What I don’t understand is why the CAA (or any other *AA) doesn’t have a temporary airman certificate similar to the FAA. The microsecond the examiner has finished signing your successful pass, you have that temporary license and full privileges of whatever rating it is you got – no waiting. So any delays at the FAA end sending the plastic card are less of a problem, because you’ve got a fair bit of time while that temporary certificate is valid.
We do it with driving licenses, too. You pass your driving test, you immediately are licensed and have a temporary license while waiting for the real plastic card to come in the mail.
And on top of that, an FAA “license” (certificate) doesn’t need to be “revalidated” in a cumbersome bureaucratic process.
And IIRC, re-issuing of a lost or upgraded license is free of charge (they even that means shipping abroad).
So even without a signature and “revalidation”, FAA pilots (usually) don’t fall out of the sky. :-) But this whole discussion is moot, except for venting off I reckon.
@zorg – I’m sitting in the same boat as you. Having a UK CAA PPL, but currently in the process of transferring to the CH CAA / BAZL. I don’t have a written evidence; two weeks ago I called them to get an update on my application and this topic came up as a side discussion. I.e. to make sure to transfer the licence before Brexit happens. Then he explained the stuff above, that after Brexit UK CAA licences will be considered as third country ICAO licence (same as US licences) and the rest I wrote above.
If you want to be 1000% sure just call them (my gut feeling is they have the tendency of leaving eMails a bit aside, but on phone they are very supportive).
Nonetheless, I heard (= no own experience on that) that some CAAs go ahead with the transfer (of a UK-licence) when the application itself for transfer was made before Brexit.
this “only a CAA-licensed FE may sign a CAA license” principle seems to run afoul of the spirit of the EASA
Yep. This time it’s not EASA, some states want to remain in the driver seat. There is the EASA Examiner Differences Document, there are all the specialties of each regional CAA with regard to signoff’s and licence renewals / revalidations…
https://www.easa.europa.eu/easa-and-you/aircrew-and-medical#group-easa-related-content
alioth wrote:
What I don’t understand is why the CAA (or any other *AA) doesn’t have a temporary airman certificate similar to the FAA. The microsecond the examiner has finished signing your successful pass, you have that temporary license and full privileges of whatever rating it is you got – no waiting.
Apparently (or should I say allegedly?), I read on some forums that for some ratings UK CAA has got something similar – examiner can complete SRG1100 (aka Temporary Licence Certificate), but NOT for the actual license! So, you can add a rating, but cannot fly PIC PPL after the initial skills test, again, allegedly.
It would’ve be nice for an examiner to clarify this…
“only a CAA-licensed FE may sign a CAA license” principle seems to run afoul of the spirit of the EASA
The endorsement, or evaluation of the holder of, a Part-FCL licence by an examiner from a second member state requires compliance with specific national administrative procedures developed by the state of licence issue. This requirement is made in ARA.FCL and specific national procedures are notified in the EASA Examiner Differences Document. An instructor, if administered by the same competent authority as your licence, whose certificate includes FCL.945 privileges could have endorsed your licence had they carried out the refresher training flight, subject to your rating being unexpired and your fulfilling the other revalidation by experience criteria.
If UK is still an EASA member state in 2021 you might consider either of these options. Alternatively, could simply send your paperwork to a UK examiner for endorsement which is considerably less likely to leave you in the lurch.
Details of UK CAA’s implementation of ARA.FCL.215(d) on temporary certificates are in para 4.7 of the UK CAA’s Flight Examiner’s Handbook 2016 (link) and are summarised here (rating and instructor certificate privileges) and here (examiner certificate privileges).
Very useful detailed background information here and in other threads, thanks. It’s rare to come by this anywhere, be it from the CAA directly or on forums.
Just called the licensing department of Swiss FOCA (BAZL). While in the past I found FOCA to be exceptionally helpful, professional, and friendly, this time the person on the line was seemingly stressed (first thing I heard was along the lines of “not yet another one … we are getting bombarded by Brexit-related inquiries!”).
I was told to fill out and send form 69.976 to FOCA to initiate the license transfer. The process will take weeks to months. Whether – to be successful – the transfer must be initiated or completed by Brexit date, is (as could be expected) not clear.
And to conclude: “Brexit is not our problem. We don’t know anything. Everyone has to decide for themselves what to do.” I guess it’s true, but not too reassuring.
By the way, would you initiate the license transfer while my revalidation is pending by CAA? Or better wait until it’s done?
Zorg wrote:
By the way, would you initiate the license transfer while my revalidation is pending by CAA? Or better wait until it’s done?
Yes because the change of state of issue does not formally occur until the licence document is physically exchanged. At the appropriate time FOCA must be instructed by you to request a revised Doc 155 by email from UK CAA.
The Aircrew Regulation was amended late last year (link, Euroga discussion) to permit the acceptance by member states of third country licences and associated medical certificates, until 20 Jun 2020, for the non-commercial operation of aircraft registered in [see art 2(1)(b) points (i) & (ii) of the new Basic Regulation]:
@Zorg
If I would be in your position I would wait until I have received the licence, but not longer than early / mid March. Maybe I’m a bit paranoid but I expect the worst possible case to materialize with important issues like getting the licence back….
If helpful for you I send you the link to the forms which you will need.
