Definition
An FAA inspector assigned to oversee the flight operations of a specific air carrier or operator certificate holder. The Principal Operations Inspector (POI) is responsible for the approval, surveillance, and ongoing evaluation of an operator's flight procedures, training programs, manuals, and operational practices to ensure compliance with the Federal Aviation Regulations.
Plain English
The FAA staff member personally in charge of watching over how a particular airline or commercial operator flies its aircraft. They review and approve the company's flight procedures and training, and check that everything is being done by the rules.
Context Anchor
You may see this term in FAA oversight discussions, company manuals, training program approvals, or conversations between an aviation organization and the FAA.
Derivation
Principal comes from a Latin word meaning “first” or “chief.” In this term, it means the primary or lead inspector assigned to that organization’s operations, not a school principal or company owner.
Why Pilots Care
This inspector has authority to approve or disapprove key operational documents and can directly impact an operator’s ability to conduct flights.
Intuition Check
Do not read “principal” here as a school administrator or as “most important in general.” It means the primary FAA inspector assigned to oversee that organization’s flight operations.
Example Sentence 1
The airline's revised cold weather operations procedure had to be reviewed and approved by the Principal Operations Inspector before it could be added to the flight manual.
Example Sentence 2
Operators must notify their Principal Operations Inspector of any significant changes to crew training procedures.