Microlighters

Maybe I am picking the proverbial from the pepper.

My previous ATF had a lapse date of 14 April 2011. On 11 April 2011 I had the annual inspection, completed all the paperwork, rocked up at the RAASA offices on the 14th to get the new ATF. The service was okay, received the new ATF after one hour ten minutes.

NOW, the new date on the ATF was shown as 11 April. I queried this, and was told that ATF's get issued from the day the annual inspection was done. This means that, if you don't want the ATF to lapse, by doing the annual before the lapse date, you will "loose" those days between the inspection date and the lapse date on your ATF, every year.

CAA had a similar system for license renewals a few years ago. This was fixed by making the lapse date the last day of the month, and giving you 30 days before that day to hand in the paperwork and keep the lapse date the same every year.

I realize that 30 days may be excessive in the ATF case, but a similar system where the lapse date stay the same if the inspection was done, say, 14 days before the lapse date.

Aviators spend a fair amount of money to keep their aircraft in ship shape, loosing a few days like with the present system seems unfair.

Maybe, the clever people out there can change the system.......

Hi ZAZU.

Thank you for the feedback. Should you have any suggestions on how we can improve the service please forward such suggestions to myself or Pierre.

Re the expiry date on the Authority to Fly, the document has always been issued by CAA and RAASA with the expiry date a year from the inspection.

Regards
Willem

Willem,

Thank you for the feedback. I'm glad to see that you view my post in a positive way. That is exactly as intended, I believe to stick to the law even if one does not always agree with it. If one can give constructive criticism, together with a possible solution, that is fair.

As mentioned, a "grace period" before the lapse date is my suggestion. It may infringe on other legalities, I don't know.

Regards

Christo

ZAZU, RAASA is not going backwards , the problem is that our ATF dates are going backwards because of the threat of an expired ATF date.

Willem, I know exactly what ZAZU is talking about. Is there a way for RAASA to introduce a 21 day documentation period into the ATF system ? This will assist a lot (similar to car renewals) to have renewals booked for a specific month.

I think I speak on behalve of more pilots, and suport ZAZU that we rather prefer a renewal month .

Kloot piloot

I have no gripe with RAASA.

Just saw an issue that can be improved to the benefit of everybody.

kloot piloot wrote:ZAZU, RAASA is not going backwards , the problem is that our ATF dates are going backwards because of the threat of an expired ATF date.

Willem, I know exactly what ZAZU is talking about. Is there a way for RAASA to introduce a 21 day documentation period into the ATF system ? This will assist a lot (similar to car renewals) to have renewals booked for a specific month.

I think I speak on behalve of more pilots, and suport ZAZU that we rather prefer a renewal month .

Agree, a renewal month would be great!

My ATF renewal is due in a month or two. Any feedback on my original suggestion regarding the effective date?

Run it on the same basis as a medical. The medical is always dated to the last day of the anniversary month. ie Medical on 5 June - will give you to 30 June in the expiry year.

So - Annual inspection performed 5 June 2012 - papers at RAASA within next week (and all in order) - then ATF to expire 30 June 2013.

I can only sympathise and agree fully on the "grace period" as suggested above. Most of us are happy to obey the rules as they stand and I do understand the logic behind the 1 year from inspection date thing....but...

I do not like to wait till the last minute to get my plane AP'd and so thus will always be losing 2-3 weeks on my ATF. One never knows when the AP might find a serious fault? If I wait till the last week for the inspection, the AP could suddenly say I've failed a wing test or something and I may have to wait weeks before I can get parts etc.

At least a "grace period" will allow you to do the inspection well in advance so that you have time to carry out the necessary repairs and not lose out on the ATF period of validity?

Make a plan Willem/Pierre... Other than this I cannot fault your service....has been outstanding everytime I've dealt with RAASA.