flight attendant certification
faa flight attendant certificate
What is Flight Attendant Certification?
Flight attendant certification is a process that involves completing a training program to gain the knowledge and skills required to perform the duties and responsibilities of a flight attendant. The training program is designed to cover various topics, including
- safety procedures,
- emergency protocols,
- customer service,
- and regulatory compliance.
How to Earn your Certification
To earn certification as a flight attendant, you need to complete a training program offered by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved training school. In addition you will be trained in the specific policies of the airline. The training program typically lasts several weeks and covers both classroom and hands-on training. You will be trained on how to handle
- emergency situations,
- how to perform safety checks,
- how to provide customer service,
- and how to operate the aircraft’s equipment.
Requirements for Certification
To be eligible for flight attendant certification, you need to meet specific requirements, including:
- Age: You must be at least 18 years old to become a flight attendant.
- Education: You need to have at least a high school diploma or equivalent.
- Language Proficiency: You need to be fluent in English, and knowledge of other languages is an added advantage.
- Physical Fitness: You need to be in good physical condition to perform the duties of a flight attendant.
- Pass a background check
- Pass a drug screen
- Have vision correctable to at least 20 / 40
- And meet the airlines requirements
Getting the Certificate
After completing the training program, you will need to pass a certification exam to receive your flight attendant certificate. The certification exam covers the topics you learned during the training program, including:
- safety procedures,
- emergency protocols,
- and customer service.
The airline will then submit your information to the FAA. The certificate will be issued to you, the flight attendant, not the airline. You should receive your certificate in the mail 10 to 14 days after the application has been submitted. Make sure you keep your certificate in a safe place such as a safe or deposit box.
Are Flight Attendants Required to Carry their Certificate?
No, flight attendants are not required to carry their certificate with them when they are on duty. However, they need to have it readily available for inspection if requested by the FAA or other regulatory agencies. Typically the flight attendant will need to produce the certificate within 15 days
Information Needed by FAA
As part of the certification process, the FAA requires flight attendants to provide certain information, including:
- Your full legal name,
- Date of birth,
- Place of birth,
- Home address,
- Physical description (including height, weight, eye and hair color, gender)
- Social security number,
- Citizenship status,
- and Qualification in group 1, group 2 or both
Group 1 refers to aircraft with 20 or more passenger seats,
while Group 2 refers to aircraft with fewer than 20 passenger seats.
To become a certified flight attendant in the United States, you must complete training for either Group 1, Group 2, or both, depending on the types of aircraft you will be working on.
Flight attendants who are qualified in Group 1 are eligible to work on both Group 1 and Group 2 aircraft. However, flight attendants who are only qualified in Group 2 are only eligible to work on Group 2 aircraft.
So, if you want to work as a flight attendant on both large and small aircraft, you need to complete training for both Group 1 and Group 2.
The FAA also conducts a criminal background check to ensure that the candidate has no criminal record that could affect their ability to perform the duties of a flight attendant.
This information will be entered into the Flight Attendant Certification System by the Director of Operations at the airline after training is completed.
To maintain flight attendant certification, you need to undergo recurrent training every 12 to 24 months, depending on your employer and the FAA regulations. The recurrent training and any additional training on the aircraft you’re working on, will be provided by the airline. Recurrent training ensures that flight attendants stay up-to-date with the latest safety procedures, emergency protocols, and customer service standards.
Are You Ready to Become a Flight Attendant?
Are you wondering how to become a flight attendant?
Then check out our post: How To Become A Flight Attendant – The Ultimate Guide!
Or you can check out the post, How much do flight attendants make? Where we let you know what the job outlook is, calculate the first year’s pay and go through different ways you can increase your pay and give you an idea of what your benefits would be.