Hi,
Just thought I’d put this up here to help others. I googled ‘A2 CofC Training’ to get training provider names, and have listed everything found above the “More Results” option in Google.
Please, only vote if you were happy with your provider.
In alphabetical order, we have…
0 voters
I noticed Coptrz offer the A2 CofC for £49+VAT. That is the cheapest I have seen?
That’s exam only, they’ve been committed to offering free course for all their PfCO delegates, guessing that they’ve opened it up to all comers…
Open to all, free course work included
https://www.coptrz.com/shop/cpd-training-courses/a2-certificate-of-competency-a2-cofc/
I hear elsewhere that Coptrz are insisting that students fulfil the evidence base for “self-practical training” by submitting 4 hours of flight logs. UAVHub just require people to fill in a declaration that they have the right practical competence.
And that Brian is what’s wrong with the A2 CofC in my mind.
All theory and no practical.
Just remember how the kids at school who did really well in exams were shit at catching a ball 
My understanding is that the practical flight assessment was always a part of the A2, but because of varying degrees of restrictions/lockdown/tiers, training providers have been able to accept declarations/flight logs instead.
I’m assuming the ability to accept these instead of a practical flight assessment has been agreed with the CAA, as there is no such alternative for the GVC; it’s a flight assessment, no alternative and I think that’s fair enough.
Ned
Hi chaps,
The A2 is a theoretical examination only. There’s no practical element/requirement associated with it, other than the ‘building block’ of practical flying which must be self-declared by the candidate prior to them undertaking the examination.
If the candidate hasn’t completed the pre-requisites or they don’t feel confident that they are capable of doing so, the self-declaration can be replaced by ‘training as appropriate’ from the RAE and we could then provide them with a certificte which states that they have reached the minimum standard required for the award of the A2; upon successful completion of the Theory Exam.
There is no alternative with the GVC as it’s designed for higher-risk operations… So that is Theory and Practical.
All this info can be found in the CAP 722B.
Hope that helps! 
I stand corrected… thanks for the clarification @MrMPW
Ned
No worries… Sorry! 
This is a particularly interesting subject, because having evidence of many hours flying (over 4.5 hrs from one DJI log alone) I went ahead and completed the excellent A2 CofC course with Coptrz, and I was very pleased with it.
However, after completing the training, Coptrz informed me that the CAA insist on at least two hours of “POST-COURSE” flying, BEFORE you are permitted to take the 30 question, on line test!
The current lock-down rules actually prohibit hobby drone flying by law, for an unspecified period, as it’s not considered to be physical exercise. And living in London means that I would also need to travel too far to legally cover this requirement.
Therefore, I had to stop everything at the point where I had studied the requirements, met very nearly all of the conditions, but would not be permitted to actually take the test.
Flying in subcategory A3 only would kill the hobby for me. So as I don’t know when I’ll be able to actually legally comply with the two hours post training flying that is needed, I feel that I have no option other than to sadly put my DJI Mavic Air up for sale and possibly buy a Mini 2 but that even doesn’t have the added safely of the collision avoidance that the Mavic Air has.
Goodness, looks like GADC has a lot of recommendations for UAVHUB and @MrMPW
cough Member Discount cough <nudge_nudge_wink_wink.gif>
Really? I’d be interested in knowing more about that i.e. where this is stipulated.
Ned
There’s a good chance it’s not!
@paul.wingfield Have a look at CAP 722B, page 32
http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/modalapplication.aspx?catid=1&pagetype=65&appid=11&mode=detail&id=9168
If you’ve not been able to do any flying whatsoever, then yeah, you wouldn’t be able to complete your declaration.
Ned
No flying training time specified by CAP 722B:
“Completion of a period of practical flight training, either under the guidance of an
RAE or under ‘self-monitored’ circumstances, conducted within the operating
conditions of subcategory A3 but simulating the operating situations associated with
the A2 subcategory”
UAVHUB get you to sign a self declaration before you take the course, makes you responsible for anything you haven’t disclosed.
CAP722B has no specified period of flying time, nor does it say it has to be completed after you’ve done the A2 CofC training. So I think Coptrz are asking for more than is reasonable.
@paul.wingfield Sorry mate - I missed this. It sounds as though you’ve got enough experience to be able to sign your declaration.
@kvetner @Hotrodspike Yep - no figure given on flying time and the ‘post course’ flying requirement is just bollocks.
I’m surprised that Coptrz would say this to you; whilst they’re not the ‘peoples choice’ of training provider, I don’t remember anyone here saying they were sh*t.
Misunderstanding maybe?
Ned
Could be that they want you to do the training with them at £100 an hour?
I suggested to Coptrz that I do the test now and they should hold the licence until I’d completed the extra hours, but they told me the CAA even refused that option.
I don’t think it’s fair to say that they’re a bad bunch. After all they do offer the training for free and their price for the test is better than anyone else’s. I think their approach is very good for most people, just not people like me who can’t get to an A3 type space and complete the post training hours.
Nevertheless, I have heard since from other people that some RAE’s are not insisting on the post training hours in the same way but that’s hearsay. I don’t know where the requirements for these flying hours are actually stipulated.
Net result for me is that my drone is now up for sale because A3 only flights don’t look like much fun.
It’ll be the first time since 2012 that I won’t have a drone. so a very sad day for me.