How long for permission of aerial work

[axelz]

Sent you a PM

If you had any info on your ops manual you could also share in my direction, it would be appreciated - just about to submit mine for an Inspire and DJI F550.

 

[HAIBristol]

Guys,

Passed my BNUC-S, got my qualification from EuroUSC but I have now reached day number 50, and still no PFAW, have chased EuroUSC who say they have no specific contact at the CAA "Funny".
Have emailed CAA as have already lost one contract, don't want to lose any more.
Anyone else waiting this long or longer?

 

[SCM660]

Hi all, new to this forum and am enjoying reading all the threads. This one is particularly interesting. Having dealt with the CAA in the past to get my ATPL (H) I can say that nothing happens SLOWLY! It's very disappointing to hear that people are having to wait nearly 2 months for the PFAW to arrive! That could potentially be a lot of lost business. It's seems that the common denominator in all these threads is EuroUSC. The training provider that we used certainly adhere to the CAA's recommendations as laid out in CAP 722, and do not insist on testing for different types within the same weight category. I'd be interested to know what people have used for their Ops Manual? We have an I1 and a 550 but have just made reference in our Ops Manual that for platform specific details they should refer to the manufacturers manual, and incorporated those documents as an appendix

 

[The Editor]

Hi all, new to this forum and am enjoying reading all the threads. This one is particularly interesting. Having dealt with the CAA in the past to get my ATPL (H) I can say that nothing happens SLOWLY! It's very disappointing to hear that people are having to wait nearly 2 months for the PFAW to arrive! That could potentially be a lot of lost business. It's seems that the common denominator in all these threads is EuroUSC. The training provider that we used certainly adhere to the CAA's recommendations as laid out in CAP 722, and do not insist on testing for different types within the same weight category. I'd be interested to know what people have used for their Ops Manual? We have an I1 and a 550 but have just made reference in our Ops Manual that for platform specific details they should refer to the manufacturers manual, and incorporated those documents as an appendix

Hi SCM660 - Welcome to the forum.

There seems to be a lot of disparity around with NQE's and what is acceptable for vehicle specification purposes within the ops manual. Your interpretation is correct, since DJI are pretty tight lipped about specifics (especially with the Inspire) technical details can only be gleaned from the manufactures website.
Pertinent details (that are available) should be included within the body of your ops manual and an appendix included showing those details as per manufacturer.

For an NQE to start blabbering on about a how a sub 7kg multirotor aircraft must be able to descend at a certain speed is absolute rubbish in my opinion and does not come under specifics anywhere within any publication from the CAA on UAV operations. It is also not required by any other NQE to my knowledge.

btw.......what 'Something Awesome' are you working on???

 

[SCM660]

Hi SCM660 - Welcome to the forum.

There seems to be a lot of disparity around with NQE's and what is acceptable for vehicle specification purposes within the ops manual. Your interpretation is correct, since DJI are pretty tight lipped about specifics (especially with the Inspire) technical details can only be gleaned from the manufactures website.
Pertinent details (that are available) should be included within the body of your ops manual and an appendix included showing those details as per manufacturer.

For an NQE to start blabbering on about a how a sub 7kg multirotor aircraft must be able to descend at a certain speed is absolute rubbish in my opinion and does not come under specifics anywhere within any publication from the CAA on UAV operations. It is also not required by any other NQE to my knowledge.

btw.......what 'Something Awesome' are you working on???

Hi and thanks for the welcome. It seems like a lot of uneccesary and duplication of paperwork if I'm honest. As long as all of the correct manufacturers documentation is carried on a job,neither in paper form or as a hard copy I don't see the requirement to add it an Ops Manual. You should just make reference to refer to them in certain scenarios! Sounds like typical CAA to me, overly complicating things.
As for the awesome thing we're currently working on, I don't even no myself! Hahaha! It was added by our web designer. Hopefully whatever it is though it will be awesome

 

[Scotflieger]

There are many good comments in this thread. I completed my Ground School with Resource Group a couple of weeks ago, I have spent the past week preparing my FRCs and System Spec in line with the latest CAP722 (6th Ed, Mar 15) templates in preparation for my flight assessment next week. I too would like to gain my PFAW as soon as possible.

What is apparent to me that the CAA office of 4 persons is having to process a increasing number of PFAW application which have snowballed in the last 6 months. There are a growing number of us who are jumping on this bandwagon (or should be skido). So I think I may need to be patient and wait my time.

 

[Firefly_AI]

Sitting my Flight Assessment next week and have prepared myself for he worst in terms of waiting for PFAW. Hopefully the recent changes to CAP 722 will streamline the process a little and hopefully cut times down. It doesn't help that one of the main assessors at the CAA has just handed his notice in!

 

[Cyclops]

Very interesting thread with some excellent comments.

I've been through the EuroUSC BNUCs course, just taken my flight test and am now waiting for the confirmation of my pass, this takes 10 days and I have been told by my flight examiner that the turnaround from the CAA for the PFAW could be 6 weeks.

During the flight test no mention was made of the new Eurousc 3 tiered pilot 'qualification' hierarchy, The BNUC Three Stage Pilot Qualification, which had caused me some concern. I only heard about it when I received my Candidate Guidance Notes prior to the Flight Operations Examination. As pointed out by Heller792 this implies a restrictive PFAW based on how well you do in the test. For example a First Class Pilot Qualification would be suitable for congested area operations and a Second Class for general photography and cinematography applications in reasonably open areas. Gaining a First Class Pitot Qualification would require a high level of Atti competency.

As none of this had been mentioned in any of the training or materials I had received from EuroUSC I felt this was quite a condition to spring on someone about to take their final test so I phoned up the head office for clarification. The first person I spoke to had no knowledge of this and said he would get back to me and when he didn't I phoned again and spoke with someone else and she informed me that it was a bit like a University Degree where you get a 1 or 2.1 etc etc and that a lower degree didn't mean you had not received one? Also that it would not be reflected on the CAA PFAW and that there was no necessity to retake the Flight Exam if I were to receive only the 2nd Class Pilot Qualification.

So it seems to an internal EuroUSC concept and not a CAA national requirement. I checked though several CAA documents and found no reference to this new standard. I'm not sure what is behind all of this, additional fees? or something to incentivise and motivate students to acquire a higher skill level.

And again I was told that whilst there was no actual requirement to test additional machines through them it could offer some advantages in terms of insurance and that it would be added to the photo card I would receive from them and provide additional credibility were I too be challenged whist out working.

 

[tweaker]

Hmm the more I am finding out about EuroUSC the more they are "annoying" me.

Are the delays to gain PFAW(50 days and counting in above post) caused by CAA or are they caused by Euro USC?

Why doesn't Euro USC have a direct contact with CAA? From what it seems to me from what I have read and what has been said here they look over your Ops manual the send it in.

When you chase them they say its "in the hands of the CAA"

I refuse to believe the CAA is that un professional its turnaround time for PFAW can stretch from 28 days to 50 DAYS. I am with HAIBristol who smells a rat when EuroUSC,who must deal with the CAA every working day of their lives,does not have a go to guy contact within the CAA!!

EuroUSC should look at the "Thomas Cook" business model of how(not) to deal with customers when things go wrong!!

 

[Cyclops]

Despite my concerns over the 3 tiered BNUC Three Stage Pilot Qualification I've found EuroUSC responsive and helpful. There is a lot to learn and they provide very a very robust training model. Most of the tutors and flight examiners come from professional flying backgrounds. That's useful because that's the world we are entering. Any delay in the CAA issuing PFAW could well be down to the huge numbers of people applying.

EuroUSC also take care of all the administration required to gain the BNUCs and subsequent PFAW. Unless you are very unsuitable for this type of activity once you sign up with them you will gain the PFAW.

EuroUSC: http://eurousc.com/services/pilot-qualifications/

However they are not the fish in the sea. Hexcam, based in Norwich will hold your hand in getting certification and offer both flight training and assistance in writing the operations manual. They are very helpful and responsive.

Hexcam: http://www.hexcam.co.uk/

Other NQE companies include:

http://www.resourcegroup.co.uk/what-we-do/training/unmanned-aviation-training/

http://www.uastraining.com/remote-pilot-certificate-light/

http://www.aerialmotionpictures.co.uk/icarus/

http://www.whispercam.co.uk/#!book-now/c2433

 

[HAIBristol]

Hi Guys,

55 days and counting waiting for my PFAW, and as for the tier type quilification, its states nothing on my licence or certificate to say if I am a first class or second class pilot and my instructor on the day did not mention anything, he just said I had passed. As for EuroUSC they "are chasing the CAA" was thier last statement to me and now we are on first name terms LOL.
I will let you all now of any further developments.

 

[The Editor]

Hi Guys,

55 days and counting waiting for my PFAW, and as for the tier type quilification, its states nothing on my licence or certificate to say if I am a first class or second class pilot and my instructor on the day did not mention anything, he just said I had passed. As for EuroUSC they "are chasing the CAA" was thier last statement to me and now we are on first name terms LOL.
I will let you all now of any further developments.

That's because there is no tiered qualification! (Well maybe in their imagination there is).
PFAW is PFAW (there are certain companies that have less restrictive permission but these are person specific and given by the CAA not anybody else)
I cannot believe EuroUSC are still throwing such a smokescreen over things and making everything far more complicated than it is!
The more and more feedback I hear about this outfit I am getting a worse picture of their dodgy business practices and unscrupulous management. (In my opinion)
As for day 55 and counting do you have any proof that EuroUSC sent the application on the day they said they did?

 

[HAIBristol]

No proof only an email saying they had, now you have me thinking about that too "Thanks" LOL

 

[The Editor]

No proof only an email saying they had, now you have me thinking about that too "Thanks" LOL

Sorry !