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August 2018

SAFE represents nearly 1,700 of the industry's top aviation professionals in 49 states and nine foreign countries, including the majority of Master Instructors and numerous General Aviation Awards winners in all three awards categories.  

Chair's Corner
 
by David St. George, SAFE Executive Director
 
David St George
Hello SAFE members and supporters,
 
SAFE had a great show at Oshkosh, meeting pilots and adding new members. We owe a special thanks to Sporty's for their free FIRC and also to Gleim and ASA for their Oshkosh giveaways during the show. Gracious dinner sponsors this year were Sporty's, Aviation Insurance Resources and Starr Insurance.
 
The Masters Sandy and JoAnn Hill, 
AirVenture 2018
Thanks to Michael Baum of SecureAv who flew "Head Masters" JoAnn and Sandy Hill to OSH in his TBM 700; Hal Shevers of Sporty's provided special transportation for The Masters at OSH.    
 
 
Erin and Alan
Jim Thomas and John Dorcey 
 
Special appreciation to John Dorcey (OSH on-site "Mr. Everything") who with Jim Thomas set up the SAFE booth; Alan Davis and his daughter, Erin Thompson, who worked tirelessly (and cheerfully) all week signing up (and renewing) members; Larry Bothe, Rose Dorcey, and Patti who made the SAFE dinner a success; and Lonnie Hilkemeier who arranged and coordinated the Master Reunion. Remember, SAFE members save daily! 
   
At our Oshkosh board meeting, I was selected acting executive director by our board of directors. This is an honor and a challenge. We have doubled our SAFE membership in the last three years and continuing this growth is a major goal. Also, continuing our website improvement and growing our online outreach are important priorities for us. SAFE is also working hard to expand our industry affiliations and strategic partnerships. Thanks to all that worked at the booth, the EAA-PPC, or presented at the forums.
 
Thanks for all you do for aviation and for SAFE. Prepare for excitement and growth ahead; onward and upward!
 
"Designee Management System" Implemention
Expected to Improve Examiner Availability

This week the FAA revealed that its new "Designee Management System" is becoming active for DPEs to make more examiners available for flight evaluations. As SAFE members are aware, finding a DPE to schedule practical tests has been a nightmare for CFIs and applicants in many parts of the country. Waiting periods of 2 - 3 weeks are not uncommon.
 
The most significant change, in the process of being implemented, includes removing geographic boundaries for DPEs, allowing less-busy DPEs to conduct practical tests for applicants in any part of the country. Practical tests for CFI applicants will no longer need to be scheduled through the local FSDO. Applicants will schedule directly with the authorized DPE. This was part of a roundtable forum at Oshkosh featuring David St. George, Chris Anderson and Jason Blair, all DPEs. Further details are promised by the FAA. 
 
The FAA is also overhauling its process for appointing new DPEs, eliminating the National Examiner Board in favor of a new National Appointment Process.
 
"We're grateful to the FAA for recognizing the seriousness of this issue and taking steps to correct it," said David St. George, SAFE Executive Director.

"Head Masters" Honored at AirVenture 2018

JoAnn and Sandy Hill
Among those honored at this year's AirVenture this year were JoAnn and Sandy Hill, "Head Masters" for the Master Aviation Educator honors and creators of the Master Instructor Program.

"This amazing husband and wife team has done more to enhance aviation professionalism than any two people," said David St George, SAFE Executive Director. "After developing the Master Instructor Program, it was a natural step for the Hills to revitalize and improve the FAA's National GA Awards, which annually recognize the best flight instructor, maintenance technician and FAA Safety Team Representative in the country."  


SAFE Recognized As 10-Year EAA Partner

The Experimental Aircraft Association, which produces the annual AirVenture extravaganza at Oshkosh, WI every summer, recognized SAFE this year for its 10 year milestone as an EAA partner in safety.
 
The recognition was bestowed as a large hanging banner placed to the side of the double-booth space occupied by SAFE this year at AirVenture 2018. The recognition focused on SAFE's continued support of EAA and the world's premier aviation event.  

 
David St George Named SAFE Executive Director
David St George
 
Charter SAFE member and most recent Chair of the SAFE Board, David St George, was appointed the organization's new Executive Director at the SAFE Board meeting at Oshkosh this year.
 
David has flown for 47 years and spent 25 years managing a Part 141 flight school. Most recently a 135 corporate charter pilot, he is currently flying a Cessna Citation Ultra. He is also an active FAA Designated Pilot Examiner and FAASTeam lead representative in Northeast.


EAA Pilot Proficiency Center Busy At OSH

This year's EAA Pilot Proficiency Center literally buzzed with activity all week, according to SAFE member John Dorcey, who helped coordinate the organization's activities at AirVenture2018.
 
"Even during lunch hours, the PPC was busy," he reported. "All 14 sims were being utilized, the lobby area was teeming with traffic and the seminar theatre was standing room only."
 
The EAA Pilot Proficiency Center grew from a concept pioneered by SAFE co-founder Doug Stewart and is now run by EAA and staffed each AirVenture with volunteer CFIs from both SAFE and NAFI.
 
Fourteen advanced Redbird simulators were set up in the Pilot Proficiency Center and run continuously, with volunteer CFIs from both SAFE and NAFI teaching strategic scenarios.
 
In addition to SAFE, sponsors for this year's EAA Pilot Proficiency Center are EAA IMC Club, Hartzell Propellers, Redbird Flight Simulations, AOPA, Jeppesen, Community Aviation, Mindstar Aviation, NAFI and PilotEdge.

SAFE To Exhibit At Santa Fe Fly-In

SAFE will be represented September 14 and 15 at the AOPA Fly-In at Santa Fe, NM. Among the events will be a Barnstormer's Party, sponsored by Jeppesen, and a pancake breakfast Saturday morning with sausage, scrambled eggs and pancakes.
 
Volunteers are still needed to staff the SAFE display at the fly-in event. It's fun to be an exhibitor at these events. To volunteer, please log in to this Doodle to select a time you can staff the booth.  A SAFE member to receive the organization's large banner for the fly-in is also needed .
 
"Santa Fe, sometimes called 'The City Different,' is a magical place," said David St George, SAFE Executive Director. "Its history is legendary, and the tri-part culture will fascinate you. Please come join us in the middle of September in colorful New Mexico."
 
Redesigned, Updated SAFE Web Site Up
A completely redesigned and updated SAFE web site is officially open for business. We are currently working to integrate the back-end database with the new presentation. To view and use the new site, just add "ww2" instead of the usual "www" to the URL prefix. Or click here.
 
"It's oh-so-much cleaner and more efficient than our old web site, which served the organization from shortly after SAFE was organized in 2009," said David St George, SAFE Executive Director. "Users will be able to find resources, SAFE programs, member benefits and much more easily."
 
The site was constructed primarily by SAFE Board member Eric Hake, who makes his living creating aviation-related applications.

Missed AirVenture 2018? Too Bad....
Photos by Larry Baum

SAFE Member Susan Parson
SAFE Booth volunteers and professional
CFIs Greg Acton, Stuart Lieber



 
From left, Glenna Blackwell, Head Masters Sandy and JoAnn Hill and SAFE co-founder Doug Stewart

Wright Master Pilot Alan Davis with
wife Shelly and FAA's Val Palazzolo
Morning CFI Briefing at EAA-PPC

SAFE Working To Include MCA in Instructor ACS


The FAA subcommittee responsible for the new Instructor ACS submitted a new Instructor ACS "slow flight" area of operation to the FAA, hoping to build a better understanding of minimum controllable airspeed for future instructors. Although still a work in progress, the new area of operation will hopefully be included in the new Instructor ACS expected out in about a year.
 
"With the omission of minimum controllable airspeed from the Private and Commercial ACS, we felt it was critical that future CFIs truly understand aerodynamics, especially maneuvering during slow flight," said Dr. Donna Wilt, SAFE's representative on the FAA working group for ACS development.. "The committee created the new area of operation to encourage CFIs to help their students explore and better understand the regime of flight at minimum controllable airspeeds."
 

NTSB Blogs Introduced
Can Be Valuable Training Tool, SAFE Says
 
A bevy of NTSB blogs covering several of the agency's venues (aviation, highways, etc) are being published online. Recently, the NTSB's Director of the Office of Aviation Safety cogently explained why the agency wishes that Part 135 flight data monitoring would be taken seriously. The wish came out of a fatal Hawker 700A crash in 2015, where the NTSB found that the was crew extremely lax about prescribed procedures for flying the airplane. Worse, nobody at the company had ever monitored the way this crew flew the airplane.
 
"Pilots have always studied accident reports in hopes of preventing themselves from making the same mistakes," said SAFE Chair David St George. "These new NTSB blogs add expertise to the descriptions and explore other issues that are causing accidents. It can be a valuable training tool."
 
Aviation NTSB blogs currently available are:
 


 
 
SAFE Board Meets At AirVenture 2018
SAFE Board of Directors 2018

As required by SAFE bylaws, the SAFE Board of Directors held its annual membership meeting at Oshkosh, welcoming new Board members Hobie Tomlinson of VT, Veronica Cote of CT and Cres Wise of GA. Three new Board members are elected directly by the membership every year to serve a three-year term, thus ensuring that at least one-third of the nine-member Board has a fresh view of issues every year.
 
Also at the Board meeting, long-time SAFE member David St George was appointed Executive Director of the organization at the meeting.

National GA Award Winners Recognized at AirVenture 2018
The 2018 National General Aviation Award winners were recognized with plaques at a special award ceremony in the FAA's Safety Center at Oshkosh.

This year's winners include: National Certificated Flight Instructor of the Year Daniel P. Christman of Las Vegas, Nev; National Aviation Technician of the Year C. William Pancake, Jr., of Keyser WV and National FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year Dr. Catherine E. Cavagnaro of Sewanee, TN.

Catherine Cavagnaro, FAASTeam Member Of The Year
Bill Pancake, Technician Of The Year

 
Daniel Christman, CFI Of The Year

SAFE Blog Updates

Pilot Envelope Expansion Dr. Ed Wischmeyer, a PhD from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, an ATP and long-time CFI, has created and catalogued a series of maneuvers designed to expand a pilot's flight envelope without exceeding the aerodynamic limits of a normal Part 23 aircraft. 

Dr. Wischmeyer has submitted these maneuvers as a solution for the high rate of Loss of Control Inflight (LOC-I) accidents.

LOC-I GA accidents have been on the NTSB's hit list for several years, and SAFE has been working to reduce the number by emphasizing a better understanding of aerodynamics.
Many FAA Services Now Online

Since instructors are expected to know everything, SAFE presents a reminder for CFIs that some of the most common FAA interactions can be done quickly and easily online, on the Airmen Services server. Among the services available are:

At Last! A Meaningful and Challenging Flight Review (AOPA)
 
Interesting, useful help for CFIs to make the required Flight Review meaningful is as near as your computer, tablet or phone.
 
The "Focused Flight Review" program was developed by the AOPA Air Safety Institute in cooperation with SAFE, the Bonanza Society, NAFI, COPA, FAA Safety News, Pilot Workshops, TBM and EAA.
 
There are six Focused Flight Reviews, each designed to improve skills in a specific area. Both CFI and pilot have a complete manual and path for getting the most benefit out of your biannual flight review.
 
"Pick and profile, share it with your CFI," said Tom Haines AOPA Senior VP, speaking to pilots on the AOPA Live weekly video program.

Are Post-Flight Instructional Debriefings Important?
CloudAhoy Offering Large SAFE Member Discount

Wouldn't it be great to have a comprehensive debriefing of the flight with your student, immediately after landing, complete with precise flight tracks, profiles and an analysis of maneuvers and/or instrument approaches you can show on your phone or tablet?
 
CloudAhoy electronic debriefing service does that. The long-time SAFE supporter is now offering SAFE members a 33 percent discount from its regular $65 yearly cost, making a year's subscription just $44.
 
For any active CFI who has struggled to explain what a student was doing wrong a few minutes before, CloudAhoy's debriefing service can be invaluable. The app is available free for either Android or Apple and will record all flight parameters.

New FAA Safety Briefing Corrals Common Causes of GA Mishaps

The FAA's free bimonthly Safety Briefing for July/August 2018 wins the coveted SAFE Government Creativity Award for August, with a cover showing Humphrey Bogart and a departing Twin Beech in foggy conditions. The theme from the 1942 classic movie Casablanca continues with magazine content to corral common causes of GA mishaps, including Thinking For Two, a treatise by noted CFI and SAFE member Susan Parson on managing instructional risk.
 
"We round up the usual suspects in our feature articles, covering familiar safety topics like loss of control, weather, runway safety, and fuel management," said Safety Briefing editor Tom Hoffman. Among the major feature articles in this month's edition are:
 
Master of My Fate - maintaining aircraft control.
Is That My Runway? - avoiding wrong surface operations.
Thinking For Two - managing instructional risk.
Maybe Not Today - avoiding continued VFR into IMC.
 
Also in this issue are the regular columns on GA news and events, aeromedical topics, maintenance and FAA resources and safety reminders.

Master Instructor Updates

Heather Elise McNevin

Heather Elise McNevin of Northfield MN renewed her Master Aviation Educator  (MAE) credentials July 1 through Master Instructors LLC . She is a two-time Master and SAFE member.    
 
She is an FAA certificated flight and ground instructor at Northfield's Stanton Airfield, operating
McNevin Aviation, Inc . She is also a high and low altitude radar ATC specialist and provides on-the-job training at the Minneapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center.  Additionally, she serves in the Minnesota Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) and is a FAASTeam lead representative for the Minneapolis FSDO.



Victor Silva Fernandes of Portugal received Master Aviation Educator
Victor Silva Fernandes
certification July 18 through
Master Instructors LLC. Victor is a type rating instructor specializing in upset prevention and recovery and a captain on the Airbus A-330 / A-340 series.
 
A long-time Portuguese Air Force pilot and navigator, he participates in numerous maritime patrols, search & rescue missions, and has worked as a ground instructor for pilots, navigators, and air traffic controllers.


Again, thanks for your support and Fly SAFE!


David St. George, Chair
Society of Aviation and Flight Educators
Copyright SAFE, Inc. 2018. All rights reserved.
SAFE, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Public Charity

Editor@SafePilots.org -- Safe@SafePilots.org -- www.SafePilots.org