The Unapproved Training Certificate
An applicant applies to KCAA for a CMC. He has a certificate from a private cabin crew school that is not approved by KCAA, a valid aviation medical certificate, a clean police clearance, and a job offer from a Kenyan AOC. The school's brochure says its course is 'internationally accredited' and includes 120 hours of training, but the certificate does not show KCAA approval. The applicant has also completed the operator's five-day indoctrination course, which is not an approved cabin crew training course. The operator's recruitment manager says the school's certificate should be accepted because the course content looks similar to the KCAA syllabus, and asks whether the applicant can start flying next week while the CMC application is pending.
1. Can KCAA issue the CMC on the evidence described? Explain the role of the training certificate and the operator's indoctrination course.
Read the worked answer
Not on this evidence alone. A CMC application depends on completing training acceptable to KCAA, normally from an approved cabin crew training organisation, plus medical, security, and other requirements. The private school's certificate does not show KCAA approval. International accreditation and 120 hours are not the same as KCAA approval or an accepted equivalence assessment. The operator's five-day indoctrination is operator-specific and is not a substitute for the approved cabin crew course. The valid medical and police clearance are necessary but not sufficient. KCAA would need to verify the school's approval or assess the course as equivalent before issuing.
2. Can the applicant start flying next week while the CMC application is pending? What should the operator tell the recruitment manager?
Read the worked answer
No. A pending application is not a CMC. The applicant cannot act as cabin crew on a Kenyan AOC flight without a CMC or valid KCAA authorisation. The operator should not roster him, even as extra crew, if he is assigned cabin crew duties. The recruitment manager should be told that looking similar is not a legal basis; the operator must verify approval and wait for KCAA. The applicant may attend ground training or induction while waiting, but not line duty.
3. What are the realistic paths forward for the applicant?
Read the worked answer
- Check whether the school is actually approved by KCAA; if it is, submit the approval evidence. 2) If it is not, enrol in an approved cabin crew course and complete it. 3) Ask KCAA whether the existing course can be assessed as equivalent, providing the syllabus, hours, instructor qualifications, examinations, and practical drills. 4) Keep the medical and security clearance current. 5) Do not start line duty until the CMC is issued. The operator can offer ground or administrative duties if its procedures allow, but not cabin crew duties.