Aviation Safety Inspector

Summary

The Assistant Principal Oversight Inspector (APOI) serves as a full assistant to a Principal Inspector performing the full range of certification, surveillance, and inspection duties for assigned air carriers, air operators, air agencies, airmen, and designees. Has program responsibility to assure that assigned organizations meet 14 CFR with respect to flight operations programs. Assists in the establishment of work programs for inspection and surveillance.

Learn more about this agency

Duties

Help

Flight Oversight ASIs do not conduct certification (pilot evaluating, testing, and checking) job functions as a required crewmember , including safety pilot. The incumbent will not, in any scenario, act as a required crewmember or safety pilot of an aircraft. Flight Oversight ASIs apply a broad knowledge of the aviation industry, aviation safety, and Federal aviation laws, regulations, and policies.

Under the general direction of the Principal Inspector or Supervisory Principal Inspector accomplishes the following duties:

Technical Administration

On a continuing basis, ensures assigned organizations are properly and adequately organized, staffed and equipped; establishes and conducts adequate training programs; maintains record keeping systems; and ensures procedures meet regulatory requirements.

Chairs joint FAA and industry meetings. Maintains regular contact with organizations assigned and coordinates with management officials. Requires or directs correction of deficiencies/discrepancies and refuses or withdraws approval if they cannot be resolved.

Responsible for conducting enforcement investigations and preparation of final reports and recommendations on disposition. Performs or supervises the emergency suspension of certificates or cancellation of operations specifications. Conducts or directs the reexamination of certificated airmen or recertification of an operator or agency.

Conducts investigations of public complaints, congressional inquiries, and aircraft incidents and accidents. Provides verbal and/or written technical assistance to legal counsel, testifies at court trials and formal hearings, and gives dispositions.

Coordinates minimum equipment list (MEL) approvals with the POI. Takes enforcement action in instances of noncompliance with the MEL.

Coordinates with geographic inspectors for the accomplishment of non-routine air carrier surveillance

Certification

Approves/accepts or disapproves/rejects manuals and revisions to such manuals. May require amendments to previously approved manuals to correct any conflict with regulatory requirements; eliminate unsafe practices, and/or improve the specificity of instruction.

Evaluates training programs to ensure that they meet the requirements of 14 CFR. Approves or disapproves these training programs including flight simulators, training devices, or other such equipment used in these programs.

Approves/disapproves designation of check airmen and makes recommendations on the appointment of designees.

Evaluates operations and facilities by on-site inspections and review of reports by geographic inspectors or others. Negotiates changes essential or desirable in their policies and procedures. Determines the appropriate methods and/or plans for securing corrective action and determines through on-site inspection or inspector reports the effectiveness of any action.

Evaluates and approves/disapproves requests to operate under conditions not previously authorized and may prescribe additional conditions and limitations as appropriate.

Approves the original issuance of operations specifications and issues original operating certificates. Approves amendments to operations specifications. Evaluates the safety of proposed changes in route or airport authorizations; prescribes any changes required before approval.

Directs or participates in flight evaluations to determine compliance with 14 CFR. Recommends changes that will be required prior to approval.

C. Surveillance

Responsible for monitoring all phases of operations including training programs and records, base and station facilities, and route systems. Coordinates with and reviews reports from geographic inspectors and others to identify trends which indicate deterioration in the safety of operations. Directs or suggests changes required to correct such trends.

Responsible for monitoring the activities of designated examiners, check airmen, and instructors.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

• US Citizenship is required.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must submit an SF50 (See Required Documents).
• Position is designated as Moderate Risk; a background investigation may be required.

Qualifications

General Requirements for All 1825 Positions:

1. Not more than two separate incidents involving Federal Aviation regulations violations in the last 5 years
2. Valid State driver's license
3. Fluency in the English language
4. No chemical dependencies or drug abuse that could interfere with job performance, and
5. High School diploma or equivalent.

Medical Requirements for All Positions:

Applicants must be physically able to perform the duties of the Aviation Safety Inspector position in a safe and efficient manner, with or without a reasonable accommodation. The minimum medical requirements include the following requirements:

1. Have good distant vision in each eye and be able to read, without strain, printed materials the size of typewritten characters (glasses and contact lenses permitted);
2. Have the ability to hear the conversational voice (hearing aid permitted); and
3. Not have any physical condition that would cause them to be a hazard to themselves or others that would interfere with their ability to fly as passengers in a variety of aircraft.

In addition, applicants for positions that require participation in the operation of the aircraft must:

1. Possess a valid second class medical certificate in accordance with FAA regulations; and
2. Pass recurrent medical examinations as prescribed by the FAA.

Applicants not requiring valid second-class medical certificates who are tentatively selected will be required to:

1. Provide documentation from a board-certified physician certifying that they meet the minimal medical requirements; or
2. Individuals who do not meet the minimum medical requirements but who are otherwise qualified will receive an individualized assessment to determine whether they can perform the essential functions of the position.

When the predominant work involves air carrier flight oversight , applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

1. At least one year of pilot experience in multi-engine aircraft of more than 12,500 pounds maximum certificated takeoff weight.
2. Three years of experience working in an organization with an air carrier, commercial operator, or air agency certificate, an organization whose work led to the certification of individual airmen, or an organization that operated aircraft. At least one year of this experience must be with an organization that operated multi-engine aircraft or more than 12,500 maximum takeoff weight.
3. Minimum 1,500 total flight hours.
4. Must hold a valid Airline Transport Pilot Certificate.
5. Not more than two flying accidents during the last five years in which the applicant's pilot error was involved.

NOTE: The Aviation Safety Inspector (Flight Oversight) position does not require a second-class medical certificate.

To qualify for this position, you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of experience equivalent to FV-H, FG/GS-12 grade level. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

Specialized experience is defined as: monitoring and issuing certificates to a large complex aviation organization or several smaller organizations that, in total, are comparable in complexity to one large aviation organization. Work at this grade level/pay band is generally reviewed from an overall standpoint for accuracy, consistency, and effectiveness in meeting requirements.

The recency of specialized experience is waived for current FAA employees in the 1825 series.

Applicants should include examples of specialized experience in their work history.

Qualifications must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.

Errors or omissions may impact your rating or may result in you not being considered for the job.

Education

Education is not qualifying for this position at this grade level and may not be substituted for experience.

Preview job questionnaire

Make sure your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications and answers to the job questionnaire.

Additional information

We may use this vacancy to fill other similar vacant positions.

Position may be subject to a background investigation.

A one-year probationary period may be required.

The person selected for this position may be required to file a financial disclosure statement within 30 days of entry on duty. FAA policy limits certain outside employment and financial investments in aviation-related companies.

As a part of the Federal-Wide Hiring Reform Initiative (streamlining the hiring process), the FAA is committed to eliminating the use of the Knowledge, Skills and Ability (KSA) narratives from the initial application in the hiring process for all announcements. Therefore, as an applicant for this announcement, you are NOT required to provide a narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA.

In lieu of providing a KSA narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA in your work history, please include information that provides specific examples of how you meet the response level or answer you chose for each KSA. Your work history examples should be specific and clearly reflect the highest level of ability. Your KSA answers will be evaluated further to validate whether the level that you selected is appropriate based on the work history and experience you provided. Your answers may be adjusted by a Human Resource Specialist as appropriate.

Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective factor(s), if applicable, may be further evaluated on the KSAs listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in alphabetical and referred to the selecting official for consideration.

If the Agency decides to interview any qualified employee on the selection list, then all on the list who are qualified must be interviewed. If the selection list is shortened to a best qualified list through a comparative process, then the best qualified list shall be considered to be the selection list.

In-grade/downgrade applications will be accepted.

Links to Important Information: Locality Pay, COLA

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Help

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.