Job with FAA
 

Hey all,

I live about 5 mins from the ROC FSDO and was looking on the FAA website about jobs and wondering if anyone might have some insight on what the FAA has out there. Looking on USAJobs.com I see a Aviation Saftey Tech. and thats it for now (anyone know exactly what they do? The decription is vauge). Anyone know if they would hire off the street for a position like that? If not what is a entry level job to apply for (if one opens up) with the FAA? I have a bachlors degree in (yes I know it was a bad choice) aviation science, and up to my multi commercial with instrument tickets, might be getting the CFI as well. Just putting some feelers out there to get an idea of what they may have to offer. My next step may be just to go over there and ask around.

thanks!

Might be hard to get info on that here, but I am sure there are some in the know. Sound like a Safety Inspector to me. You would get to go around and hound people...lol.

The only thing I could say that is good for sure about that job is the retirement check!!!

Aviation Safety Technician is most certainly NOT a full-blown Safety Inspector position.

Sounds to me like a non-flying SME (system matter expert) type position, combined with a fair amount of paper-pushing and data analyzing.

If you can't beat em. join em. Right?

Thats what I was thinking....at least I will get some sort of retirement package with the FAA.:)

IIRC, you can be an Aviation Safety Inspector even if you've been pranged (violated) by the FAA...twice.

:eek:

How does one become a Aviation Saftey Inspector? What qualifications does one need? What does it involve?

Last time I looked (and yes, I was/am considering it, and for those who are curious, I have zero violations :D but deal with plenty of FAA folk) I think you needed 1500 hours, commercial and CFI. But don't quote me.

I think there's a few kinds of ASI, too. ASI-Operations are the flying guys, ASI-Airworthiness are the maintenance folks, which have different qualifications (A&P). There's probably at least three other kinds...with different flavors of each for air carrier and general aviation (almost certainly).

For details of the Flight Standards Service at work in some of its worst cases, read this.

Ya, guaranteed retirement !!! Woo Hoo !!!!

First, invest a couple decades of your life to almost get eligible to retire, then have it contracted out like Flight Service was on Oct 1, 2005. Or bankrupt, like virtually every airline.

Oh, darn. No retirement. And no guarantees.

Anybody picking a job on a worthless promise for a few decades down the road is just not paying attention.

Good point about the retirement, but other than that, I think it would be a great place to work for. I don't know of too many FAA inspectors that are worrying about getting furloughed this year.

I can understand the angst associated with FSS situation, but for the most part, government retirements are far more reliable that private sector retirements (if you even have on in the first place).

Obviously some government jobs are more susceptible to elimination than others... but FAA inspection/enforcement employees will be around as long as we have airplanes. Outsourcing government law enforcement and offensive military firepower is almost never done, for a variey of good reasons. Also the vast majority of federal employees, if downsized, get priority at filling other open federal jobs...I'm pretty certain that the FAA standards folks are in this category.

There is always this:
If you work for the FAA, odds are I hate you.

No, probably no FAA furloughs. True. But, it can happen.

And, again, you have no idea what some congress may do in the future concerning social security or federal pensions. Somehow, we've got to pay for this war, and the next one.

Admittedly, I'm not too keen on FAA employment. Tried it out for a few decades, and the current clowns running the show are about as bad as it's been.

Actually, I get a little vomit in the back of my throat just thinking about working for the agency.

Actually, it's the best job I have ever had in aviation. I am treated well by the FAA, the money to start is better than what I was making as a line Captain in my last job and in 3 years I'll probably be over 6 figures. All that with no weekends, no holidays. I have two young children who I am now just beginning to get to know! After over ten plus years in industry with absolutely nothing to show for it, I made the move last year. Never thought I would go to the "dark-side". None of the ops inspectors in my office miss the "line" right now. I think I miss the actual flying part but not all the bs that goes with it.

I am a rookie here with the FAA (all of 2 weeks) but so far it's been great. I plan to fly w/ the ANG so the hours of paper work will be balanced with a good TDY here and there. Your major may actually mean something here too. If you have a family too I can't imagine a more stable job and you can work 17-18 days a month here with a flex schedule. From what I've seen so far there are problems, but you will find that at any large org. so just try to keep the Big picture of life in mind. Good luck and really prepare your answers to the application and spend time on the KSA's.

Is their any gouge out about the oral prior to the Air Carrier sim eval. I have one coming up very soon. The packet the FAA sent basically says know everything.

Sorry for the late reply,

Dont sweat it. All I did was study a little from the packet. The oral portion isn't bad at all. They are just looking for a good understanding of the basics.

All positions I have seen are in DC. Is this typical? I thought Aviation Safety Inspectors were assigned to work out of a particular FSDO.

From what I've seen, they have a hard time filling the DC jobs...few folks in the field seem to want to come to DC to bring practical field experience to develop policy and procedures so they open them up to all sources. I did notice a pilot position open in VA (DCA) on USAJobs...search 2181 under the series search Tab for details.

$88,017.00 - 136,395.00
Applicants must possess an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate with multi-engine land airplane rating and a type rating in a Citation XL, Gulfstream, G-IV preferred or similar turbojet aircraft acceptable. Applicants must also possess a valid Flight Instructor Certificate with multi-engine airplane and instrument airplane ratings.

Security Clearance: In addition to the ANACI security clearance indicated in the "Other Job Requirements" section of this announcement, this position requires a Top Secret Security Clearance (Level 3).