Pendidikan awak kabin bukanlah pendidikan akademis. Jadi sebenarnya tidak ada sekolah dengan jurusan menjadi awak kabin. Pendidikan awak kabin di Indonesia diatur dalam CASR 121 atau CASR 135 yang juga mengatur peraturan terbang sebuah maskapai. Selain maskapai part 121 dan maskapai part 135, sebuah institusi pendidikan yang beroperasi di bawah part 142 juga bisa menyelenggarakan semua kursus yang dibutuhkan di CASR part 121.
Untuk melihat materi yang dipelajari mari kita lihat CASR 121.447 sebagai contoh:
Flight Attendant Qualifications
(a) No air carrier shall assign and no person shall act in the capacity of a flight attendant on an aircraft, unless that person:
- is the holder of a flight attendant certificate endorsed for the type of aircraft on which such person is to act;
- has successfully completed the air carrier’s approved course of training and checking appropriate to that type of aircraft as prescribed in Subpart N of this part; and
- is other wise qualified in accordance with this subpart, except;
- in the case of a person performing flight attendant duties pursuant to Part 135.101(c).
Jadi sebuah maskapai tidak bisa menugaskan seseorang untuk menjadi flight attendant di sebuah penerbangan kecuali:
- Orang tersebut memiliki sertifikat Flight Attendant dengan tipe pesawat yang bersangkutan. Maksudnya untuk menjadi seorang awak kabin di pesawat B737 maka di sertifikat Flight Attendantnya harus ada kualifikasi dengan tipe pesawat B737.
- Sudah menyelesaikan kursus yang diselenggarakan oleh maskapai tersebut dengan ijin dari otoritas, DAN...
- Sudah dikualifikasi berdasarkan part 121.447 ini
- Kecuali untuk penerbangan part 135 yang mengikuti aturan di part 135.
Jadi kesimpulan pertama untuk menjadi pramugari dan pramugara di sebuah pesawat adalah:
- Harus punya sertifikat yang dikeluarkan oleh pihak otoritas, dalam hal ini Departemen Perhubungan, bukan dari sekolah pramugari.
- Harus mengikuti kursus yang diselenggarakan oleh maskapai yang bersangkutan.
Berapa lama yang dibutuhkan untuk menjadi seorang awak kabin?
Berdasarkan pengalaman penulis selama bekerja di maskapai penerbangan, lama kursus awak kabin di maskapai penerbangan adalah 3-6 bulan saja. Kursus lebih dari 6 bulan akan membuang waktu anda, jika anda langsung melamar jadi awak kabin di sebuah maskapai mungkin trainingnya hanya 4 bulan saja atau malah kurang dari itu.
Kesimpulan penulis mengenai maraknya penyelenggaraan sekolah profesional pramugari/pramugara patut diwaspadai. Biarpun anda sudah mengikuti kursus tersebut, jika tidak menghasilkan sertifikat yang diakui dari Departemen Perhubungan RI tepatnya Dirjen Perhubungan Udara, maka kursus anda akan sia-sia dari sisi legal requirement maksudnya tidak sah secara hukum. Institusi yang bisa menyelenggarakan kursus ini selain maskapai penerbangan adalah institusi dengan ijin yang diatur di CASR part 142. Jika kursus dilakukan bukan di institusi di bawah CASR part 142 maka akan sia-sia karena anda tetap harus ikut kursus di maskapai yang bersangkutan dan tetap harus membayar baik berupa biaya atau kontrak kerja.
Sedangkan operational training atau praktek kerja harus dilakukan di pesawat atau cabin training device yang berupa alat seperti peralatan di kabin pesawat lengkap yang sesuai dengan tipe pesawat yang akan dioperasikan. Di bawah ini adalah kutipan dari silabus kursus CASR 121.421 dan silabus praktek CASR 121.447
Silabus kursus:
121.421 Flight Attendants: Initial and Transition Ground Training
a) No air carrier shall assign a person to act and no person shall act as a flight attendant on an aircraft that is required to carry flight attendants, unless that person has completed the air carriers ground training for flight attendants prescribed by this section. Initial and recurrent ground training must include instruction in at least the following:
1) General subjects:i) The authority of the pilot in command, and succession of command;
ii) Relevant Safety and Security Regulations;
iii) Passenger handling, including under age children;
iv) Approved crew resource management training;
v) Company policy manuals relating to the duties of a flight attendant;
vi) Customs and immigrations procedures;
vii) Passenger briefing; and
viii) Passenger cabin preparation and securing.
2) For each aeroplane type:
i) A general description of the aircraft emphasizing physical characteristics that may have a bearing on ditching, evacuation, and in-flight emergency procedures and on other related duties;
ii) The use of both the public address system and the means of communicating with other flight crewmembers; and
iii) Proper use of electrical galley equipment and the controls for cabin heatand ventilation.
3) For emergency or security equipment and procedures;
i) location and operation of all aircraft exits, including normal, alternate and emergency modes of operation;
ii) location and use of all emergency equipment on board each aircraft;
iii) normal and alternate means of communication and communication procedures for normal, emergency and security situations;
iv) alternate duties in the event of the incapacitation of other crew members;
v) passenger emergency briefings and aural commands;
vi) armed intervention or unruly passengers;
vii) cabin and passenger preparation for emergency landing, ditching and evacuation; and
viii) medical emergencies on board including administering oxygen.
4) For practical training:
i) use of fire extinguishers;
ii) use of oxygen walk around equipment;
iii) use of all emergency exits;
iv) passenger preparation and evacuation, and
v) use of any other life saving equipment on board a specific aircraft including the onboard medical kit.
b) Initial and recurrent ground training for flight attendants must include a competence check to determine ability to perform assigned duties and responsibilities.
Silabus praktek
121.427 Flight Attendant Operational Training
a) No air carrier shall assign a person to act and no person shall act as a flight attendant on an aeroplane that is required to carry flight attendants, unless that person has completed the air carrier’s flight attendant operational training prescribed by this section:1) A flight attendant must for a number of hours acceptable to the DGAC perform the assigned duties of a flight attendant on board an aeroplane, while under the supervision of a flight attendant supervisor qualified on that aeroplane type.
b) Flight attendant operational training is not required for a flight attendant who has previously acquired such experience on any passenger-carrying aeroplane of the same group, if;
1) that person has received with respect to that aircraft, the initial ground training as prescribed by section 121.421 (a)(2) and (3) of this subpart,
2) that person has for that type of aeroplane, successfully completed the competency check outlined in this Subpart.
c) Flight attendant operational training prescribed herein may be completed in a full-scale (except for length) cabin training device of the type aeroplane in whichthey are to serve, provided;
1) the cabin training device has been approved by the Director, and
2) has successfully completed a competency check outlined in this Subpart.