SAFA Inspectors Initial and Practical Training Course

This course includes a 3-day Initial Theoretical training and a 1-day practical training.

The EU SAFA program is a mandatory safety program within the European Union (EU), all member states and a number of signatory states not part of the EU are performing SAFA inspections on foreign state operators. In order to be able to perform SAFA inspections the inspector must have followed, amongst other requirements, initial SAFA training and practical training.

The main standards used, as a reverence for the SAFA inspector, are published in 3 out of the 19 ICAO Annexes.
Annex 1 deals with personnel licensing including flight crew.
Annex 6 deals with the operation of aircraft.
Annex 8 deals with airworthiness.

Significant increases in the volume of air travel over the last decades or so have made it more of a burden for many States to oversee their airlines compliance with the Chicago Convention. To maintain confidence in the system, and to protect the interest of the European citizens who may be living in the vicinity of airports or travelling onboard a third-country aircraft, the Community identified the need to effectively enforce international safety standards within the Community. This is done through the execution of ramp inspections on third-country aircraft landing at the airports located in the Member States, the so-called SAFA inspections.

After Initial SAFA training, you will have undergone all of the mandatory EU training requirements, know the basic EU & ICAO regulation, have been trained in the specifics of the inspection items and inspection technics and more over you are aware of the correct procedure.

Conclusion:
The EU SAFA program is a mandatory safety program within the European Union (EU), all member states of the EU and a number of signatory states not part of the EU are performing SAFA inspections on foreign state operators (a total of 44 states). In order to be able to perform SAFA inspections the inspector must have followed initial SAFA training.

After completion of the I&P course, the first part of the inspector training to become a EU recognized SAFA inspector is completed.

Once qualified, SAFA inspectors can participate in the SAFA inspectors exchange programme.

SAFA inspectors should ideally be experienced CAA inspectors in the area of Flight operations (Pilot or Flight engineer), Airworthiness (Aircraft Mechanic or Flight engineer), Ground handling, Cabin Safety aspects.
See ED Decision 2008-001-S EASA GM for the Qualification of SAFA Inspectors.