The PPP consisted of 7 seminars on a variety of proficiency topics that included: Tailwheel Tips and Tricks; Human Factors in Loss of Control; Foreflight tools for Flight Planning; Single Pilot IFR; Stick and Rudder Skills in a Glass Cockpit World; Angle of Attack Awareness; and Beyond the Basics of GPS.  Participants also had the opportunity to fly their choice of 11 different scenarios in the Redbird FMX flight simulator.  On Saturday evening, a dinner provided the opportunity for an animated, moderated discussion on "The Art of Teaching in the Cockpit".

It was interesting to note that the median age of participants fell in the 50 - 60 age group, and that the majority of them held CFI ratings. They all stated that they would attend similar events at least once a year, and when asked how they compared the cost of the event to value received, 98% of them responded that it was an "Excellent" value.

Using the information gathered from participant surveys being used to improve the PPP, planning has already started on the next regional event which is tentatively scheduled for February 2014.  If you are interested in hosting the Pilot Proficiency Project please contact SAFE.

The numerous SAFE members in attendance at the third annual Redbird Migration, held at Skyport, Oct.28 - 30, had the opportunity to not only hear stimulating and exciting presentations given by a host of leaders and experts from the aviation world, but also from the cutting edge hi-tech educational research field. Thanks to Jim Campbell and his team from Aero-News Network, all of these presentations were not only streamed live but are also archived on the ANN website.  Taking the time to watch these presentations will go a long way in gaining an understanding of just what it is that Jerry Gregoire and his staff are researching at Skyport to create new, innovative ways of teaching people to fly.

Not only are they investigating innovative technologies for teaching flying while concurrently reducing the time and cost of learning to fly, but they are also researching creative ways to reduce the cost of hi-tech, efficient airplanes by refurbishing older Skyhawks with diesel engines and glass panels. Many pilots in attendance at Migration got the opportunity to test fly the "Redhawk", a refurbished, re-engined, re-paneled Skyhawk that has the potential to provide flight schools with a "brand new" training airplane at an affordable cost (read $249K "or less"), that has lower operating costs. And oh, by the way, they are also putting together a means to finance the airplane in new and innovative ways.

The Redhawk is an experiment, as are all things taking place at Skyport, and Redbird is in the process of replacing their entire Skyhawk fleet with Redhawks. These airplanes will be flying at least 100 hours per month, and it is expected that at next year's Migration we will be hearing about what was learned using this new, innovative airplane. It is suspected that what are assumptions about this airplane now, will be documented by next year, just as we heard at this year's Migration of the documentation of the successes of teaching pilots to fly with intensive use of simulation.