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

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

Department: Department of Transportation

Location(s): Spokane Valley, Washington

Salary Range: $105932 - $137714 Per Year

Job Summary: The Aviation Safety Inspector (Rotorcraft-Helicopter), Principal Operations Inspector (POI), functions as the primary interface between assigned air operators/agencies/airmen/designees and the Federal Aviation Administration. The inspector will have program responsibility to assure that assigned organizations meet Federal Aviation Regulations with respect to primarily helicopter operations programs.

Major Duties:

• The Aviation Safety Inspector (Rotorcraft-Helicopter) functions as the primary interface between assigned air operators/agencies/airmen/designees and the Federal Aviation Administration. Has program responsibility to assure that assigned organizations meet Federal Aviation Regulations with respect to helicopter operations programs. Incumbent determines the need for, and then establishes work programs for surveillance and inspection of assigned organizations within manpower and budget limitations to assure adherence to the applicable regulations. Assures on a continuing basis that assigned organizations are properly and adequately organized, staffed, and equipped; have and conduct an adequate training program, including an acceptable record keeping system; and have facilities and procedures that meet all regulatory requirements. Resides as a member of FAA-Industry meetings; maintains regular contact with organizations assigned; and correction of any deficiencies/discrepancies and refuses or withdraws approval if they cannot be resolved. Is responsible for the conduct of enforcement investigations and preparation of final reports and recommendations on disposition. Performs the emergency suspension of certificates or cancellations of rotorcraft-helicopter specifications. Conducts or directs the reexamination of certificated airmen or recertification of an operator or agency. Conducts investigations of public complaints, congressional inquiries, and rotorcraft-helicopter incidents and accidents. Provides verbal and/or written technical assistance to legal counsel, testifies at court trials, and formal hearings and gives depositions. Coordinates Minimum Equipment List (MEL) approvals with the Principal Airworthiness Inspectors. Takes enforcement action in instances of noncompliance with the MEL. Coordinates with geographic inspectors for the accomplishment of nonroutine air carrier surveillance. Approves/accepts or disapproves/rejects manuals and revisions to such manuals. May require amendments to previously approved manuals to accomplish the following: correct any conflict with the regulatory requirements; eliminate unsafe practices; and/or improve the specificity of instruction. Evaluates training programs to insure that they meet the requirements of the Federal Aviation regulations. 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 and changes required before approval. Participates in proving flight evaluations to determine compliance with FARs. Recommends changes that will be required prior to approval. Is responsible for monitoring all phases of operations including: training programs and records; base and station facilities; and route systems. The incumbent will be required to participate in the flight program as an aircrew member and, FAA as such, must meet medical and flight currency requirements as set forth in agency orders governing the operation of rotorcraft-helicopter. May be assigned other duties and responsibilities which are non-grade controlling.

Qualifications: FAA Specific Qualifications Guidance for 1825 Aviation Safety Inspectors - Rotorcraft-Helicopter General Requirements for All Positions: Not more than two separate incidents involving Federal aviation regulations violations in the last 5 years; Valid State driver's license; Fluency in the English language; No chemical dependencies or drug abuse that could interfere with job performance; and High school diploma or equivalent Medical Requirements for Rotorcraft-Helicopter: 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: 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); Have the ability to hear the conversational voice (hearing aid permitted); 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 aircraft must: Possess a valid second-class medical certificate in accordance with Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) regulations; and Pass recurrent medical examinations as prescribed by the FAA. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, applicants must meet the specialized experience requirements as outlined below: 1. Must hold an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate with a Rotorcraft-Helicopter rating or a Commercial Pilot Certificate with a Rotorcraft-Helicopter rating and Instrument-Helicopter rating. 2. Must hold a valid, unexpired Flight Instructor Certificate with Rotorcraft-Helicopter rating and Instrument Helicopter rating. 3. Minimum 1,500 total flight hours in an aircraft as pilot-in-command or second-in-command, 1,000 hours of which must be in helicopters. 4. Must have given a minimum of 200 hours of flight instruction in a helicopter. 5. Minimum 100 flight hours in helicopters as pilot-in-command or second-in-command or 100 hours as pilot in a Level D Simulator that replicates a helicopter, or any combination thereof, during the last five (5) years. 6. Not more than two (2) flying accidents in the last five (5) years in which the applicant's pilot error was involved. Specialized experience is: Work involves monitoring and issuing certificates to a large complex aviation organization or a number of 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 Additional Specialized Experience Requirement: You must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the FV-H, FG/ GS-12 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 includes: Assisting, conducting, or performing various technical functions related to certification, surveillance, investigation, and enforcement activities of FAR Part 135 air carriers/air operators. Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and selective factor(s), if applicable, may be further evaluated on the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA); listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in one of the following categories: score order, category grouping, or alphabetical and referred to the selecting official for consideration. For Lateral Movements Between 1825 Specialties: To assist in determining qualification requirements, applicants transferring between specialties at the same grade level are strongly encouraged to complete the appropriate Qualifications Assessment Tool (QAT) check sheet and upload it along with their resume. Check sheets are contained in Order 3410.26, Flight Standards Service Air Carrier and General Aviation Qualifications Assessment Tool for AFS Aviation Safety Inspectors. In addition, applicants for Aviation Safety Inspector (Operations) positions will be required to demonstrate proficiency in an airplane or simulator. 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.

How to Apply: Applicants may be required to complete one or multiple assessments as part of the evaluation process. This assessment aims to evaluate the competencies and qualifications essential for the position. You must apply online to receive consideration. Your application must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the Close Date for it to be accepted. If you are applying for positions associated with FAA registers, your application must be submitted at the time a referral list is created in order to receive consideration for positions associated with a register. RESUMES ARE LIMITED TO TWO PAGES. IN DESCRIBING YOUR WORK EXPERIENCE AND/OR EDUCATION, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC AND INCLUDE INFORMATION AS IT RELATES TO THE QUALIFICATIONS AND SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS POSITION. We strongly encourage applicants to utilize the USAJOBS resume builder in the creation of resumes. Please ensure EACH work history includes ALL of the following information: Job Title (include series and grade if Federal Job) Relevant work experience: should align to the Job Announcement and address all required qualifications and include job title, employer name, start/end dates, number of hours worked per week. Education, certification or licensure: If required, education should include school/institution name, completion date, degree type and GPA. Determining length of General or Specialized Experience is dependent on the above information and failure to provide ALL of this information may result in a finding of ineligible. You may upload completed documents to your USAJOBS Account. This will provide you the opportunity to utilize the uploaded information again when applying for future vacancies. Please see this guide, Document Upload Guide, for more information on uploading and re-using the documents in your applications.

Application Deadline: 2026-01-06