Aviation Safety Inspector (Rotorcraft-Helicopter) (Principal Operations Inspector (POI))

Federal Aviation Administration•Spokane Valley, WA

About The Position

The Aviation Safety Inspector (Rotorcraft-Helicopter), Principal Operations Inspector (POI), serves as the primary interface between assigned air operators, agencies, airmen, designees, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The inspector is responsible for ensuring that assigned organizations comply with Federal Aviation Regulations, primarily concerning helicopter operations programs. The position requires participation in the FAA flight program as an aircrew member, subject to applicable medical and flight-currency requirements. The inspector establishes surveillance and inspection work programs within manpower and budget limitations, and continually evaluates whether assigned organizations are properly organized, staffed, equipped, trained, and supported by adequate records, facilities, and procedures. The position involves regular contact with organizations and participation in FAA-industry meetings, resolving deficiencies or withdrawing approvals when issues cannot be resolved. The inspector conducts enforcement investigations and prepares reports and recommendations; may suspend certificates or cancel rotorcraft-helicopter specifications; and conducts or directs reexaminations and recertifications. The role also investigates complaints, congressional inquiries, incidents, and accidents; provides technical assistance to legal counsel; and may testify or give depositions. Additional work includes coordinating Minimum Equipment List approvals and surveillance; reviewing and approving manuals, training programs, equipment, check airmen, and designee recommendations; inspecting operations and facilities; negotiating corrective changes; and evaluating requests for operations outside previously authorized conditions. The inspector issues original operating certificates and operations specifications, approves amendments, evaluates route and airport authorization changes, participates in proving-flight evaluations, and monitors training, facilities, and route systems. Other non-grade-controlling duties may be assigned.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship.
Selective Service registration for males born after December 31, 1959.
Submit an SF-50.
Be subject to designated or random drug testing.
No more than two separate incidents involving Federal Aviation Regulations violations in the last five years.
Valid state driver's license.
Fluency in English.
No chemical dependencies or drug abuse that could interfere with job performance.
High school diploma or equivalent; education may not be substituted for experience.
Be physically able to perform the duties safely, with or without reasonable accommodation; meet the stated vision, hearing, and physical-condition requirements.
For positions requiring participation in aircraft operations, hold a valid second-class medical certificate and pass recurrent medical examinations as prescribed by the FAA.
Hold an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate with a Rotorcraft-Helicopter rating, or a Commercial Pilot Certificate with Rotorcraft-Helicopter and Instrument-Helicopter ratings.
Hold a valid, unexpired Flight Instructor Certificate with Rotorcraft-Helicopter and Instrument Helicopter ratings.
Have at least 1,500 total flight hours as pilot-in-command or second-in-command, including at least 1,000 helicopter hours.
Have given at least 200 hours of helicopter flight instruction.
Have at least 100 helicopter hours as pilot-in-command or second-in-command, 100 hours as pilot in a Level D helicopter simulator, or a combination thereof, during the last five years.
Have no more than two flying accidents involving applicant pilot error in the last five years.
Have at least one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the FV-H, FG/GS-12 level, including assisting with, conducting, or performing technical functions related to certification, surveillance, investigation, and enforcement activities of FAR Part 135 air carriers or operators.
Demonstrate experience monitoring and issuing certificates to a large, complex aviation organization or to smaller organizations with comparable overall complexity.
Meet qualifications by the vacancy announcement closing date.
A transition check ride may be required.
A Tier 2 background investigation with favorable adjudication is required before appointment unless a waiver is approved.

Nice To Haves

Applicants transferring between 1825 specialties at the same grade level are strongly encouraged to complete the appropriate Qualifications Assessment Tool check sheet and upload it with their resume.
Current FAA employees in the 1825 series are exempt from the recency requirement for specialized experience.

Responsibilities

Establish surveillance and inspection work programs for assigned organizations within manpower and budget limitations.
Monitor whether assigned organizations are adequately organized, staffed, and equipped, and maintain compliant training programs, records, facilities, and procedures.
Maintain contact with assigned organizations, participate in FAA-industry meetings, and resolve deficiencies or withdraw approval when deficiencies cannot be resolved.
Conduct enforcement investigations and prepare final reports and recommendations on disposition.
Perform emergency suspension of certificates or cancellation of rotorcraft-helicopter specifications.
Conduct or direct reexaminations of certificated airmen or recertification of operators or agencies.
Investigate public complaints, congressional inquiries, and rotorcraft-helicopter incidents and accidents.
Provide technical assistance to legal counsel and testify at court trials and formal hearings or give depositions.
Coordinate Minimum Equipment List approvals with Principal Airworthiness Inspectors and take enforcement action for noncompliance.
Coordinate nonroutine air carrier surveillance with geographic inspectors.
Approve, accept, disapprove, or reject manuals and revisions; require amendments to address regulatory conflicts, unsafe practices, or insufficiently specific instructions.
Evaluate and approve or disapprove training programs, including associated flight simulators, training devices, and other equipment.
Approve or disapprove check-airman designations and recommend appointments of designees.
Evaluate operations and facilities through onsite inspections and review of reports.
Negotiate necessary or desirable changes to organizational policies and procedures, determine corrective-action methods, and verify their effectiveness.
Evaluate requests to operate under conditions not previously authorized and prescribe additional conditions or limitations as appropriate.
Approve original operations specifications and issue original operating certificates; approve amendments to operations specifications.
Evaluate the safety of proposed route or airport authorization changes and prescribe required changes before approval.
Participate in proving-flight evaluations to determine regulatory compliance and recommend changes required before approval.
Monitor operations, including training programs and records, base and station facilities, and route systems.
Participate in the flight program as an aircrew member and meet applicable medical and flight-currency requirements.
Perform other assigned duties and responsibilities that are not grade-controlling.