Examiners under easa

[blagger]

Does anybody have more of an idea of how Examiner auths will work when EASA comes in?

I seem to recall discussion that the CAA won't be able to restrict Examiner authorisations under EASA in the future, but how will this work with allocating people to do CPL, IR tests etc..? Will all examiners become freelance for all licences / ratings? How will the concept of CAA Staff Examiners work?

[S-Works]

I have been told there will be no CAA Staff Examiners but only Examiners 'Approved' by the authority will be able to conduct tests. I suspect little change to the status quo in reality.

[BillieBob]

Under the EASA Implementing Rules, anyone who meets the experience requirements will be able to attend an examiner standardisation course at an approved ATO. Provided that they pass the subsequent assessment of competence, an examiner authority will be issued. Thereafter, it is up to the candidate to select an appropriate examiner for any skill test or proficiency check, although no examiner will be permitted to test a candidate to whom he has given any instruction for the relevant licence, rating or certificate.

The Authority lose their direct control over examiners; they will no longer be able to restrict examiner numbers on the grounds of geographic distribution or any other criteria. Standardisation will similarly be out of their direct control; although they will, of course, issue the approval to the ATOs, standardisation will no longer be conducted only by CAA staff examiners.

The role of the staff examiner (who becomes an 'inspector') will be to monitor, by sampling, the performance of examiners. If the effectiveness of this monitoring function is to be judged on past performance (particularly in the case of US based examiners), they may as well not bother.

The consequence of all this, of course, is that the examiners who set the lowest standards will attract the highest number of candidates and, therefore, make the most money. Standards will, as a result, be forced down to the lowest possible level with entirely predictable consequences.

The CAA will have no effective control over this 'market forces' approach as a candidate is free to select an examiner from anywhere in the EU. The only proviso is that the examiner must 'inform' the relevant Authority of his intention to conduct the test and must receive a briefing on national administrative procedures and fees (of course). The CAA will have no right to refuse permission for an examiner from any other Authority to test its candidates, the presumption being that all examiners throughout Europe will examine to precisely the same standards - yeah, right!

Yet another 'improvement in safety' from the pen of the EU bureaucrats.

[Whopity]

although no examiner will be permitted to test a candidate to whom he has given any instruction for the relevant licence, rating or certificate.I understood that this had been changed to not more than 25% of the training!

[BillieBob]

It was reduced from 50%(!) in the NPA to 25% in the EASA Opinion but, in comitology, was reduced to zero. The post-comitology version of Part-FCL (not including subparts ARA and ORA) can be found here (http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2009_2014/documents/tran/dv/tran20110525_pilotlicences_/tran20110525_pilotlicences_en.pdf) (see FCL.1005)

[Duckeggblue]

BillieBob said The consequence of all this, of course, is that the examiners who set the lowest standards will attract the highest number of candidates and, therefore, make the most money. Standards will, as a result, be forced down to the lowest possible level with entirely predictable consequences.



If this turns out to be so, the lunatics are truly running the EASAsylum. :{

[Whopity]

In order to become an Examiner one will only need 250 hours instructional experience for the PPL or CPL, and that could be obtained in TMGs, no requirement to have taught for a CPL! To teach for a LAPL only 100 hours instructional experience is required but to examine the mountain rating, the Examiner must have completed 500 take-offs and landings instructing for a mountain rating!

To become an Examiner one will have to complete an Examiner Standardisation course at an approved ATO, to include theoretical training and the conduct of 2 skill tests, proficiency checks or assessments of competences for the licences, ratings or certificates for which the applicant seeks the privilege to conduct tests and checks. Then, demonstrate their competence to an inspector from the competent authority or a senior examiner specifically authorised to do so by the competent authority responsible for the examiner’s certificate through the conduct of a skill test, proficiency check or assessment of competence in the examiner role for which privileges are sought, including briefing, conduct of the skill test, proficiency check or assessment of competence, and assessment of the person to whom the test, check or assessment is given,debriefing and recording documentation. This sounds as if it will be at least twice as expensive as the current process. There is no indication of who may teach examiners, currently it is a FIE privilege but EASA do not include it in the FIE privileges!

Revalidation is conducted by undertaking a standardisation course at an ATO plus an observed test. Again a more costly process.

[ifitaintboeing]

My understanding is that FIEs will still conduct examiner training and testing, the difference being that the ATO/FIE combination will hold the approval instead of the individual FIE.

[BillieBob]

There is no requirement for either the standardisation course or the assessment of competence to be conducted by an FIE. Indeed, the certificate of competence may be conducted by "an inspector from the competent authority or a senior examiner specifically authorised for the purpose". The logical extension is that any experienced FE(CPL) may be authorised to provide the standardisation for a prospective FE(CPL)

It is the ATO alone that will hold the approval and its Training Manual will determine who may provide the standardisation.