We Have Secured Senior Check Pilot Authorization
As Redstar Aviation, we have taken a major step toward eliminating external dependency in our training and oversight processes.
Our Training Manager, Captain Pilot Birol Özkan, and Captain Pilot Ahmet Fırat Çopuroğlu were authorized as “Senior Check Pilots” by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, effective May 15, 2026.
In the aviation industry, the fundamental guarantee of flight safety lies in the competency checks that pilots undergo regularly. Pilots serving at Redstar Aviation are evaluated twice a year by the company’s “Check Pilots.” However, the authorization validity for these Check Pilots is limited to three years. At the end of this three-year period, a higher-level oversight authority-specifically a “Senior Check Pilot” is required to renew these authorizations. In short, while our Check Pilots oversee our fleet, our Senior Check Pilots extend the authorizations of those very evaluators.
From External Dependence to Internal Resources
Until now, the process of extending the qualifications of our company’s check pilots was handled by external senior check pilots and senior check pilots appointed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (SHGM). However, this reliance on external sources occasionally hindered the sustainability of our training schedules due to issues such as the heavy workloads of external personnel, capacity constraints, or sudden schedule changes.
This situation changed completely when Captain Pilot Birol Özkan and Captain Pilot Ahmet Fırat Çopuroğlu earned the title of “Senior Check Pilot.” Qualification extensions can now be carried out entirely in-house, independently of external sources and within our own scheduling framework. This development has provided Redstar Aviation’s training department with significant operational flexibility, ensuring that our training processes remain uninterrupted and independent of external factors.
Our Training Manager, Captain Pilot Birol Özkan, emphasizes that the shift to internal resources is a crucial step that grants us great flexibility by eliminating our reliance on external parties. We extend our sincere gratitude to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for their unwavering support and guidance throughout this important authorization process.