SAFE's annual member dinner will have a new format on Thursday, July 29th, from 6-8 PM in the Oshkosh terminal building atrium.

Rather than the traditional sit-down dinner, members and supporters will mix and mingle in the large OSH terminal building atrium while chowing down on high tops, sliced NY sandwiches on assorted buns, bacon-wrapped chestnuts, shrimp cocktails, teriyaki kababs, crab-stuffed mushrooms, and fruit kabobs. SAFE's remarkable growth in the past 10 years required switching from a terminal meeting room to the full front atrium.

Dinner tickets are discounted to $20 through July 4 but will be $25 after that day. "So hurry," said David St George. Admission includes two drinks (beer/wine), food and dessert. There will also be a cash bar. "It's the same location as usual, but we're using the larger front atrium of the building," he said.

Updates on the new format dinner will be on the SAFE App and Osh Events Page.

"We're going to try out some flying machines (see photo) in the cavernous OSH terminal atrium," St George added. "Come join the fun, stay as long or short as you like, meet your SAFE Board members and tell us your Covid survival stories."

SAFE is a transparent professional organization where members choose the board of directors from volunteers in the membership. Three committed volunteers were elected to the board last month to serve three-year terms. Thank you for voting.

Meet these new Board members and more SAFE members at the annual member meeting Thursday, July 26 at the SAFE Dinner "Meet/Greet/Eat!" in the OSH terminal building atrium.

The FAA-Industry advisory group formed in June of 2019 to investigate problems with the agency's Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) system has issued a 101-page report.

The report largely codifies many suggestions for increasing DPE availability circulating in the industry for years. But the report also reflects disagreements as to who and how to test applicants efficiently for certificates and ratings and offers suggestions. The group highlighted many still unresolved questions in the airman testing process.

"Some easily implemented improvements in IACRA such as embedding the CFI endorsements should be a no-brainer," said SAFE Executive Director David St George. Also mentioned in the report is the integration of FAA WINGS for successful pilot candidates. In the report, St George said that the report also includes a "little shop of horrors" in Appendix F on page V-61-2. Those horrors are grey areas that every DPE seems to interpret differently, such as a go-around directed on a 180-degree power-off accuracy landing at the commercial level. Read the full report here.

SAFE will carry a detailed analysis of the new DPE report in the August issue of eNews.

The SAFE CFI/DPE Toolkit (free for CFIs from SAFE) has mobile-optimized weather to help learners gain a deeper understanding of weather systems and the modeling behind simple forecasts.

"Unfortunately, 'teaching to the test' perpetuates mediocrity," said SAFE Executive Director David St George before more than 100 CFIs and DPEs at a June gathering sponsored by the Washington DC FSDO. "We are not advocating for more stringent standards, but applicants must be pursuing excellence instead of simply aiming for a 70%" said St. George. "The 'happy D- student' becomes a scary pilot in our industry. For safety, every pilot must be inspired to continually seek improvement!" He pointed out the vital role of the CFI in modeling this attitude. "DPEs only spend 1-2 hours in flight with every applicant and the FAA specifies 'no teaching!' A CFI spends 40-60 hours," he emphasized. "The CFI is the primary educator and influencer of safety and attitude in our industry. We must be teaching beyond the simple requirements of the test for real proficiency and future safety."

"For safety, every CFI must create pilots who pursue excellence and seek continual improvement by aiming far above the minimum standards," St George said. He cited the current training environment that seems more focused on "faster, cheaper, and easier" goals.

So how does a CFI inspire and create "lifetime learners" in an environment that seems intent instead upon pursuing "faster, cheaper, easier goals, St George asked. He told participants that this CFI-PRO™ webinar was created after 25 years of running a 141 flight school and associated club with 200 pilot members. "Incremental Mastery" is a concept St. George developed after 12K hours of dual instruction given. Many CFIs inadvertently create dependency in their students. "We see this many flight tests" he stated. Instead, the goal (like parenting) should be to create mastery and independence in every pilot (become superfluous). "We need to actively work to get *out of the plane* one step at a time from lesson number one," said St. George.

The associated webpage has resources for CFIs to improve their professionalism and help create motivated pilots who insist on comprehensive training. Join the CFI-PRO™ ​​group and build your professionalism. Earn your Master Instructor accreditation! Every amazing CFI is a "learner" continuously expanding their knowledge and skill (modeling "lifetime learning" for students).

Unfortunately, the FAA has no continuing education or recognition program for CFIs; here too, the FAA specifies minimums, not excellence! For CFIs, they have only the one-time Gold Seal, not difficult to earn for an active CFI. SAFE's mission with Master Instructors is to inspire "lifetime learners" among CFIs, pursuing continuing education and recognition, Step up and earn SAFE Master Instructor Accreditation.

Remote air traffic control towers and approach facilities are on the horizon, but CFIs are split as to their value.

In last month's SAFE survey, slightly over half (54% blue sector) of CFIs responding believed that on-site controllers were needed at towered airports. Just under half (46% orange sector) thought the remote facilities had value while saving taxpayers money.

A new system has controllers based in the tiny English village of Hampshire issuing ATC clearances at London City airport. A state-of-the-art digital 50-foot tower at the airport watches continuously with 16 high-definition cameras. Included are two pan-tilt-zoom cameras that replicate binoculars in the tower.

AOPA's Flight Training Experience Survey is still open for CFIs and their students to complete. Among other things, the 2021 survey will select the 2021 National CFI Of The Year and Flight School Of The Year. There are also six regional winners in both CFI and flight school categories.

T. Michael Garrison, of Port Saint Lucie FL, earned his credentials as a Master Flight Instructor for the tenth time last month.

He has been providing flight instruction at all levels for 45 years and has given over 10,600 hours of instruction. His talents and contributions have been recognized with the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award in 2009, the FAA Gold Seal Flight Instructor and as a Past Board Member of SAFE.

The Master Instructor program recognizes CFIs that give back to the aviation community through excellent flight instruction, emphasizing proficiency and safety and reducing the number of accidents. Only a very small percentage of flight instructors have earned these credentials.

Mike is a Lead representative for the Treasure Coast FAASTeam, an active member and past officer in the Quiet Birdmen, an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner and a Cirrus Standard Instructor Pilot.

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.

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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