[size=14.6667px]Has anyone here received approval for a COA in less than 60 days? [size=14.6667px]

[size=14.6667px]This is the singlemost frustrating process in the business. I just had a client call and cancel a job, he got tired of waiting. The sad part of it is that he'll go get a neighborhood kid and get the video he wanted, illegally.

[size=14.6667px]Wonder if the FAA people understand their foot dragging encourages more lawless flying? I know aviation and airports (commercial pilot's license). It doesn't take 60 days to glance at the copy of the sectional chart we have to submit, and determine if the flight, under 200 feet and away from any approach path (4 NM miles away) can be performed safely.

[size=14.6667px]FAA, if you are reading this, get off the dime! Your bureaucratic delays are encouraging flights outside the rules.

The FAA is a large ship..... its hard to change directions quickly. Sorry you lost the job and now that with the new ruling .... I hope that things will move faster

Rich

RichJ53 Posted at 2016-7-1 07:51
The FAA is a large ship..... its hard to change directions quickly. Sorry you lost the job and now t ...

Thank you. I've been a pilot since 1969 and, for the life of me, can't understand the 60 days for very low numbers (to's, ldg's) small airports. Not trying to get a COA for LAX! I can review traffic patterns, approach/departure IFR plates, helicopter routes, etc, in 60 minutes not 60 days. There is something wrong here...

LICENSED PILOT Posted at 2016-7-1 08:35
Thank you. I've been a pilot since 1969 and, for the life of me, can't understand the 60 days for  ...

"There is something wrong here..." unless it is some kind of sick management game to get us to start calling our congressmen and ratchet up the pressure to give the FAA some juicy budget increase.

RichJ53 Posted at 2016-7-1 07:51
The FAA is a large ship..... its hard to change directions quickly. Sorry you lost the job and now t ...

I just emailed my congressional rep and both senators, not holding my breath.

LICENSED PILOT Posted at 2016-6-30 19:04
I just emailed my congressional rep and both senators, not holding my breath.

I've been a pilot since 1971 and I feel your pain....  I think the FAA is overwhelmed and should not be managing UAS activities. Somehow this needs to be fixed  I do not have the solution but there has to be a better way to keep this stuff safe

Rich

RichJ53 Posted at 2016-7-1 12:17
I've been a pilot since 1971 and I feel your pain....  I think the FAA is overwhelmed and should n ...

"I think the FAA is overwhelmed and should not be managing UAS activities"
A separate agency, yeah... or at least a major separate UAS department within the FAA, rather than a "UAS integration office."

Unfortunately COA's are taking a long time and there's really nothing you can do.
I put in a amendment for additional aircraft a year ago and didn't hear back for months and months.
I'm glad it can be done online now.

The FAA has been under budgeted since Reagan fired the controllers, way back when. The current Congress seems to think that less is better when it comes to everything buy their campaign funds. The idea of creating a new agency is pretty much absurd in this political environment. I've held a Commercial, Multi, Instrument license for over 35 years and there is nothing new here. The FAA has always been slow to react in all they oversee. Just be glad your COA doesn't require them to set up a new computer system or it might never happen.

flighttime1 Posted at 2016-7-1 21:10
The FAA has been under budgeted since Reagan fired the controllers, way back when. The current Congr ...

Agree with you... but if they cant keep ahead of the general and commercial aviation... how can this system manage all of the new rules of UAS on top of it all?

Yes, they are slow to act for sure.

Rich

As I see it, what the FAA has done is attempt to view UAS's the same as full size. If you've applied for your 333, you realize almost all of the language is copy/pasted from what already existed. One item you have to request is an exemption from liquid fuel requirements/restrictions. They view it as we are entering their airspace and must comply with their rules. Pretty simple actually. The more they can conform UAS to full size, the less 'new' rules they have to make.

flighttime1 Posted at 2016-7-2 12:10
The FAA has been under budgeted since Reagan fired the controllers, way back when. The current Congr ...

   It's all about money and budgets. The way I figure; the feds keep dragging their feet on COAs...we bitch and moan to our congressmen... they whine to the feds...the feds complain they need more staff...ergo "give us more money"=bigger appropriation next year!