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Caa Registration Reminders?


Edgeflyer
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I'm getting old and maybe senile but I thought I had my CAA drone reg sorted out with my BMFA renewal each December. But this summer CAA emailed me "CAA Registration expiry reminder" so I duly paid up and got a registration number, which is different from my original. So now I have to change it on my models. Anyone else had this confusion?

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The new number stars with GBR followed by numerous (13?) alphanumeric characters and I think (hope) doesn't change.  I'm pretty sure I paid mine when I renewed my BMFA membership and then received my new, permanent number.  It isn't exactly clear and the whole thing is a mess but I think is now more settled.

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I had the reverse experience, in that I tried to renew with my BMFA, but got replies of "cannot find you" etc, even tho my BMFA went thru ok.

I waited for my CAA to run out and lo and behold I got an email from the CAA. I renewed with them with my original GBR number intact (second year). Prior to that I had a temporary number.

A tad irritating but all turned out well.

I agree with Geoff, the whole thing is a bit of a mess, but persevere and you will be ok.

 

D.D.

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Well, all I can say is that everything worked fine for me when I went via my Club to the BMFA at renewal time.

 

PhilB - did you pay your £9 including your club and BMFA subs in December?  If you didn't pay the £9 then your CAA registration would not have been renewed via the BMFA route.  The £9 goes to the CAA and is merely passed through the BMFA's hands to make our lives easier.  Perhaps you could let us know if you did pay your £9 to your Club?

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20 hours ago, Geoff S said:

 It isn't exactly clear and the whole thing is a mess but I think is now more settled.

I think that's what we all thought, at least I did until I read the little gem in the current BMFA comic on page 48, which seems to suggest that for the purposes of 'simplifying' the registration process, we are all to be given a (presumably different to the current) flyer I/D number.

With so many layers of simplicity, it's hard to believe anything could possibly go wrong...........................................

Kim

Edited by Kim Taylor
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I don't know Martin, but to quote directly from the BMFA News (I can't find the latest copy online to cut & paste)

Article 16 - Evidence of competency...................................

"The CAA have decided that to simplify this (largely for the benefit of the Police who are tasked with enforcement), everyone will have to have a Flyer ID in the near future.

We are working with the CAA on this, and those members who have used the BMFA RCC or existing BMFA achievements as confirmation of competency will be automatically be issued a CAA Flyer ID, which will be added to their membership record in the Just Go system."

I read that as a new and additional level of 'simplification', maybe I've misunderstood the meaning. Rhetorical question - if we don't have to display the number, what's the point? Thin end of the licensing wedge?? 

Kim

(seen it all before cynic dept.)

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Remember Kim, there are two different registrations.  The first is a flyer ID which BMFA A test holders were exempted from.  It is free and if not a member of one of the qualifying organisations, you could take an online test with the CAA and be issued with a Flyer ID which allowed you to fly models - your own, or any belonging to others. 

 

However, in order to fly your own models - or have them flown by others, you need to register as an operator.  This does not require any qualification other than being old enough but you do have to pay an annual fee - the £9 referred to earlier in the thread. For this fee, you are issued with a long line of characters that you have to display on your models.  This is unaffected by the decision to issue Flyer IDs to those exempted from the test process.  All that will happen is that you will get a Flyer ID which you could quote in any "correspondence" with the CAA, Police, insurance company etc. but will largely be of academic interest to the majority of BMFA members. 

 

The simplification referred to is for the benefit of the authorities, who won't need to check with the BMFA for your details and validity of your exemption in the event of an incident or accident.

 

So don't worry - it will just be added to your online documentation and with any luck, you'll never need it and it won't have any effect on your operation or your pocket.

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23 hours ago, Peter Jenkins said:

Well, all I can say is that everything worked fine for me when I went via my Club to the BMFA at renewal time.

 

PhilB - did you pay your £9 including your club and BMFA subs in December?  If you didn't pay the £9 then your CAA registration would not have been renewed via the BMFA route.  The £9 goes to the CAA and is merely passed through the BMFA's hands to make our lives easier.  Perhaps you could let us know if you did pay your £9 to your Club?

 

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1 hour ago, Phil B said:

Yes I always pay the extra CAA £9

In that case the problem lies somewhere between your Club, the BMFA or the CAA.  As I say, I have now gone through the process twice and it has worked fine for me and all of the people in my Club.  No doubt there are some instances where things went wrong.  We wouldn't be human if that didn't happen 😀.

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Or more likely it wouldn't be the CAA unless something went wrong.

 

For instance, just after the law changed and I wanted a 400ft height limit exemption certificate for an aero tow. 

The Drone team at the CAA did not know that the law had changed and the Notam office number was answered and said to apply for the Notam fill in the form on the CAA website (which they had taken down from the website - which was why I was calling them) and they then said I would have to Google for it - so I did, with the chap still on the phone, I said it was the old form on Google with 7kg and 20kg model weights, instead of the new 7.5kg and 25kg weights which changed on January 1st, but he said don't worry about it as its a model it doesn't matter. 

So the CAA know even less about the law as it petains to models and what is required than we do. 

Also a very well respected test pilot I know well says the CAA are there to make money out of flying and airspace and never ever think that there is any other reason for their existance.

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