SAFE has taken a clear stand opposing the recent court Warbird Adventures Decision. We are asking the FAA for immediate clarification supporting the historic FAA interpretation of CFI as “aviation educator” and NOT “charter operator.”

Though current analysis indicates that CFIs are not immediately threatened by this judicial ruling (this was a very narrow decision targeting a specific operation), the “downstream” implications could create huge problems for CFIs in legal liability, charter confusion and CFI medical certification.

SAFE has written directly to the FAA seeking immediate clarification establishing that CFIs are paid as educators, not charter operators, and we encourage members and supporters to speak up, using the SAFE letter as a reference. Email your letter to Ali Bahrami, Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety immediately, using the SAFE letter as a guide. Make your voice (and concerns supporting CFIs as “educators” clear! More detail in the SAFEblog.

On Saturday, June 5th at 6am, full voting members will receive an e-mail from "electionrunner.com" You will be already logged in and approved to vote - very easy! Please read the bios. and choose the best representatives to lead SAFE. We want to beat our record set last year of 26% participation!

The NASA program to build a regional air mobility (RAM) network with local airports and GA aircraft has released a white paper on the program.

SAFE applauds NASA's ongoing effort better to use the nation's GA airports and smaller aircraft. Their white paper describes a future with air commutes in UAVs and other GA aircraft.

SAFE blogger David St George warns that too many new pilots have a limited understanding of the aerodynamics of turns.

In a previous SAFE blog written shortly after the last SAFE CFI-PRO^tm workshop in Frederick MD, St George writes how the 45 professional aviators at the workshop agreed on the need proper rudder usage. "It's often skipped in early flight training, but is critical to flight safety," he wrote. "Most new pilots can program a Garmin G1000 but can't coordinate a right climbing turn."

The long-fought and highly controversial battle to compile pilot records has ended. The FAA last month released its final rule requiring airlines and other operators to report their pilots’ employment history, training, and qualifications to an electronic database. Operators seeking to hire pilots must review database records on applicants. More details here.

The Academy will be the first to market the Bye e-flyers, which are the first all-electric airplanes in the United States. The company claims 726 deposits already for the two and four-place electric aircraft. The development was reported in Forbes Magazine.

The article by long-time airline hiring specialist Kit Darby in the May 17 AOPA Online newsletter has practical advice both for making your best impression on the small screen and snagging the airline job.

Commercial operation of electric VTOLs in the US could be a reality in just three years, experts say. The vehicles would first deliver packages but would soon transition to air taxi roles in cities and transportation support in small communities.

Electric airplane startup Beta Technologies is tasking SAFE members who are FAA DPEs to conduct checkrides for future VTOL pilots. The company has closed a $368 million funding round and is looking to break ground as early as September on a 270,000 square-foot state-of-the-art final assembly facility in Burlington, VT. Meanwhile, air taxi developer Wisk Aero is moving ahead with its autonomous people-moving electric VTOL, named Cora. The aircraft, a joint venture of Boeing and Kitty Hawk, is expected to have a range of about 25 miles plus reserves and cruise at about 100 MPH. Wisk Aero says it will lease up to 30 electric VTOL aircraft to Part 135 operator Blade Urban Air Mobility. The company currently uses helicopters and amphibious aircraft for short-route transportation in the US northeast and on the west coast.

An FAA Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) would expand the AD requiring inspection of carry-through spars on Cessna 210s to some Cessna 177 Cardinal models. The $1,800 inspection would include the Cessna 177, 177A,. 177B, 177RG and F177RG. Previously covered were Cessna models 210N, 210R, P210N, P210R, T210N and T201R.

Two active flight schools have announced they are opening new locations in Arizona and Texas.

California Aeronautical University (CAU) is opening its newest campus location at Falcon Field Airport (KFFZ) in Mesa, Arizona, and ATP Flight School has established a new advanced pilot training center at Arlington Municipal Airport (GKY) in Arlington, Texas. ATP says the facility is "the next evolution of ATP's 30-year presence training pilots in the Dallas area and is an integral part of addressing the post-pandemic pilot shortage."

The announcements add confidence to the recovery of flight training after serious jolts caused by the Covid crisis, said Kevin D Murphy, SAFE Communications Director. With a shortage of 10% of qualified air carrier pilots expected by 2023, the additional capacity is a good sign for the flight training industry, he added.

AOPA's Flight Training Experience Survey is back after a year-long pause for Covid. The survey is designed to find and reward excellence in flight training,

The May 2021 edition of AOPA's Flight Training magazine is a special edition focused on answering basic student questions about learning to fly, and SAFE Communications Director Kevin D Murphy suggests CFIs can put the URL on their business card as a QR code.

The code delivers your potential student to an AOPA splash page, offering them a free copy of Flight Training's April 2021 special Learn To Fly issue in return for a name and email address. ("Be sure to tell the student that AOPA will become one of their most persistent mail and email friends," warned Murphy.) The special issue whets a new pilot's appetite and answers questions about becoming a pilot, different career options, aircraft to fly, gear the pilot will need, pilot lingo, medical certification standards, the cost of flight training, and more.

"You can get a hundred business cards with that QR code printed on them for $15, and the returns can be enormous," said Murphy. "If you understand how to sell flight training, you'll understand the value of this almost-free promotion."

For all the commotion caused by drones, the multi-rotor aircraft aren't the only new entrants to the US National Airspace System (NAS).

The latest edition of FAA Safety Briefing focuses on sharing the skies safely with a variety of air vehicles. Articles cover some of the regulatory changes and technological solutions that are expected to help enable the safe and seamless operation of these new NAS entrants as they share the skies with traditional airspace users.

This edition also features articles on how the FAA is helping to inform, educate, and inspire the next generation of NAS users.

A third generation pilot earned his Master Instructor wings for the first time in May. Aria Tedjarati of Menlo Park, CA is an Iranian-Canadian-American professional flight instructor and avionics engineer. He currently teaches in tens of different types of aircraft and is the lead cockpit avionics engineer at Joby Aviation.

Aria has two type ratings, in the Phenom 300 and Citation Mustang, and says his lifelong passion has always been aviation.

Master Instructor designees are recognized for not only their excellence in teaching, but for their dedication to learning – not only their students' learning but their own as well. The honor also revalidates the holder's flight instructor certificate. The recently expanded program became part of SAFE earlier this year. To learn more, go to Master Instructors.

Newlan Parker of Billings MT has successfully earned his second accreditation as a Master Flight Instructor. Newlan is a member of the SAFE Board of Directors.

Newlan is a full-time medivac pilot for a Billings hospital, flying a King Air 200 and 250. He is also an active flight instructor, offering all levels of instruction in single, multi and tailwheel aircraft. In his off time, he enjoys spending time with his family, skiing, camping and riding dirt bikes.

He is also an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) with the Helena FSDO and also recently earned his Gold Seal instructor certificate.

Master Instructor designees are recognized for not only their excellence in teaching, but for their dedication to learning – not only their students' learning but their own as well. The honor also revalidates the holder's flight instructor certificate. The recently expanded program became part of SAFE earlier this year. To learn more, go to Master Instructors.

James Matthew Johnson of southwest Ohio has earned his Master Flight Instructor-Helicopter renewal for the sixth time.

Matt is an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE), Part 135 Check Airman, and SP-IFR Air Medical Helicopter Pilot.

He has a passion for all things rotary, especially providing ground and flight instruction in helicopters. He takes great pride in serving as a mentor to new pilots via his LinkedIn page. He can be reached via his LinkedIn page,

The recently expanded Master Instructors program became part of SAFE earlier this year. To learn more, go to Master Instructors.

SAFE is a 501(c)(3) educational, not-for-profit professional organization building aviation educator excellence and aviation safety. Our more than 3,600 members include many of the best-known, best-credentialed and most experienced CFIs as well as many FAA Designated Pilot Examiners.

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