Course overview
Every air operator certificate rests on a small group of named individuals: the nominated post holders who are accountable to the authority for specific areas of the operation. Their responsibilities are defined in regulation, and the authority assesses both the people and how they discharge their duties. Understanding what each post holder is accountable for, and how the roles connect, is essential to running a compliant operation.
This course explains the post holder system and the responsibilities attached to each role. It covers the regulatory framework and then the duties of the operations, training, safety and quality, and ground operations post holders. It is built for current and prospective post holders and the managers who support them, and the content is educational, framed around the regulatory requirements rather than authorizing any individual.
Why this matters
The post holder structure is how a regulator holds an operator accountable: if a post holder does not understand or discharge their duties, the operation's compliance, and ultimately its certificate, is at risk. Gaps or confusion between the roles are a common finding in audits.
Understanding these responsibilities matters because the roles are interlocking: operations, training, safety and quality, and ground operations each depend on the others. People who grasp the whole system manage their own area better and coordinate across it. This course builds that understanding for those in or moving toward these roles.
What you will be able to do afterwards
By the end of the course, participants should be able to:
- Explain the regulatory basis for nominated post holders.
- Describe the operations post holder's responsibilities.
- Describe the training post holder's responsibilities.
- Describe the safety and quality post holder's responsibilities.
- Describe the ground operations post holder's responsibilities.
Course outline
Unit 1: Regulatory framework for post holders
The course opens with the rules behind the roles.
- The post holder concept in air operator regulation.
- The accountable manager and the post holders.
- Authority acceptance and assessment.
- How the roles relate to the management system.
Unit 2: Operations post holder responsibilities
This unit covers the flight operations role.
- Scope of the operations post holder.
- Operational procedures and the operations manual.
- Oversight of flight operations standards.
- Coordination with other post holders.
Unit 3: Training post holder responsibilities
This unit covers the crew training role.
- Scope of the training post holder.
- Training programs and records.
- Maintaining competence and standards.
- Working with operations and safety.
Unit 4: Safety and quality post holder responsibilities
This unit covers oversight and assurance.
- The safety management system and its oversight.
- Compliance monitoring and quality assurance.
- Audits, findings, and corrective action.
- Reporting and continuous improvement.
Unit 5: Ground operations post holder responsibilities
The final unit covers the ground operations role.
- Scope of the ground operations post holder.
- Ground handling and operational standards.
- Oversight of third-party ground providers.
- Coordination across the operation.
How the course is delivered
The course is led through structured explanation, documented case studies, worked examples, and group discussion of how post holder duties are discharged. Participants examine real responsibilities, manuals, and oversight scenarios and work through the judgments involved. The content is educational and is framed around regulatory requirements as subject matter; it does not by itself qualify or have anyone accepted as a post holder, which rests with the relevant authority. It connects naturally to AOC Certification Start-up.
Who should attend
This course suits current and prospective nominated post holders, accountable managers, compliance and safety staff in air operators, and managers who support these roles. It works for those new to the post holder system and for experienced staff who want a fuller view across all the roles. A background in aviation operations helps.
About EuroQuest International Training
EuroQuest International Training was founded in 2015 by a team with more than 25 years of combined experience in professional training. The institute has delivered over 1,000 courses to more than 15,000 participants, and is headquartered in Bratislava, Slovakia, with training hubs in Dubai, London, Barcelona, Istanbul, Vienna, Paris, and Geneva. Courses are designed and reviewed by practitioners and updated to reflect current practice in each field.
Frequently asked questions
Does this course make me an accepted post holder?
No. It builds understanding of post holder duties. Acceptance as a nominated post holder rests with the relevant civil aviation authority, based on its own assessment, not on this course.
Does it cover all the post holder roles?
Yes. It covers the operations, training, safety and quality, and ground operations post holders, and how the roles interlock within the operator's management system.
Do I need aviation experience to attend?
A background in aviation operations helps, but the course explains the post holder system from the regulatory basis up, so it suits those moving toward these roles as well as experienced staff.
Related courses
- Airport Management
- Advanced Safety Management System (SMS)
- Airside Operations
- ICAO, EASA, and FAA Regulations
Register for this course
To reserve a place or ask about scheduling and city options for the Post Holders: Operations, Training, Safety, Quality, and Ground Operations Duties and Responsibilities course, use the registration and enquiry options on this page and the EuroQuest team will follow up with the details you need.
All Course Dates & Locations
31 dates · 12 cities · Oct 2026 – Jul 2027