Reissuance of Aviation Safety Inspector Flight Oversight Positions Notice

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION N 8900.745

NOTICE

FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION Effective Date: 7/25/25 National Policy Cancellation Date: 7/25/26 SUBJ: Reissuance of Aviation Safety Inspector Flight Oversight Positions Notice 1. Purpose of This Notice. This notice announces the reissuance of a new Human Resource Policy Manual (HRPM) EMP-1.7h, FAA Specific Qualifications Guidance for 1825 Aviation Safety Inspector (Flight Oversight) – With No Medical Certificate Requirement, introducing agency-specific 1825 aviation safety inspector (ASI) (Flight Oversight) positions, the qualification requirements and initial training for these positions, and associated restrictions on performing certain job functions. This notice also updates the policy published in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Order 8900.1, Volume 1, Chapter 3, Section 4, Inspector Training Requirements to Perform Job Functions.

2. Audience. The audience for this notice is personnel in the Flight Standards Service (FS).

3. Where You Can Find This Notice. You can find this notice on the MyFAA employee website at https://employees.faa.gov/tools_resources/orders_notices and the Dynamic Regulatory System (DRS) at https://drs.faa.gov . Operators and the public can find this notice on the FAA’s website at https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/orders_notices and DRS.

4. Reissuance. This notice reissues and updates Notice N 8900.697, Introduction of Aviation Safety Inspector Flight Oversight Positions, dated May 20, 2024. The FAA is reissuing this notice to ensure a (Flight Oversight) ASI can continue to perform job functions in accordance with the requirements of this notice.

5. Background.

a. Human Resource Policy Manual (HRPM) EMP-1.7h Qualification Requirements. In this document, effective April 1, 2024, the FAA establishes three new positions: • Air Carrier (Flight Oversight) ASI.

• General Aviation (Flight Oversight) ASI.

• Rotorcraft-Helicopter (Flight Oversight) ASI.

b. Purpose of Flight Oversight Positions. As specified in HRPM EMP-1.7h, a (Flight Oversight) ASI is not required to hold a second-class medical certificate. The FAA recognized that some job functions that an ASI performs require the ASI to hold at least a second-class medical certificate; however, most do not. In addition, the specialized experience requirements in Distribution: Electronic Only Initiated By: AFS-800

7/25/25 N 8900.745 HRPM EMP-1.7h include industry experience with operators of aircraft in lieu of recent flight hour experience, as well as experience as a flight instructor in an aircraft or simulator. These new requirements will allow the FAA to hire well-qualified persons who may not be medically qualified, may not be actively flying, and/or may not hold a flight instructor certificate, but have instructed in an FAA-approved training program or for the Uniformed Services.

Note: The revised qualification requirements are consistent with applicable federal employment laws, including the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, by enabling broader consideration of qualified individuals whose medical status may not meet prior certification thresholds, provided they can perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation.

c. Scope. These (Flight Oversight) ASIs will apply their broad knowledge of the aviation industry, aviation safety, and FAA laws, regulations, and policies. These positions primarily develop, administer, and enforce regulations and standards related to civil aviation safety, including the competence of pilots and other airmen. This ASI will not conduct certification (pilot evaluating, testing, and checking) job functions as a required crewmember, including safety pilot. Any future participation in an FAA Flight Program for training or experience would be limited to a flight simulation training device (FSTD) or an advanced aviation training device (AATD).

6. Discussion.

a. Qualification Requirements. As specified in HRPM EMP-1.7h, the basic requirements essentially mirror the current (Operations) ASI qualification requirements with two notable exceptions. There is no requirement to hold a second-class medical certificate. Additionally, the General Aviation (Flight Oversight) ASI requires a valid or expired flight instructor certificate with an aircraft category rating or experience serving as an instructor as part of an approved program or course (e.g., Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 121, 135, 141, or 142, or Uniformed Services) which provided instruction in an aircraft or an approved FSTD representing an aircraft. The applicant must have given a minimum of 200 hours of flight instruction as an approved instructor in an aircraft, an approved FSTD representing an aircraft, or a combination of both.

b. Training Requirements. A new (Flight Oversight) ASI will comply with the existing training structure as outlined in Volume 1, Chapter 3, Section 4. This means a (Flight Oversight) ASI must satisfactorily complete indoctrination training. This training is only conducted in full flight simulators (FFS), flight training devices (FTD), and/or AATDs. A (Flight Oversight) ASI must satisfactorily complete on-the-job training (OJT) for any job function to be performed, in accordance with FAA Order 3140.20, Flight Standards Service National Training Program. A (Flight Oversight) ASI will use the applicable Job Task Analysis (JTA) to determine their OJT training requirements for each job task.

c. (Flight Oversight) Aviation Safety Inspector (ASI) Job Functions. A (Flight Oversight) ASI may perform many of the same job functions as an (Operations) ASI can, provided they are fully trained and qualified as discussed in the qualification requirements and training requirements in subparagraphs 6a and b. However, because the (Flight Oversight) ASI is

7/25/25 N 8900.745 not required to hold a second-class medical certificate, this position is strictly prohibited from occupying a seat with access to flight controls during any job function conducted in an aircraft, and may not serve in any capacity that would imply or require such operational authority.

Therefore, a (Flight Oversight) ASI may only conduct certification (pilot evaluating, testing, and checking) job functions when not serving as a required flightcrew member or safety pilot. When conducting any job function in an aircraft or FSTD, a (Flight Oversight) ASI must meet the qualification requirements for the specific function being performed (refer to Order 8900.1 Volume 1, Chapter 3, Section 6, Operations Inspector Qualifications and Currency Overview, and Volume 5, Chapter 1, Section 2, Aviation Safety Inspector (Operations) Qualifications and Status). Additionally, if a General Aviation or Rotorcraft-Helicopter (Flight Oversight) ASI does not hold a valid flight instructor certificate, they may be further restricted from performing certain job functions that require a valid flight instructor certificate.

d. Future Changes. Although this notice establishes overall training and qualification requirements for (Flight Oversight) ASI positions, future developments are under consideration to integrate these positions into existing policy. Anticipated future changes include: • Potential (Flight Oversight) ASI recurrent and professional development in FSTDs and AATDs.

• Development of (Flight Oversight) ASI recurrent training requirements as related to work assignments.

• Modification of Volume 1, Chapter 3, Section 6 and Volume 5, Chapter 1, Section 2 to integrate (Flight Oversight) ASI.

• Changes to Order 8900.1 to accommodate the designation of a (Flight Oversight) ASI as a principal inspector.

Note: Until these potential amendments are finalized, the existing policy for an (Operations) ASI applies to a (Flight Oversight) ASI with the exceptions noted in subparagraph 6a.

Note: The agency will coordinate with appropriate labor representatives regarding any implementation steps that may affect conditions of employment or bargaining unit scope.

7. Actions. Upon publication of this notice, (Flight Oversight) ASIs will comply with the training and job function requirements outlined in this notice.

8. Guidance. Order 8900.1, Volume 1, Chapter 3, Section 4, is revised as follows: a. Paragraph 1-216.

1-216 GENERAL. This section provides the system-level perspective on ensuring aviation safety inspectors (ASI) have the required training prior to performing job tasks.

A. Positions. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) appropriately assigns each newly hired ASI to a discipline and specialty-specific position, which is the

7/25/25 N 8900.745 inspector’s primary job. This job forms the basis from which each new hire will be assigned tasks and associated training functions in FS. The ASI positions are as follows: • General Aviation Operations (GAOP), • General Aviation Flight Oversight (GAFO) • Air Carrier Operations (ACOP), • Air Carrier Flight Oversight (ACFO), • Rotorcraft-Helicopter (RH), • Rotorcraft-Helicopter Flight Oversight (RHFO), • Aircraft Dispatcher (AD), • Cabin Safety (CS), • General Aviation Airworthiness (GAAW) • Air Carrier Airworthiness (ACAW), • General Aviation Avionics (GAAV), and • Air Carrier Avionics (ACAV).

B. Progression. Inspectors may be hired for these positions at a Safety Assurance office and/or a Safety Standards office (e.g., Aircraft Dispatcher inspector (ADI), Cabin Safety inspector (CSI), Airworthiness inspector, Operations inspector, Flight Oversight inspector, Partial Program Manager (PPM), or principal inspector (PI)).

Under most circumstances, new inspectors will follow a standard progression path from trainee to journeyman to the next progression level.

b. Subparagraph 1-218C.

C. Operations and Flight Oversight Inspector-Specific Requirements.

(Operations) ASI- and (Flight Oversight) ASI-specific training and qualification requirements are located in Volume 1, Chapter 3, Section 6 and Volume 5, Chapter 1, Section 2.

9. Disposition. FS will incorporate the information in this notice into Order 8900.1, Volume 1, Chapter 3, Section 4 before this notice expires. Direct questions and comments concerning the information in this notice to the General Aviation and Commercial Division (AFS-800), Training and Certification Group (AFS-810) via email at 9-AFS-800-Correspondence@faa.gov.

Robert Reckert for Lawrence Fields Executive Director, Flight Standards Service