Flight attendants must take new test

FLIGHT attendants are now required to undergo psychological testing before they may be issued a professional license.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) issued over the weekend the revised rules for the licensing of flight attendants to include a provision requiring them to undergo psychological testing following an incident last year where a flight crew member intentionally crashed an airplane in the French Alps.

The CAAP likewise extended the validity of the license from three to five years.

In a memorandum, CAAP Director General William Hotchkiss III said applicants for renewal of professional license must accomplish a CAAP Flight Standards Inspectorate Service (FSIS) form and secure a routing slip from the database section of the Licensing and Certification Department (LCD).

Along with the application form, a flight attendant must submit to the FSIS-LCD photocopies of his or her current cabin crew member license, most recent competency card and valid medical certificate, including the result of a psychological test.

CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio said a psychological test was made a requirement following last year’s March 24 intentional crash of a Germanwings plane by 28-year-old German pilot Andreas Lubitz when he was left alone in the cockpit. Lubitz, it was later learned, had been suffering from psychological problems for some time.

Apolonio said that incident prompted changes in flight rules, particularly on having two persons in the cockpit at all times where a male cabin crew member is required to be inside should one of the pilots leave the flight deck for any reason.

Likewise, he said, aircraft mechanics are also required to undergo psychological testing because they could also interfere with a flight by sabotaging the aircraft.

All licensing requirements are to be personally submitted by applicants for renewal to the Cabin Crew Safety Inspectorate for review and certification. After paying the licensing fee, the documents are to be filed for processing in the civil aviation licensing officer at the FSIS-LCD.

The license should be released within five working days.

As for new cabin crew members, they must submit all application requirements along with their certificate of ground training to the FSIS-LCD.