Sun'n Fun In 78 Days
Plan Ahead!
Now is the time to start planning for this year's Sun'n Fun in Lakeland FL April 14-19. Some things to consider in your planning:
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Consider presenting a Forum. If you're an active SAFE member with knowledge on an interesting aviation topic, please consider signing up as an expert presenter at this year's Sun'n'Fun. Please let us know so we can add you to the list of SAFE presenters and promote your talk.
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Volunteer in the SAFE triple-wide booth. Meet other SAFE CFIs who have their own ideas on how to perform a chandelle, or why CFI pay should be higher. Volunteering in the booth for two hours earns a day pass to Sun'n Fun; a full day in the booth is worth a week's pass, a $140 value.
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SAFE's "Wings Wednesday" will be at noon on April 15 at the Prop 75 building for SAFE members and future members. Veteran CFIs and FAA DPEs will speak on checkride preparation for applicants and CFIs, endorsements, experience, and controlling anxiety.
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CFI Roundtable, Saturday, April 18 from 5:00 to 6:30 pm. An all-CFI event in the Prop 75 building, with speakers, discussion and free ice cream for SAFE members and soon-to-be-member CFIs.
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SAFE's triple-wide booth this year in Alpha hangar is 61-3, and will be Discussion Central for aviation educators. Need some incentive? Alpha Hangar is air-conditioned.
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SAFE CFI News and Tips
For Certificated Flight Instructors
FAA, NTSB Related News
Ever thought you might have to take a 709 ride with the FAA? This new article by AvBrief's Larry Anglisano reviews your rights if you're called for an FAA re-examination of competency, aka a 709 ride.
A bill allowing pilot and medical certificates on a phone rather than paper is going to the US House. TN Congressman Tim Burchett introduced the bill a year ago.
Pilots working for FAA Part 135 and 91 for pay operations will soon be trained to spot drunk passengers. The rule takes effect May 28, 2027.
Digital Flight Rules (DFR) may be the next addition to aviation's VFR and IFR definitions. They would apply to drones, which are limited to 400 feet altitude.
DOT is reorganizing the FAA, transferring some departments to the deputy administrator. It also adds two departments, one for emerging technologies and the first phase of ATC modernization, the other a safety oversight department to make safety data more accessible to other departments. Impact on CFIs, if any, is uncertain.
The FAA may complete testing of UL100E by the end of September, says fuel maker LyondellBasell. FAA approval will be a key milestone in making UL100E a potential replacement for 100LL. At the same time, the FAA issued a draft transition plan for the use of unleaded aviation gasoline in aircraft by 2031.
The NTSB has recommended improvements in documentation and training to safely accomplish mandatory stall tests on Hawker 800 and 900-series jets. The recommendation comes after two fatal Hawker jet accidents.
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SAFE Webinar Next Sunday:
Flight Test Qualification
Sunday evening, February 8th
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Join us for a live SAFE Webinar, next Sunday, February 8 at 8 PM ET (0100Z). This resource is for applicants and CFIs whose student's practical test was canceled due to paperwork errors or an aircraft that wasn't airworthy. Details and comprehensive preparation matter here.
| | The exact number of applicants who are turned away because of a lack of experience, incorrect endorsements, or an unairworthy airplane is uncertain, but the FAA says it's as much as a fifth of all scheduled practical tests. The DPEs meeting at an AirVenture last year also estimated that figure was about 20% of all practical tests. We waste a lot of "DPE test opportunities." | | | |
"The aviation community is currently wasting a fifth of flight test opportunities for very preventable reasons," said David St George.. "Discovering a deficiency on the morning of the test can be a most unpleasant surprise for everyone after weeks of waiting."
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Wondering About Winterizing?
Ask Meg
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Written by FLYING's Meg Godlewski, who is also a founding member of SAFE, the article examines adaptations to not only cold and weather but also darkness. What pilot with more than a few hundred hours hasn't experienced the sudden arrival of darkness in winter flying?
"You can find sunset and sunrise times online," she advises. "For CFIs, teach your learners to look for multiple ways to identify a landmark at night, such as identifying houselights around an unlighted park below them which puts them X miles from the airport."
The article highlights particular difficulties of traversing icy patches in the sky. "Keep a careful eye on outside temperature, use pitot heat, prop heat and carb heat judiciously. You often can’t see ice forming on the aircraft without light, so you have to cover one eye to preserve night vision and use a flashlight with a lens other than white to illuminate the aircraft surface," she writes.
Godlewski also has an article in the January 13th FLYING Magazine titled "New Pilots Should Beware Of The 'Close To Solo" Trap.
For more tips and best practices for winter flying, check out the December 11 issue of the GAJSC newsletter. There is also an FAA page on Winter Weather Resources.
| | The FAA says the survey will consist of about a dozen yes-or-no questions and will be given to all pilots who take a practical exam with a DPE. | | |
Completion will be voluntary, but the FAA estimates that approximately 49,000 pilots will complete the 7-minute survey.
This survey was required by the FAA Reauthorization Act last year. An FAA spokesman says the questionnaire will "assess the DPEs level of professionalism; the suitability of the exam environment; the content of the exam and the duration of the ground portion and flight portion."
Unrelated to the FAA plan is a Facebook group called Rate My DPE, where pilots can comment on their DPE's performance. The group is also used by pilots who are ready for checkrides and ask for "the gouge" on a particular DPE.
"Most DPEs are conscientious and follow both FAA standards and normal civility on any practical exam," said David St George, himself a DPE for more than a quarter century and Executive Director of SAFE, "but you know the old saying about it only taking one bad apple." He pointed to a YouTube 6-year-old video recounting a helicopter check ride with a DPE who did not perform as expected.
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CFI Disclaims Responsibility
2022 Crash Killed Student
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A New Jersey former CFI who gave instruction after losing his certificate in an FAA 709 (re-evaluation of competency) ride now claims he was not responsible for a fatal crash with a student in 2022, blaming an engine problem.
In a motion to withdraw his previous plea, Phillip Everton McPherson said his previous attorney failed to pursue a defense that the plane crashed due to engine failure, not pilot error. McPherson failed an FAA 709 checkride in 2021 and says in his new motion that he knew he wasn't allowed to fly with passengers but didn't know he was barred from giving flight lessons.
The former CFI faces a maximum sentence of 153 years in prison.
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New FAA Safety Briefing
Focuses On FAA's GAJSC
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Drone TFRs Created
For "Mobile Government Assets"
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"Roving TFRs" for drones are the latest government effort to keep national security operations safe. A NOTAM issued last week prohibits drones within 3,000 feet laterally and 1,000 feet above any government "mobile asset" such as cars, trucks and boats. Entities protected by the new mobile TFRs for drones include DOD, DOE, DOJ and DHS.
The government advised pilots that there is no time limit for the new roving TFRs and there may not be any advance notice of deployment. "Implementing advanced special security instructions or other airspace measures may not be feasible for all covered assets and mobile asset operations," read the NOTAM. "UAS operators should therefore exercise caution when flying in proximity of all DOD, DHS, DOJ, and DOE facilities and mobile assets and USCG (boats)."
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SAFE CFI News and Tips
For Certificated Flight Instructors
Flight Training Industry
President Donald John Trump declared last month that he would "decertify" Canadian aircraft and impose 50% tariffs on them. The president is reportedly angry because Canada has not yet certified US-made Gulfstream 500,650, 700 and 800-series bizjets.
The Ascend Flight Training Summit, sponsored by AeroSummit and NAFI, will be held September 8-10 at the Crowne Plaza Dallas Market Center Love Field. A welcome reception will be held opening night at Frontiers of Flight museum.
Brian Wynne has been named executive director at NAFI. The new ED lives in the DC area and owns a Socata TB-20 Trinidad.
FSANA's 17th annual Flight School Operators Conference & Trade Show will be February 25-27, 2026.in San Diego at the Loews Hotel on Coronado Bay. Register here..
King Schools offers 20% discount for SAFE members. Have your member number ready.
Having trouble with your pilot training? A former Canadian FA was jailed after scamming at least four airlines (including his previous employer) into free flights by posing as a deadheading pilot. According to AvBrief, he's stuck in jail because he is considered a 'flight risk.'
AvBrief has appointed veteran aviation educators (and SAFE members) Max Trescott and Rob Mark as AvBrief audio columnists, with their biweekly podcast, NTSB NewsTalk. The two grizzled aviation veterans analyze recent aviation mishaps with NTSB info to help pilots fly more safely.
Recent Deaths In Aviation
Prominent Boise TV meteorologist Roland Steadham was killed last month when his Carbon Cub hit powerlines and crashed north of Boise.
Well-known adventurer Brendan Weinstein, one of the world's best known wingsuiters, died last month after a flight from the top of Table Mountain in South Africa. At the bottom of the slope he hit rocks going about 120 mph.
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Next Weekend:
Super Bowl TFR
FAA Adds Informational Site
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On the weekend of February 8, San Francisco Bay Area pilots will have to contend with the annual Super Bowl TFR. Airports affected by the TFR include KFSO, KOAK, KNUQ, KPAO, KSQL,KSJC,KAPC, KCCR, KRHV, KHWD, KMRY, KSCK, KLVK, KSNS, KWVI, KCHV and KHAF.
On the FAA-created information webpage, pilots are cautioned that the TFR will be in place well before and after the game and that touch-and-go landings and practice approaches may be limited or suspended. The Special Air Traffic Procedures issued will be in effect from Wednesday, February 4 at 1400Z through February 10 at 0600Z.
"Traffic management initiatives will be utilized when arrival rates exceed airport capacity," read the notice, which also referred pilots to the special FAA web site specifically for the Superbowl. "Pilots should be prepared for potential airborne holding, reroutes, or Expect Departure Clearance Times (EDCTs) that may be issued for all domestic IFR arrivals."
NOTE: At press time, SAFE found a notice on the FAA link above noting that website information may be outdated, transactions may be delayed and inquiries may not be answered until Federal funding is restored.
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CloudAhoy 33% Off!
For SAFE Members
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One of the best kept secrets in the SAFE ecosystem is CloudAhoy, acclaimed as "the best inflight capture, evaluation and briefing tool for pilots, particularly CFIs."
CloudAhoy, an enthusiastic SAFE supporter, is continuing its policy of giving SAFE members 33 percent (one-third) off any of their evaluation and debriefing packages, making the CloudAhoy Standard just $43 (regularly $65) and the Pro version just $100 (regularly $150). The company also has a 35 day trial subscription for no cost.
CloudAhoy combines the flight data captured during the flight with weather, aerodrome data, instrument approach procedures, aircraft registry, and more. At the debrief, a CFI with a laptop or tablet open can show the student exactly how the flight went, at each point. "It's an objective look at the pilot's performance in a calm environment enabling them to review what happened during their flight," the company told SAFE"
"Postflight debriefs on the ground can add significant value to a lesson or flight review," added David St George, SAFE executive director.
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Master Instructor Accreditations
“Singles out the best that the right seat has to offer."
- FAA Administrator Marion Blakey
| MCFI accreditation now also requires an active phase of FAA WINGS | |
Lonnie Hilkemeir
15th MCFI Renewal
Master Instructors and the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators is honored to announce an extraordinary 15th designation as a Master Instructor to Lonnie Hilkemeier of Boulder, CO. As an Aviation Educator for more than 30 years, Lonnie is one of only 5 Educators worldwide to have achieved this milestone. Lonnie became a career flight instructor after graduating with an aviation degree from Colorado Northwestern Community College. He has always sought mentors from various specialties, both within and outside aviation. His approach to quality over quantity in flight education inspired him to join the Master Instructor accreditation program as he continues to mentor others.
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Barbara Filkins
Master Instructors and SAFE are pleased to announce that Barbara Filkins of Fillmore, CA has received her Second Accreditation as a Master Aviation Educator. Barbara has an interesting path as an Aviation Educator, and she shares it here:
"Although my career has not been directly in aviation, aviation has been a theme and influence throughout my career. I learned to fly while in college, earning my private pilot rating through the Bates Aeronautics Program, which leveraged aviation to help shape future scientists and engineers as leaders in their fields. It was highly successful. Along with a lifelong love of aviation, Bates participants gained a strong sense of community (family) and self-confidence, and a belief that we, as individuals and leaders, can help shape the future. Upon graduation, I moved to upstate New York, where I experienced the winter weather while completing my instrument and commercial pilot ratings. Returning to California in 1978, I became both a CFI and a CFII. I taught for the Bates Program until 2000, giving back to the program that gave me so much.
My aviation involvement then lay dormant, until my husband and I began to build our Velocity V-Twin in 2014. I obtained my multi-engine rating, followed by my MEI and completed the Phase 1 testing on N527VT in 2017. This experience rekindled my love of teaching. Today, I have transitioned into education as my major focus. I am actively flight instructing. I am on the faculty at CAU. I am a FAAST Team rep. And I am researching how automation and autonomy will shape future pilot training."
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The SAFE Mentorship Connection group needs you, as an experienced CFI, to help newer CFIs learn the ropes and improve their instructional professionalism. Zoom sessions are on Tuesdays from 7:00 pm Eastern (23Z) and last up to two hours.SAFE Mentorship Connector director Dorothy Schick hosts each meeting.
Weekly roundtable discussions with the CFI Study Group on CFI topics often have prominent guest speakers, most recently CFI Bootcamp's Mike Shiflett. The 20 or so CFIs and CFI-wannabes who attend each study session can get into one-on-one conversations with DPEs.
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SAFE Sponsors
Please shop at these merchant supporters of CFI professionalism.
They make possible your SAFE privileges and benefits.
| | SAFE members get 1/3 off any ForeFlight subscription. Potential yearly savings: $133+ | | SAFE member CFIs get 25% off all Gleim Aviation products except kits, ATP, FIRC, IARC or sim hardware. Call 800-874-5346 for the discount. | | |
Buy a pair of "Delta Zulus" and Lightspeed Aviation donates $100 discount and 10% toward the SAFE "CFI Scholarship Fund!"
More Information
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SAFE members get 20% off select merchandise. | |
Platinum Cirrus Training Center provides flight training, aircraft rentals and sales at KAXH. | |
SAFE member CFIs qualify for a $100 rebate on Bose A30 or ProFlight Series 2 aviation headset. | |
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SAFE members get a 20% discount on ASA products.
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SAFE members get 10% off any MyGoFlight product.
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SAFE members receive a 20% discount on all King Schools Training products. | |
SAFE members get 20% off all books/CDs by Max Trescott, Cirrus Platinum CSIP and author of several guides on using advanced avionics. | |
SAFE members get 5% off any Qref checklists. Use code SAFE5. | | SAFE members get 20% off the Artful Flying book by Michael Maya Charles. | | |
SAFE is a 501(c)(3) educational, not-for-profit professional organization building aviation educator excellence and aviation safety. Our more than 8000 members include many of the best-known, best-credentialed and most experienced CFIs, as well as many FAA Designated Pilot Examiners.
Join SAFE now Give To SAFE (Tax Deductible)
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