Monday, March 23, 2009

Illegal!

Today I found out that I have been flying illegaly in Peru since October!
I was looking into the requirements for renewing my pilot licence in Peru and found out that the Peruvian Aviation Authrities (DGAC) had me down for an expired pilot license due to a Medical certificate that was not filed properly with them. Back in October I recieved a second class medical certificate which I dutifully took to the DGAC. They accepted the medical certificate, making a copy for their records and I went back to Pucallpa task completed.
However, it appears as though the DGAC is putting up a fuss now and are requiring me to ¨validate¨my medical certificate. That means taking it to the U.S. Embassy in Lima, having them stamp it for $40 validity that it is a ¨real¨medical certificate. Then, it has to be translated into spanish, brough to the Ministry of Forgien relations, where they have to stamp is saying that ¨yes, the US Embassy stamp is valid and approved¨. Then I have to take the medical certificate with those two stamps to the DGAC where they in turn will stamp it a third time accepting the validating from the Ministry of Forgien relations which accepted the validity from the US Embassy which accepted the validity that my medical certificate really is real and valid in the first place!
Does anybody else think this is just crazy! Anyways, until that happens I am effectively grounded and can not fly. I am hoping to have this all worked out by the end of this week... I´ll be sure to keep you posted!

5 comments:

Tim Murray said...

don't you just love this system!

Hey if you're stuck in Lima with nothing to do, come up to Puerto and say hi.

Ryan, Corrie, Max, and Jack said...

Ha ha, it sounds like you're in Suriname!! That's what you have to do for birth certificates, at least!!! Soooo frustrating!

Diane said...

David - hope you get this all straigthen out quickly. Are the Vances still there? Hope the visit was good.

Unknown said...

Dave is an illegal alien. Arg!

Hey man, rubber stamping is the way to make the world go round. It is ridiculous. If you were Peruvian, you could just pass someone a few soles and you'd be on your way without a fuss.

I guess it's better to do it right though.

I hope you get it worked out!

Kerri said...

AH! Dave...reminds me a lot of trying to cross the borders in Central America. 25 stamps to validate each other blah blah blah...
just come home :)