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Civil Aviation Authority
INFORMATION NOTICE
Number: IN–2012/123
Issued: 17 February 2014
Version 2
FCL 1025 (b) (2) Examiner Refresher Seminars
This Information Notice contains information that is for guidance and/or awareness.
Recipients are asked to ensure that this Information Notice is copied to all members of their staff who may have
an interest in the information (including any ‘in-house’ or contracted maintenance organisations and relevant
outside contractors).
Applicability:
Aerodromes:
Not primarily affected
Air Traffic:
Not primarily affected
Airspace:
Not primarily affected
Airworthiness:
Not primarily affected
Flight Operations:
Not primarily affected
Licensed/Unlicensed
Personnel:
All examiner categories
All Flying Training Organisations
1.
Introduction
1.1
Part FCL is to be implemented in the UK with effect from 17 September 2012. One significant
change compared with JAR-FCL is that Part-FCL requires all examiners to attend an
examiner refresher seminar as a prerequisite to the renewal of their examiner certificate. This
Information Notice describes the new rules and how they may be complied within the UK
(There is no current JAR FCL requirement to attend Examiner Refresher Seminars).
1.2
The relevant Part-FCL requirements are:
Part FCL 1025(a) – An examiner certificate shall be valid for 3 years.
Part FCL 1025(b)(2) – Revalidation and renewal criteria for examiner certificates includes
the requirement for the holder ‘to attend an examiner refresher seminar provided by the
competent authority or by an ATO and approved by the competent authority, during the
last year of the validity period’.
For a number of years CAA Flight Crew Standards (FCS) has been providing seminars for
senior examiners. With the implementation of Part-FCL, examiner refresher seminars will be
required for all categories of examiners. CAA FCS will organise and provide examiner
refresher seminars for certain categories of examiner. Approved Training Organisations
(ATOs) may also be approved to conduct examiner refresher seminars in accordance with
Part-FCL.
To allow additional time for ATOs who intend to apply to formulate and submit compliant
syllabi (and for AOC operators to plan for their examiners to attend compliant examiner
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refresher seminars) the CAA is applying - a two month temporary exemption to Part-FCL
1025(b)(2), under Article 14(4) of Regulation (EC) 216/2008. This means that the requirement
to attend an examiner refresher seminar will not apply for the renewal of examiner certificates
until 17 November 2012. After that date all categories of examiner who require revalidation or
renewal of their examiner certificate must attend an examiner refresher seminar during the
last year of the validity period.
2.
Scope
2.1
This Information Notice provides guidance to ATOs that wish to apply for an authorisation to
conduct examiner refresher seminars.
3.
Further Information
3.1
The purpose of an examiner refresher seminar is to provide training to examiners that covers
their knowledge and practical understanding of all elements of the examiner standardisation
course syllabus as detailed in AMC1 FCL.1015, and the content of the relevant CAA Standard
Documents and additional guidance material. The seminar must also cover changes in
regulation and associated changes in the examiner’s privileges which have occurred since the
examiner completed his or her initial examiner standardisation course or previous examiner
refresher seminar as applicable. Additionally the UK CAA will direct ATOs to include specific
topics in examiner refresher seminars. The selection of these topics will be determined by the
Head of Flight Crew Standards and will be notified to UK ATOs by the publication of
Information Notices.
3.2
The requirements for all examiner seminars include:

An ATO must hold a specific approval from the UK CAA to conduct examiner refresher
seminars.

FTOs or TRTOs already holding JAR-FCL approval (which is deemed to be a Part-ORA
approval) will be required to submit syllabi and will have until 8 April 2014 to achieve full
compliance with Part-ORA, ATO requirements. An applicant who is not an FTO or TRTO
and is applying for initial approval will need to submit Part-ORA compliant documentation
to gain approval as an ATO.

To achieve full compliance ATOs applying for an approval will be required to submit their
syllabus along with the specific application form and fee.

All UK certificated examiners must attend an examiner refresher seminar organised by the
Authority or at an ATO that has been granted a UK approval for their delivery.

All examiner refresher seminars shall be planned to be at least one day events.

Examiners shall attend the whole of the seminar.

The presenter of an examiner refresher seminar must hold a valid examiner certificate for
the category of examiner that the seminar is approved for. The acceptance of the Chief
Tutor and the Course Tutors will be at the discretion of the Authority.

Attendance at an examiner refresher seminar does not satisfy the requirement, where
applicable, to attend an instructor refresher seminar or refresher training, and vice versa.

The ATO shall establish a procedure for informing the UK CAA of an individual’s
attendance at a seminar. The required information will be as follows and should be sent to
[email protected]
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Name of ATO conducting the seminar
Date of seminar
Examiner category (or categories) for which the seminar was conducted
Name and CAA reference number of the examiner attending the seminar
Although not mandated by FCL. 1025 examiners are recommended to attend an examiner
refresher seminar prior to undertaking their assessment of competence for revalidation. This
will provide the opportunity for them to refresh core skills and their knowledge of current
requirements prior to assessment.
The CAA has identified four examiner categories. Individual examiners will be required to
attend an examiner refresher seminar that is specific to the category of examiner certificate
they hold. This may require the attendance of more than one examiner refresher seminar.
3.3
Specific requirements:
In addition to the core content of the seminar (see AMC1, FCL.1015 (d (1&2) and
AMC1.FCL.1025) ATOs are required to include the following specific subjects in the agenda of
the seminar syllabus.
Senior Examiners (SE):
The CAA will continue to run examiner refresher seminars for senior examiners and does not
intend to approve ATOs to conduct these on its behalf.
Type Rating and Synthetic Flight Examiners (TRE/SFE) Aeroplanes (including TRE for
SP HPCA) and Multi Pilot Helicopters:

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New CAA administrative procedures for the renewal of type and class ratings.
A review of CAA administrative procedures for the designation of examiners for skill
tests.
Vested interests of examiners.
New CAA Forms.
Any revision of CAA policy and recent amendments to CAA Forms, Standards
Documents, CAPs, Information Notices, Guidance material etc.
Procedure for the conduct of assessments of competence for TRI and SFI certificates.
Applicability of appeal procedures under CAA Regulations.
Examiner briefing and debriefing techniques incorporating TEM and CRM facilitation.
Flight Examiners, Class Rating Examiners, Single Pilot Helicopter Type Rating
Examiners, Instrument Rating Examiners and Flight Instructor Examiners:




A review of the test schedule and variations thereof (full, partial and incomplete) for the
LAPL, PPL, CPL and for type, class and instrument ratings for single-pilot aircraft
except SP HPCA.
A review of CAA administrative procedures for the issue of the LAPL, PPL and CPL
and for the issue, revalidation and renewal of type, class and instrument ratings and
instructor certificates. To include examiner privileges and responsibilities “in the field”.
Procedures for the assessment of competence for the issue, revalidation and renewal
of FI, CRI, IRI, SP TRI (H) and STI certificates.
A review of CAA administrative procedures for the designation of examiners for skill
tests (FCL.205(c)).
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Civil Aviation Authority Information Notice
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IN-2012/123
Any revision of CAA policy and recent amendments to CAA Forms, Standards
Documents, CAPs, Information Notices, Guidance material etc.
Vested interests of examiners.
Feedback on test results and common reasons for failure.
Applicability of appeal procedures under CAA Regulations.
Any additional topic(s) as specified by the Senior Flight Examiner (aeroplanes or
helicopters as applicable).
Examiner briefing and debriefing techniques incorporating TEM and CRM facilitation.
Single engine aircraft theoretical knowledge verbal examination (FCL 725 (b)(3)).
Flight Examiners, PPL & LAPL Only:
Flight Examiners certificated for the PPL (and / or LAPL) may attend a specialist examiner
refresher seminar dedicated to the revalidation of Examiner Certificates in this role only.
Attendance at such a dedicated examiner refresher seminar will NOT, however, meet the
requirements of FCL.1025 (b) (2) and (b) (4) for the revalidation of privileges in other
categories and roles of examiner certificates.

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A review of the test schedule and variations thereof (full, partial and incomplete) for the
LAPL, PPL, type and class ratings for single-pilot aircraft except SP HPCA.
A review of CAA administrative procedures for the issue of the LAPL and PPL and for
the issue, revalidation and renewal of type and class ratings. To include examiner
privileges and responsibilities “in the field”.
A review of CAA administrative procedures for the designation of examiners for skill
tests (FCL.205(c).
Any revision of CAA policy and recent amendments to CAA Forms, Standards
Documents, CAPs, Information Notices, Guidance material etc.
Vested interests of examiners.
Feedback on test results and common reasons for failure.
Applicability of appeal procedures under CAA Regulations.
Any additional topic(s) as specified by the Senior Flight Examiner (aeroplanes or
helicopters as applicable).
Examiner briefing and debriefing techniques incorporating TEM and CRM facilitation.
Single engine aircraft theoretical knowledge verbal examination (FCL 725 (b)(3)).
Other aircraft categories:
Approved Training Organisations that wish to conduct examiner refresher seminars for
examiners within other categories of aircraft (e.g. Balloons, Sailplanes and Airships) should
submit an application. On receipt the submitted course syllabus will be considered on a case
by case basis.
3.4
Application procedure:

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

Applications to be submitted to L&TS approvals, CAA, Aviation House GE, Gatwick
Airport. RH6 0YR.
Application form SRG2136. The form will be downloadable from CAA website at the
beginning of August 2012.
Defined course in ATO manual (submission of Detailed Course Syllabus / Programme)
Relevant Fee(s).
The CAA will attend and evaluate seminars conducted by ATO’s as part of its
regulatory oversight responsibilities. The minimum time between inspections will be 3
years.
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4.
Queries
4.1
Any queries or further guidance required as a result of this communication should be
addressed to:
L&TS Approvals
Civil Aviation Authority
Aviation House GE
Gatwick Airport South
West Sussex
RH6 0YR
Tel: 01293 573859
E mail: [email protected]
5.
Cancellation
5.1
This Information Notice shall remain in force until 31 January 2015.
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