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NASA Ball NASA
Procedural
Requirements
NPR 7900.3D
Effective Date: May 01, 2017
Expiration Date: May 01, 2025
COMPLIANCE IS MANDATORY FOR NASA EMPLOYEES
Printable Format (PDF)

Subject: Aircraft Operations Management

Responsible Office: Office of Safety and Mission Assurance


| TOC | ChangeHistory | Preface | Chapter1 | Chapter2 | Chapter3 | Chapter4 | Chapter5 | Chapter6 | Chapter7 | Chapter8 | Chapter9 | Chapter10 | Chapter11 | Chapter12 | Chapter13 | AppendixA | AppendixB | AppendixC | AppendixD | AppendixE | AppendixF | AppendixG | AppendixH | AppendixI | ALL |

Chapter 12. Assignment and Removal from Flight Status, Including UAS Operations

12.1 Purpose

Aircrew members are assigned to flight status with approval from Center Directors and the Center's Human Resources Office. Aircrew members may be removed from flight status on a temporary basis subsequent to mishap or high-visibility Close Calls, as defined in NPR 8621.1. These procedures are not intended to replace those applicable to events classified as Close Calls, pursuant to NPR 8621.1. Removal from flight status does not apply to medical disqualification (temporary or permanent).

12.2 Assignment Procedures

12.2.1 In general, designated NASA pilots and aircrew are those who perform piloting and aircrew duties as a part of their official position description or fly in accordance with an interagency agreement, such as a military pilot on loan to NASA. To be eligible to be assigned to flight status, aircrew members shall meet all applicable requirements of Chapters 3 and 4, including any additional Center requirements, and will be assigned as either of the following:

a. GS-2181, Aircraft Operations Series.

b. GS-0861, Aerospace Engineering Series. [768]

12.2.1.1 Pilots and aircrew shall meet the applicable series and grade requirements of the applicable OPM standard. [769]

12.2.1.2 Only the Assistant Administrator for the OSI can waive the OPM qualification standard.

12.2.2 All series and grade requirements of OPM qualification standard for a GS-2181 apply to new hires (including contracted pilots flying NASA-owned aircraft) and current NASA pilots. Selecting officials may consider new hires who do not meet recency requirements when these candidates are otherwise qualified for the position and exceed all other GS-2181 series and grade requirements. For current NASA pilots, recency requirements in Chapters 3 and 4 apply.

12.2.3 Each Center Director and Chief of Flight Operations, in close coordination with the Center's Human Resources Office, shall establish a process to designate pilots and aircrew. [770]

12.2.3.1 At a minimum, the process will include reviewing experience, FAA licenses/military designations, and flight log books in relation to the Center's flight requirements.

12.2.3.2 To qualify for assignment as a NASA pilot of manned aircraft, only manned aircraft time shall apply. [771]

12.2.4 Each Center's Chief of Flight Operations shall establish procedures for assignment of aircrew to flight status and document those procedures in the Center Aviation Operations Manual. [772]

12.2.4.1 Fully qualified NASA pilots may be assigned as UAS pilots, but for UAS pilots to fly manned NASA aircraft, they shall meet NASA pilot qualification minimums. [773]

12.2.4.2 In addition, appropriate documentation should be contained in the aircrew member's official position description, per human resources procedures.

12.3 Removal Procedures

12.3.1 Each Center's Chief of Flight Operations shall establish procedures for temporary removal of aircrew personnel from flight status for situations other than medical disqualification (Chapter 7). [774]

12.3.1.1 These procedures will be coordinated with the Center's human resources and legal offices. Chiefs of Flight Operations may, after consultation with the Center's legal and human resources offices, remove any aircrew member from flight status for 30 days or less.

12.3.1.2 The Center Director, in accordance with human resources procedures, shall review and approve any non-medical-related proposal for removal from flight status in excess of 30 days. [775]

12.3.1.3 Contract employee flightcrew members will be treated in accordance with the terms of the contract under which they are employed.

12.3.2 Prior to any action removing aircrew members from flight status, the Chief of Flight Operations and Center Director will inform the aircrew member of the circumstances leading to the action. The Center Director and the Chief of Flight Operations, in close coordination with the Center's human resources office, will determine how this action affects the member's ability to continue to perform the duties of his/her position description.

12.3.3 Removal from flight status can result from either a single event or multiple events that indicate the aviator has demonstrated:

a. Faulty judgment in flight situations.

b. Lack of general or specific flight skills.

c. Traits of character, emotional tendencies, or lack of mental aptitude or motivation that make it questionable to continue the member in assigned flying duties.

12.3.4 Flight Performance Board. A Flight Performance Board may be convened if the Center Director or Chief of Flight Operations deems the circumstances warrant such action. The board should be convened within 90 days of removal from flight status. The board shall be composed of, at a minimum, two pilots and a flight surgeon. [776] The HQ AMD can provide board membership recommendations upon request. The Center Director or Chief of Flight Operations is the convening authority unless the Chief of Flights Operations is the subject of the removal; in which case, the convening authority would be the Center Director. The convening authority will consult with the Center's legal and human resources offices and HQ AMD prior to establishing a board. Membership will be based upon the circumstances of each individual case. It is preferred that board members have experience as qualified aircrew members and be selected for the board based on their objectivity, experience, and a clear understanding of NASA's aviation mission.

Note: Flight Performance Boards may be convened to adjudicate pilots operating UAS.

12.3.4.1 Board Members shall be assigned to the board at the discretion of the convening authority. At a minimum, one from each of the following specialties should be assigned as advisors:

a. Flight surgeon. The board participating Flight Surgeon cannot be called as a witness for the process.

b. Pilots senior to the individual being evaluated with at least one of the pilots thoroughly versed in the type of flight operations involved.

c. When pilots or Flight Surgeons from the convening Center are not available, Centers will utilize pilots and/or Flight Surgeons from other Centers. [777]

12.3.4.2 If a Flight Performance Board is convened, a flight status recommendation shall be delivered to the Center Director. [778]

12.3.4.3 The recommendation from the Flight Performance Board shall recommend either Continuation of Flight Status or the Termination of Flight Status. [779]



| TOC | ChangeHistory | Preface | Chapter1 | Chapter2 | Chapter3 | Chapter4 | Chapter5 | Chapter6 | Chapter7 | Chapter8 | Chapter9 | Chapter10 | Chapter11 | Chapter12 | Chapter13 | AppendixA | AppendixB | AppendixC | AppendixD | AppendixE | AppendixF | AppendixG | AppendixH | AppendixI | ALL |
 
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