Federal
Aviation Safety Inspector (General Aviation - Operations)
Federal Aviation Administration ยท Department of Transportation
About This Position
The incumbent will serve as an Assistant Principal Operations Inspector General Aviation performing the full range of certification, surveillance and inspection duties for assigned air carriers, air operators, air agencies, airmen, and designees. The Assistant Principal Inspector has program responsibility to assure that assigned organizations meet Federal Aviation Regulations with respect to operations programs.
Qualifications
Applicants for all Aviation Safety Inspector positions must meet the Office of Personnel Management Qualification Standards: 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 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: 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); and 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: Possess a valid second โ class medical certificate in accordance with FAA regulations; and 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: Provide documentation from a board-certified physician certifying that they meet the minimal medical requirements; or 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. To qualify for this position you must meet the Office of Personnel Management Qualification Standards for the 1825 series in the General Aviation Operation specialty which requires the following: 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. Professional flying skill as demonstrated in a flight check to Commercial Pilot Certificate with an instrument rating; Possession of Airline Transport Pilot Certificate or Commercial Pilot Certificate with instrument airplane rating. Minimum of 100 flight hours within the last 3 years. Minimum of 1,500 total flight hours. Possession of single and multi-engine land airplane ratings. Not more than 2 flying accidents in the last 5 years in which the applicant's pilot error was involved. Possession of a valid second-class FAA medical certificate. In addition, applicants must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the FV-H or GS/FG-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 is: Assisting, conducting, or performing various technical functions related to certification, surveillance, investigation, and compliance recommendations of operational activities on FAR Part 135 air carriers/air operators. The recency of specialized experience is waived for current FAA employees in the 1825 series. Applicants should include examples of specialized experience in 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.
Major Duties
Under the general direction of the Principal Inspector (Operations) accomplishes the following duties: Technical Administration - 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. Chairs joint FAA industry meetings; maintains regular contact with organizations assigned; and coordinates with top management officials. Is responsible for the conduct of enforcement investigations and preparation of final reports and recommendations on disposition. Performs or supervises the emergency suspension of certificates or cancellations 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 depositions. Coordinates Minimum Equipment List (MEL) approvals with principal airworthiness inspectors. Takes enforcement 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, school curriculum, and revisions to such. May require amendments to previously approved documents to accomplish the following: correct any conflict with regulatory requirements; eliminate unsafe practices; and/or improve the specificity of instruction. Evaluates training programs to insure they meet the requirements of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR). Approves /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 and others. Negotiates changes essential or desirable in their policies and procedures. 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 proving flight evaluations to determine compliance with FARs. Recommends changes that will be required prior to approval. Surveillance - Is 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. Is responsible for monitoring the activities of designated examiners, check airmen, and instructors. Other - May be assigned other duties and responsibilities which are non-grade controlling. The incumbent will be required to participate in the flight program as an aircrew member and, as such, must meet medical and flight currency requirements as set forth in agency orders governing the operation of aircraft. The inspector, when so directed, is required to keep an appropriate control point informed as to his/her whereabouts and the phone number at which he/she can be reached in the event of an aviation incident/accident requiring FAA investigation.
Conditions of Employment
We are not accepting applications from noncitizens.
Education
Education is not qualifying and cannot be substituted for this position.
How You Will Be Evaluated
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.
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 This position is covered by the Department of Transportation's Drug and Alcohol Testing Program. Any applicant tentatively selected for this position will be subject to pre-employment or pre-appointment drug screening. Persons occupying a "testing designated position (TDP)" will be subject to random drug and/or alcohol testing. Applicants must apply online to receive consideration. Faxed, mailed or emailed applications cannot be accepted. If you need to submit additional documents, you may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS. Supplemental documentation can also be faxed to 206-231-4150 on or before the closing date of this announcement. Please include name and the vacancy announcement number on each of your faxed pages and redact all Personally Identifiable Information (PII), such as social security number and date of birth. 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 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 WORK HISTORY THAT DESCRIBES HOW YOU MEET THE ANSWER YOU CHOSE FOR EACH KSA. Security Requirement: This position requires completion & favorable adjudication of a Moderate Risk (5) Background Investigation (Tier 2) unless waiver is obtained. This is a bargaining unit position, represented by the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (www.passnational.org). Links to Important Information: Locality Pay, COLA
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.
Required Documents
Current or Former Federal employee (including a current FAA employee): You MUST submit a copy of your most recent (non-award) SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, or equivalent document that verifies tenure (block 24, code 1 or 2). Failure to provide the required documentation by the closing date of this announcement will result in non-consideration for this position. If you need to submit additional documents to supplement your on-line application, e.g. transcripts, SF-50, or veterans' documentation, you may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS. Supplemental documentation can also be faxed to 206-231-4150 on or before the closing date of this announcement. Please include your name and the vacancy announcement number on each of your faxed pages and redact all Personally Identifiable Information (PII), such as social security number and date of birth. If you are an FAA employee, you MUST provide a copy of your SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) containing information in Blocks 15, 17, 18, 19, 22, and 24 so it can be used to verify your position title, series, grade, tenure, and organization of record by the closing date of the announcement. You may fax your SF-50 or upload it into the on-line application. If faxing the SF-50, please ensure you include the vacancy announcement number on the faxed copy. If you are an FAA employee, you can access and print your SF-50 from the eOPF system https://eopf.opm.gov/dot/.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the salary for the Aviation Safety Inspector (General Aviation - Operations) position at Federal Aviation Administration?
The salary range for this position is $118,675 - $142,412/yr. This is a FG-13 position on the General Schedule pay scale. Actual pay may vary based on locality adjustments.
Where is the Aviation Safety Inspector (General Aviation - Operations) job located?
This position is located in Watkins, Colorado. This is an on-site position.
What qualifications do I need?
Applicants for all Aviation Safety Inspector positions must meet the Office of Personnel Management Qualification Standards: 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 de...
How do I apply for this position?
Apply through USAJobs.gov by clicking the 'Apply on USAJobs' button. You'll need a USAJobs account, a federal-style resume, and supporting documents. The deadline is Mar 3, 2026.
Is a security clearance required?
No security clearance is required for this position.
What does FG-13 mean?
FG-13 refers to the General Schedule grade level. Higher grades require more experience and offer higher pay. Visit our GS Pay Scale page for full salary tables by grade and locality.
What benefits do federal employees receive?
Federal employees receive comprehensive benefits including health insurance (FEHB), retirement through FERS, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with government matching, paid annual and sick leave, paid parental leave, life insurance, and student loan repayment programs.