Christopher Thorpe
Executive Manager, Operations
Pilot Authorisations and Endorsements
Operational Regulation 3.1.3 requires all pilots to maintain a logbook detailing, among other things, a record of pilot authorisations and endorsement granted, their dates of validity, and signatures of the instructors issuing such authorisations.
Section 8.1.7 of the Manual of Standard Procedures, Part 2 requires CFIs to maintain records of pilot endorsements, ratings and flight reviews, and for pilots to provide a copy of their Medical Declaration or Medical Certificate to the GFA within 30 days of the date of the Certificate.
The introduction in 2019 of the GFA’s new Membership Management system, now ‘JustGo’, has enabled integration of pilot authorisations, endorsements and other records through a central database that allows members to make (limited) changes and updates to the information on their profile. In addition, CFIs can now view this information for members of their club, thus removing the requirement for them to maintain separate records. This avoids having more than one set of information that requires constant synchronization and provides access to real time data.
All members should have accessed the database by now, and many have updated their profile to record various pilot authorisations and endorsements that they hold. However, there are still gaps in the records of some members.
Membership Profile
Each member has an online profile that contains personal details, emergency contacts, authorisations and endorsements (called Credentials), and Qualifications (such as ‘A’, ‘B’ & ‘C’ Certificates, Glider Pilot Certificate or Glider Towing Certificate). Members can also record each club of which they are a member. It is important that members record their legal names on the system, as GFA Glider Pilot Certificates and Glider Towing Certificates are legal documents. It is also important that members keep this information up to date, and all members should check that their logbook(s) and training records contain signatures for all their Credentials listed in their Membership profile. CFIs, Instructors and Club Maintenance Officers should be able to assist in providing any missing signatures.
Credential Management
When a member adds a Credential to their record, they must also upload a document evidencing its authorisation. The Credential will not be activated until an approved person has reviewed the supporting evidence and confirmed the holder’s eligibility to hold that Credential. Once a Credential has been activated (approved), it cannot be amended by the member for security reasons.
Some Credentials are held in perpetuity, or until they are cancelled (lapsed), suspended or withdrawn. These Credentials will have an expiry date well into the future. Other Credentials have a defined expiry date and are renewed periodically. Since Credentials cannot be edited, an expired Credential is renewed by adding a new Credential of the same type and uploading the relevant evidentiary document. Common recurring Credentials are Medicals and Flight Reviews. Expired Credentials will remain on the system as an historical record.
Table 1 following lists the Operational Credentials that can be recorded on a member’s profile, together with the required supporting evidence. Those Credentials that are endorsed on the Glider Pilot Certificate and Glider Towing Certificate are also identified.
Qualifications
Operational Qualifications include the ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ Certificates, the Glider Pilot Certificate and the Glider Towing Certificate. Qualifications are achievements that require the member to hold one or more underlying Credentials. For example, to achieve the ‘A’ Certificate Qualification, the member must hold the following Credentials: Radiotelephone Operators Endorsement (required before first solo), ‘A’ Certificate Exam and ‘A’ Certificate Flights. Qualifications will be added by approved persons upon the member attaining the underlying Credentials.
Glider Pilot Certificate (GPC) and Glider Towing Certificate (GTC)
The GPC and GTC both have provision to record various endorsements held by the pilot. The information contained in these Certificates is drawn from data held in the member’s record, so it is important that the member’s profile is updated. Both the GPC and GTC are only valid while the holder remains a financial member of the GFA. Accordingly, these certificates have an expiry date that is linked to the holder’s membership expiry. GPC and GTC holders can download a valid Certificate from their profile at any time their membership remains current.
Lapsed Authorisations or Endorsements
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GFA authorisations and endorsements are only valid while the holder remains a financial member of the GFA. Upon ceasing to be a member, all authorisations and endorsements will lapse and will need to be revalidated if the holder re-joins the GFA.
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Authorisations that have a time limitation, such as Level 3 Instructor ratings, automatically lapse at the expiration of the time limit.
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Instructor ratings lapse when the holder becomes ineligible to be listed on the Active Instructor Return as of 31 August each year (refer Section 11.3.1 of the Manual of Standard Procedures, Part 2).
Suspended or Cancelled Authorisations or Endorsements
Section 10.9 of the Manual of Standard Procedures, Part 2 provides that contravention of applicable CAA, CAR, CASR, CAO, GFA Operational Regulations, GFA Manual of Standard Procedures, or local club rules or procedures shall be dealt with in accordance with the ‘GFA Complaints and Discipline Procedure’ manual.
Where a member of the GFA is identified as having contravened the Regulations or Rules, disciplinary action may involve, among other things, the suspension or cancellation of authorisations and/or endorsements. Notification of a suspension or cancellation of a member’s authorisation or endorsement MUST be advised to the GFA’s Executive Manager Operations in writing by the Club’s CFI within seven (7) days so that the member’s record is updated as appropriate. The EM/O shall inform the CFI of those other Clubs of which the person is also a member of the suspension or cancellation of the authorisation or endorsement.
A member cannot exercise the privileges of an authorisation or endorsement that is suspended or has been cancelled.
Reinstatement of a suspended or cancelled authorisation shall be advised to the GFA’s Executive Manager Operations in writing by the Club’s CFI (or higher Authority).
