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Aviation Safety Inspector

Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA Academy, Regulatory Standards Division, Commercial Transportation Ops Branch, AMA-230

Summary

Conducts training programs for flight standards inspectors and specialists concerning policies and procedures, and specialized training on aircraft and courses covering airworthiness, surveillance, and certification of airmen, agencies, and general aviation.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
12/16/2025 to 01/14/2026
Salary
$106,382 to - $138,296 per year

Salary shown reflects base pay only. Locality will be determined upon selection.

Pay scale & grade
FG 14
Location
Few vacancies in the following location:
FAA Nationwide-Selectee Remains in Current Duty Location
Few vacancies
Telework eligible
Yes—Situational telework may be permitted in accordance with agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - The job may require travel from time-to-time, but not on a regular basis. The travel may be for training or other work-related duties.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
NA
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes - This position is represented by PAACE: Consolidated.
Announcement number
AAC-AFN-26-AMA230-96660
Control number
852480200

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to current, permanent FAA employees.

Duties

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The instructor must hold an airline transport pilot certificate or hold a commercial pilot certificate with multi-engine land and instrument ratings and be eligible for an airline transport pilot certificate.

  1. Use only approved methods, procedures and techniques in job functions and in operation of aircraft and stresses standardization of job functions. Conducts ground school on aircraft systems in support of flight units.
  2. Maintains a high level of pilot proficiency in aircraft.
  3. Apply the latest methods and techniques of instruction obtained through attendance at formal instructor training courses and seminars.
  4. Conduct courses of indoctrination for aviation safety inspectors and other non-FAA students. Presents an intensive study of job tasks the students will be required to perform daily as an inspector in a Flight Standards District Office. Concurrently with each job task, analyzes and interprets all applicable regulatory material. May be assigned as course or project manager, team leader, or team member as the job tasks dictate.
  5. Recommends to the supervisor improvements and revisions to existing approved courses and the overall training program.
  6. Recommends to the supervisor improvements and revisions to existing approved courses and the overall training program.
  7. Familiarize students with the latest regulations and requirements affecting the aviation safety inspector's job functions.
  8. Standardizes the inspector's performance, proficiency and timing relative to compliance with existing job functions procedures.
  9. Evaluates and reports the capabilities and performance of each student. Also reports areas in which further study and training are necessary.
  10. May be assigned responsibilities as course manager of one or more courses administered by the branch. May also be temporarily assigned to special projects to accomplish work as may be required.
  11. The Regulatory Standards instructor has responsibility which requires highly specialized training, significant managerial skills, specific technical qualifications, and detailed proficiency equal to the highest nonsupervisory grade level in the field that significantly represents the occupational workforce. Possess a high degree of human relations and \ communications skills which enable the individual to function as an agency role model for both new and current FAA employees. Possesses the skills to be able to understand and convert procedural requirements into overall function design to provide reliable and accurate course development and instruction. Maintains technical knowledge and currency equivalent to that of the highest-level full performance specialist.
  12. Must have an in-depth knowledge of the FAA's flight Standards training process as it relates to the Aviation Safety Inspector workforce job functions. He/she will be required to maintain a high level of proficiency in the operation of high-performance aircraft used in air transportation. The effectiveness with which the branch training programs are coordinated and implemented will depend upon the aeronautical knowledge and proficiency of the ASI (GA Operations Instructor), while maintaining expertise in commercial and/or general aviation state-of-the-art training programs.
  13. Provides support to the management team in the preparation and administration of the budget; coordination of staff training and travel administration; program management and planning; workload scheduling; space utilization, resource management; security; property management - accountable items; reports and records as required.
  14. When performing the duties of team coordinator, the employee will coordinate the use of resources, such as rooms and supplies; work schedules; T&A's; travel orders; various suspense’s; and budget inputs for the most effective function of the team.
  15. Advises and assists new and/or lower grade instructors in the development of new courses.

May perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

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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).
  • Must possess an ATP or Commercial Pilot Certificate (See Required Documents).
  • Successful completion of a security investigation may be required.
  • Please review Required Documents & Additional Information.

Qualifications

Minimum Eligibility Requirements For All Positions:

Basic Requirements:

  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:

Applicants must be physically able to perform the duties of the Aviation Safety Inspector position in a safe and efficient manner, and must meet all of the following requirements:

  1. Have good distant vision in each eye and be able to read printed materials the size of typewritten characters (glasses and contact lenses permitted) without strain;
  2. Have the ability to hear the conversational voice (hearing aid permitted);
  3. Not have any physical conditions that would cause them to be a hazard to themselves or others or that would interfere with their ability to operate/occupy a flight deck observer's seat (jumpseat) or a cabin passenger seat in a variety of aircraft.

Specialized Experience, Training, And Certification Requirements For Specific Positions

Applicants must meet the specific requirements described below for the following types of Aviation Safety Inspector positions:

When the predominant work involves general aviation operations, applicants for Aviation Safety Inspector (Operations) positions must meet all of the following requirements.

  1. Valid, unexpired Flight Instructor Certificate with single and multi-engine airplane and instrument airplane ratings. Must have given a minimum of 200 hours of flight instruction in an aircraft.
  2. Professional flying skill as demonstrated in a flight check to Commercial Pilot Certificate with an instrument rating;
  3. Possession of Airline Transport Pilot Certificate or Commercial Pilot Certificate with instrument airplane rating.
  4. Minimum of 100 flight hours within the last 3 years.
  5. Minimum of 1,500 total flight hours.
  6. Possession of single and multi-engine land airplane ratings.
  7. Not more than 2 flying accidents in the last 5 years in which the applicant's pilot error was involved.
  8. Possession of a valid second-class FAA medical certificate.

NOTE: Recency of specialized experience requirements is waived for current and former FAA employees in the 1825 series (this covers internal placement actions including promotions, reassignments, voluntary changes to lower grades, transfers or reinstatements to same or lower grade that currently or previously held).

Specialized Experience:

To qualify for this position, you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the FG/GS-13 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: Experience providing Flight Standards organizations and industry with authoritative expert technical guidance and operational control, ensuring compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.

Applicants should include examples of specialized experience in their work history. Qualifications must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.

Education

KSA Information:

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 Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA), Demonstrated Abilities and Other Factors 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.

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. www.faa.gov/jobs/workinghere/financial-disclosure-requirements

Notes:
  1. Position(s) may be realigned based on approved reorganization.
  2. Applicants must apply online to receive consideration for this vacancy announcement. Faxed, mailed, or emailed applications cannot be accepted. Errors or omissions may impact your rating or may result in you not being considered for the job.
  3. Candidates MUST submit copies of all certificates and licenses with application. If the back side of the license contains the ratings, be sure to copy both sides.
  4. Some, all or none of the applicants may be interviewed.
  5. Recency of requirements will be waived for current FAA employees in the 1825 series.
  6. To confirm receipt of documents, please contact Sidney Heifetz at Sidney.R.Heifetz@faa.gov.

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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.



IMPORTANT: Applicants may be rated on the extent and quality of experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position(s). All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated. Ensure that your application package/resume supports your responses.

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