Job Description

Job Background:

The Line Pilot – Rotary Wing will captain the single pilot helicopters of the Air Support Unit (ASU) and provide aviation operations advice to the Police Observers, Duty Sergeant and ASU management as required. The role holder will be required to meet the requirements, rules and regulations of the PSNI ASU Operations Manual and current CAA legislation. They will also be responsible for maintaining aircraft operational readiness, ensuring fitness for flight at all times.

Hours of Work: Fixed 4 on/4 off (2 days, 2 nights), 12 hour roster pattern offering a stable working routine. Part time working patterns may also be considered.

Salary: The salary scale as of 1 August 2024 is £74,599 - £76,836. A pay award has been agreed for 2025/26 period, and the salary will increase to £79,075 - £81,446 from 1 August 2025. Please note that while the implementation date of the pay award may be later, the revised salary will be backdated to 1 August 2025. The salary scale includes:

• Overtime
• Saturday and Sunday Premium payments
• Shift allowance
• On Call allowance
• Premium Payment for public holiday working

In addition, a revised environmental allowance of £1365 per annum is applicable.

Additional Allowances not included in the consolidated salary: 

• Type Rating Examiner - £2,304
• Type Rating Instructor - £2,304
• Line Training Captain - £807

Main Activities: 

The main duties and responsibilities associated with the role include the following:

Pilot duties

• Captain the aircraft in the single pilot role, flying day and night under both visual and instrument meteorological conditions.
• Support police and partner agency operations.
• Respond to highly fluid emergency situations, including life-threatening and tactical situations.
• Operate the aircraft autonomously.
• Self-authorise/supervise in a complex environmental and operational role, in complex weather conditions.
• Analyse, brief and review meteorological conditions and self-brief NOTAMS, intelligence and technical information.
• Lead an effective brief and debrief of the sortie.
• Assist the Director of Flight Operations in additional duties as directed.

Aircraft Safety

• Maintain flight safety through sound professional judgement.
• Inspect aircraft pre-flight and complete technical documentation.
• Perform turn-around inspections between flights.
• Perform pre-flight and in-flight analysis of aircraft performance for multiple roles, fuel loads and passenger requirements.
• Brief users and passengers on what is achievable in current and forecast meteorological conditions.
• Brief crew and, if required, passengers pre-flight.
• Comply with the rules and regulations and operating procedures of the Air Navigation Order 2016 (and amendments 2022), PSNI Air Support Unit Operations Manuals and current CAA legislation.

Liaison

• Liaise with users, other emergency services, Air Traffic Control (ATC) and aircraft maintenance engineers.
• Negotiate with ATC in Controlled and Uncontrolled Airspace.

Reports  

• Prepare safety reports.
• Complete Flight Time Limitations records to meet CAA requirements.
• Carry out operations responsibilities including maintaining records, documentation, publications and charts.
• Deliver written and verbal hand-over briefings to other ASU staff.

Professional knowledge

• Attain and maintain the highest levels of professional knowledge.
• Continuously develop pilot-specific skills.
• Maintain a working knowledge of current UK aviation legislation.

The above reflects the main elements associated with this position and is not intended to be exclusive or exhaustive. 

Additional Information: 

• Applicants will be required to pass a flight assessment as part of the recruitment process.
• An unrestricted Class 1 Medical is required.
• English Language Proficiency Level 6 is required.
• Driving and aviation documents will be inspected annually as per PSNI policy.
• You must provide copies of your Flight Crew Licence, Medical Certificate, last 2 pages of your current logbook and Driving Licence with your application.  Please note: This information will be requested by Police Staff Recruitment once the application stage has closed. 
• PSNI is an operator of Single Pilot Aircraft conducting commercial operations. In line with UK Aviation Regulation all pilots must hold a UK CAA Class 1 medical for Single Pilot Commercial Operations Carrying Passengers, which has an upper age limit of 60 years.
• Vetting requirement for this role is SC(e). Applicants should be aware that it is not always possible to carry out necessary vetting checks on persons who have not been resident within the UK for the last five years. 

Person Specification:

Essential Qualifications

• Minimum of a Commercial Pilot’s Licence CPL(H).
• A valid Single Pilot, Multi-Engine IR with PBN.

Essential Skills and Experience

A minimum of 1500 hours total flying time, or 1000 hours with evidenced low level operational experience, to include:

• 500 hours as PIC.
• 100 hours flying time IFR.
• 100 hours night, of which 20 hours to be PIC.
• Significant low flying experience.

Essential Other

• The successful candidate must have access to a form of transport which will enable them to fulfil the responsibilities of the job in full.
• IT literate specifically in the use of the Microsoft Office suite. (Including MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Excel and MS Outlook).

Desirable Qualifications

• EC145/135 Type Rating.
• NVG.

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Experience of working with other non-pilot crew members in-flight.
• Previous flying experience in an emergency services role.
• 500 hours twin turbine helicopter experience.
• 50 hours PIC Single Pilot Aircraft (SPA) Rotary Wing multi-engine within the last 12 months. 

Short listing will be carried out based on essential criteria, with desirable criteria assessed in cases of high applicant volume. 

Successful applicants will be retained on a merit list for future opportunities arising. 

We would encourage you to check the spam within your email system for any relevant correspondence. 

Selection Methodology:

PSNI uses the Competency and Values Framework (CVF) which sets out nationally recognised behaviours and values to support all policing professionals. You will be assessed against the values and at the competencies level as indicated below. This will include both past and future focused questions. Further guidance and information about the Competency and Values Framework (CVF) is available here on our website.

Applicants meeting the eligibility criteria and essential qualifications, skills and experience will be required to demonstrate the following criteria:

Competency and Values Based Assessment/Interview

Values

• Public Service
• Integrity

Competencies - Level 2

• We Take Ownership
• We Deliver, Support and Inspire
• We Analyse Critically
• We Are Collaborative

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