA states?

Continuous assessment, I suspect.

The Radio Telephony practical examination can actually be quite good and was introduced for the right reasons in the mid-nineties - in order to raise Radio Telephony standards; it's not that I think we need to get rid of the R/T practical - more that the CAA need to allow examiners to get on and do the job in accordance with their authorisation and the published procedures.

Cookie

It was actually re-introduced for PPL(A) in the 90s; microlight pilots have always had to take the exams.
I did the exam in '71 during my PPL course. I think the CAA require it to be done with the examiner in a separate room using headsets to communicate. The CAA will inspect and approve the exam setup prior to issuing authorisation.