Q. I am very interested in working for the FAA in some capacity—specifically, becoming an aviation safety inspector. Am I delusional in thinking I can get a job as a safety inspector at my age of 37 and with my “old” flight experience? It has been almost 10 years since I have logged any serious hours. I hold a commercial multiengine land and an expired CFII, and have 1,200 hours total time. —Todd
A. All you need to do is go online (www.faa.gov) and click on “Jobs” at the top of the home page. Navigate to the aviation safety inspector requirements, and you will find the job requirements.
A nifty feature of the FAA is that age truly does not matter as much as depth of experience. The organization has hired young, former FAR 141 FAA-approved flight school chief instructors in their late twenties and retired airline captains in their sixties. But depth of experience is essential.
It does seem that the FAA desires more than flying skills from its operations inspector candidates. A very important clue for anyone seeking government service with the FAA in the short or long term is to build a track record of pilot evaluation skills. This means that aspiring FAA types should embrace industry opportunities to serve as chief instructors at FAR 141 schools, FAR 135 and 121 check airmen, standards captains, designated pilot examiners (DPE), training center evaluators (TCE), and aircrew program designees (APD).
It is noteworthy that each of these designations requires close oversight by FAA inspectors, which provides many chances to build relationships and networks that can aid the job applicant.
The application process is online. You should give it a try. But, here's another clue: The system will ask for the candidate to select a “location of choice.” Don’t simply list your local FSDO as the only choice. List 10! Many inspectors have taken jobs far away from home and commute hundreds of miles over a three-day weekend just to get on, with hopes that a FSDO opening closer to home will develop in the future.
Don’t forget to search the numerous “non-flying” positions within the FAA. There are many careers available, particularly in light of NexGen, for computer- and technology-savvy folks. And understand that the FAA can move fast or slow. Some applicants get the call within two weeks. Others have waited up to seven years. It is always important to keep the online application updated annually.
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