Aviation Safety Inspector

Serves as an Aviation Safety Inspector, General Aviation Maintenance (GAM), Principal Maintenance Inspector at the Grand Rapids FSDO.

The PMI receives administrative direction from management in terms of broadly defined missions or functions. The PMI, mostly independently plans, designs, and carries out programs, projects, studies, or other work. The PMI provides policy assistance to field level Aviation Safety Inspectors (ASIs) on difficult or complex policy interpretations. The work is normally accepted without change. Completed work may be reviewed for adherence to FAA policy and for assurance that project requirements have been fulfilled. Some FG-14 assignments involve Service wide responsibility for application of expert knowledge of general aviation maintenance. Other FG-14 inspectors establish technical procedures and performance yardsticks and review maintenance programs, or who have problems of comparable scope and complexity, or a uniquely complex group of general aviation organizations. Assignments at this level are of great scope and unusual complexity and the organizations monitored are major factors in the industry. ASIs at the FG-14 level establish technical procedures and performance indexes and review complete maintenance programs for general aviation organizations who are leaders in the aviation industry, or who have problems of comparable scope and complexity, or a uniquely complex group of general aviation organizations. Assignments at this level are of great scope and unusual complexity. The following assignments are illustrative:

1.As a Service wide expert on a particular type of aircraft:

-- Advises other inspectors of major changes;

-- Evaluates new training methods and equipment;

-- Serves on boards that evaluate incidents, accidents, complaints, and other serious problems relating to the aircraft.

2.As the principal representative in regulatory surveillance of general aviation activities, exercises certificate authority; or evaluates maintenance activities and complete aircraft overhaul facilities (By comparison, FG-13 employees exercise certificate authority over less complex air carriers or perform major portions of the certification, inspection, and surveillance for major carriers under the direction of FG-14 inspectors.)

3.Exercises certificate authority and safety responsibility over a complex of broad and varied general aviation organizations such as air taxis, executive and/or industrial operators, repair stations, and flightand mechanic schools when the activities monitored equate collectively to a major air carrier in terms ofsize and complexity of aircraft fleet employed, scope and technical complexity of operations, management sophistication, industry leadership, and public impact. The magnitude, intensity, and scope of program responsibility are typically such as to require significant and regular assistance of lower graded inspectors.