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| 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. |
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Chair's Corner
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by David St. George, SAFE Chair
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David St George
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Happy Spring (well, almost!) to our members and aviation safety advocates! Your membership and support make our amazing success possible, so thank you.
SAFE continues to grow and add both resources and discounts for members. New this month are products from Scott
Dennstaedt (AvWx Workshops), an experienced CFI-I and former NWS research meteorologist. He is a truly professional educator, and I have been a fan of his work for years. His website and courses are valuable resources, and coming soon will be a native app as part of your membership.
Check out great savings on our benefits page HERE.
Also see below for news about SAFE's exciting new TV studio broadcast from Fun 'n Sun, managed by our collaborator Gold Seal Groundschools. SAFE members may use our studio to publicize their own aviation products or services during the show and take home a professional video. To take advantage of this opportunity, use the online form to let us know a bit about yourself and your product or service.
Please join the excitement at the SAFE booth at Sun 'n Fun and sign up to help at the booth. We need volunteers daily and have a few daily admission tags for booth volunteers; it's first come, first serve, so select your volunteer time here.
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Metal Fatigue AD To Affect 14,653 Training Aircraft
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An airworthiness directive (AD) proposed by the FAA last month is calling for repetitive inspections and repairs, if necessary, on 14,653 Cessna (now Textron Aviation Inc) airplanes due to possible metal fatigue in the lower forward doorpost, which could cause the wing strut attachment to fail in flight.
The bulk of the airplanes affected are Cessna 172 and Cessna 182 models commonly used in flight training. A full list of affected models by serial number
is available on the Regulations.gov site
. Compliance with the AD would be required when aircraft reach 4,000 hours time in service (TIS), or within the next 200 hours TIS for aircraft with more than 4,000 TIS.
The agency estimates the cost of the inspection at $127.50. Should cracks be found, the agency says, the estimated cost of repair would range from $2,686 to $2,992.
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Record "Improbable Turn" Livestream Attendance
Volume Briefly Broke Server
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A record 3,000+ instructors and pilots tuned in February 8 for SAFE's
The Improbable Turn
livestream safety seminar. This amazing success briefly overloaded the feed's server. Fortunately, it recovered quickly and SAFE processed over 1,200 FAA Master Wings credits after the seminar.
An "improbable turn" is an attempt after engine failure shortly after takeoff to turn back to the runway rather than landing straight ahead. See the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook pages 6-7.
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We had to tread carefully to not ruffle feathers on this controversial subject," said St. George.
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"SAFE Studio" Throughout Sun 'n Fun
You, Too, Can Be A Star
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SAFE has teamed up with Gold Seal Ground Schools to offer continuous entertainment and excitement at the show with "SAFE TV" throughout the Sun 'n Fun show in Lakeland FL April 10-15, 2018. SAFE will be recording in a mobile professional TV studio for broadcast on the web, offering a venue for celebrities, sponsors and SAFE members who want to broadcast to the world - literally - their talents, schools or services.
If you are interested in being interviewed on "SAFE TV" at this year's Sun 'n Fun, please
complete the short sign-up form and we will work to get you scheduled for your own shot at stardom.
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Driver's License Medical Info Available
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 Flight instructors are being increasingly faced with questions about the new so-called driver's license medical, which FAA has named BasicMed. SAFE has supported BasicMed, in part to increase instructional opportunities for CFIs as thousands of non-current pilots return to aviation.
AOPA has announced a suite of online resources for pilots and physicians, called
"Fit to Fly"
web pages, to pilots and CFIs. It is not necessary to be an AOPA member to use those resources.
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SAFE Blog Updates for March
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Is A Turn Back To The Runway Impossible? Or Just Improbable?
How can something as simple as takeoff and climb-out be responsible for 24 percent of fatal GA aviation accidents? According to the NTSB data, this is the most fatal phase of flight. Part of each takeoff planning session should include what you'll do if the engine quits shortly after your wheels leave the ground.
Should We Give Pilots "Sharp Tools?"
by David St. George. St. George relates a childhood experience that taught him the difference between ordinary instruction and "sharp tool" instruction. He asks "As CFIs, do we teach pilots the "least common denominator solution," or do we want to risk "sharp tools" and teach judgment with the inevitable danger of misuse?"
Educator Professionalism Creates Excellence in Aviation
. The tenets of professionalism apply to flight instructors regardless of whom they teach or the aircraft type, and professionalism is the foundation for excellence and success. Former FAA safety official Bryan Neville provides measures you can use to evaluate your own professionalism.
How and Why We Fail.
You may know that the NTSB lists "pilot error" about 75 percent of the time in the causes assigned to each accident. You also know that pilots read accident reports voraciously, on the theory that they can glean knowledge that will prevent them from making a similar mistake.
Then why, pray tell, does not that 75% "pilot error" rate decrease year-by-year? SAFE Chair David St. George has one answer to that pressing question.
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CFI Presenter Sign-Up Time Short for SNF
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 SAFE members willing to pass on their hard-won aviation experience at this year's Sun 'n Fun, April 10 - 15, are still needed.
"Our membership is full of the most experienced pilots, instructors and FAA designated examiners," said David St. George, SAFE chair. "From the beginning, SAFE has been a professional organization and passing on wisdom with a seminar or three at this year's Sun 'n Fun is worthwhile."
Speaking slots tend to fill up quickly as the show dates near, said Laura Vaughn, Director of Events at this year's Sun 'n Fun. "You get to pick the topic as long as it is aviation-related and educational, and not just selling or promoting a particular product."
Fifty-minute seminars are scheduled Tuesday-Sunday from 9am until 1pm, with the last presentation finished by 2pm. Forum registrations are
available online
, and St. George asked that SAFE members presenting
notify SAFE
of their subject and time slot scheduled so the seminar can be advertised as widely as possible.
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Make A Difference
Become A SAFE Board Member
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5 of 2016's SAFE Board Members |
"As you know, SAFE is an entirely volunteer-led organization, said David St. George, SAFE Chair. "If you'd like to help advance aviation safety and educator excellence, tell us about yourself and why you want to serve. We need people with enough time to work and actively participate in growing SAFE and spreading
our mission
of aviation safety and educator excellence."
You may nominate yourself or someone else, provided your nominee is agreeable to run for the specified term and meets the requirements listed below. Nominations must be received by May 30, 2018. Questions to answer on the application are:
- Why do you want to serve on the SAFE Board of Directors?
- How will your aviation and professional background, special talents, and leadership skills help to further SAFE's mission and goals?
- What do you see as the most pressing concerns and/or tasks for SAFE and for SAFE's Board of Directors in the next 3 years, based on SAFE's current mission and vision statements?
- Other ideas for growing SAFE and providing resources to our members?
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Sun 'n Fun SAFE Member Discount Announced
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Sun 'n Fun CFO Tracy T. Neal confirmed this week that SAFE members will be eligible for an admission discount to this year's Sun 'n Fun airshow, set for Lakeland, FL, April 10-15, 2018. The discount will be $5 off the regular $37 price for daily admission, and $30 off the regular $150 weekly admission, making adult tickets $32 and $120, respectively.
There is no discount on the $15 daily or $60 weekly youth tickets, for ages 11-17. To claim the discount, SAFE members must enter the code "SAFE012" when
buying tickets online
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SAFE will have a double-wide booth at the event and offer continuous live interviews on SAFE TV, in cooperation with Gold Seal Ground Schools.
To appear on SAFE TV at this year's Sun 'n Fun, please complete the short sign-up form.
Please sign-up to help at the S.A.F.E. Booth (and join the excitement there) We need volunteers daily; there are a few day admission passes for early booth volunteers.
Select your booth time here.
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AvWx Workshops Adds Discount For SAFE Members
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New SAFE sponsor
AvWx Workshops
is giving SAFE members an additional $30 discount on the cost of membership, making the annual AvWxWorkshops membership price just $49. The annual membership was
$119 but is now on sale to the public for $79. With the additional $30 savings, SAFE members get the annual AvWxWorkshops membership for just $49.
AvWx Workshops provides the Internet Wx Brief Roadmap, a suite of high resolution weather guidance designed to increase your situational awareness with respect to the weather better than any other preflight weather planning tool. It also provides unlimited access to a comprehensive library of bite-sized aviation weather training workshops that can be used online via PCs, Macs, iPads and iPhones.
"AvWx Workshops owner Scott Dennstaedt is an CFI-I and former NWS research meteorologist specializing in aviation weather training," said SAFE Chair David St. George. "He has written over 100 articles for various aviation magazines to include IFR, Plane & Pilot, Pilot Journal, Flying, Aviation Consumer and Twin & Turbine magazines just to name a few."
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National CFI, A&P and FAASTeam Rep Announced
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C. William Pancake Jr.
Aviation Technician Of The Year |
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Privatized ATC Grab Defeated
For This Year, Anyway
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In a surprise move late last month, Pennsylvania Republican Representative Bill Shuster announced that he was removing the ATC Privatization provision of his FAA reauthorization bill, HR 2997. That provision would have spun off the US air traffic control system to non-profit management. A privatized ATC has been opposed by virtually every general aviation group in the country, in part because it would effectively give control of the entire airspace system to the airlines, which could result in squeezing GA activity at larger airports, including flight instruction.
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Bill Shuster R-PA
ATC Privatization Author |
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Shuster's move was an acknowledgment that united GA opposition to the plan doomed it.
President Trump has been a strong supporter of privatization, and included it in his 2019 budget, released last month. He has previously called ATC "an antiquated, wasteful mess." His proposal called for the change to be financed by taxes on airline tickets and aviation fuel. Many developed nations have similar arrangements, including Canada, the U.K. and Australia.
In a related move, Shuster announced his plans to retire from the House, where he has been chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
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FAA Goes "Back To Basics" In New FAA Safety Briefing
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The new
January/February 2018 issue of FAA Safety Briefing
takes a forward-thinking
journey "back to the basics" of flying fundamentals. Articles in this edition provide important tips, techniques, and resources for better avigation, navigation and communication.
The articles include:
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Master Instructor Updates
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SAFE's co-founder and first executive director and three former members of SAFE's Board of Directors were among those honored with Master Instructor certifications in January and February.
Stewart was the 2004 National CFI of the Year and owns and operates
Doug Stewart Flight Instruction
at Columbia County Airport in Hudson NY. This is his 10th renewal, making him a Master CFI for the past 20 years. Stewart was a co-founder of SAFE in 2009 and served as the organization's Executive Director for several years
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W
hen he retired
, he
was honored as Executive Director Emeritus by the SAFE Board of Directors.
In addition, he serves as a designated pilot examiner and a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Albany/Windsor Locks FSDO.
Dara is a longtime New Jersey aviation medical examiner (AME) as well as a Mooney Pilot Proficiency flight and ground instructor with the
Mooney Aircraft Pilots Association Safety Foundation
. He also serves as a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Philadelphia FSDO.
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Jack Vandeventer
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John W 'Jack' Vandeventer
of Indianapolis IN, a 7-time Master, charter member of SAFE and a former member of the organization's Board of Directors, was granted Master Instructor Emeritus (MIE) status on January 31 through
Master Instructors LLC
in recognition of his many years of commitment to excellence, professional growth, service to the aviation community, and quality aviation education.
Vandeventer is an independent CFI who instructs at
Montgomery Aviation on
Indianapolis Executive Airport where he specializes in technically advanced and high performance flight training. A former member of SAFE's board of directors, he also serves as a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Indianapolis FSDO.
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Michael L Phillips |
Michael L Phillips
of Ventura CA, a 6-time Master, long-time SAFE member and former member of the SAFE Board of Directors, renewed his Master CFI accreditation February 1 through
Master Instructors LLC
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Phillips
is a flight, ground, and simulator instructor with
CP Aviation,
a Cessna Pilot Center at Santa Paula Airport. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps, he also serves on the Master Instructor Board of Review as well as a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Van Nuys FSDO.
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| Gene Behrends |
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Gene Behrends of Cochran GA, a 1st-time Master Instructor as well as a member of
SAFE
and IAC, earned his Master CFI-Aerobatic accreditation February 5 through
Master Instructors LLC
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Gene is an assistant chief flight instructor at
Eastman's Middle Georgia State University
flight department. In that capacity, he specializes in stage checks, end-of-course checks, aerobatic instruction, and initial CFI training.
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James L Stover |
A retired US Army infantry officer, Jim is the chief flight instructor and owner of
JLS Aviation
, a Part 141 flight school at Shannon Airport, where he specializes in light sport through commercial flight training. He also serves as a representative of AOPA's Airport Surveillance Network (ASN) and is a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Richmond FSDO.
Colorado's first Master Instructor in 1998, Lonnie is the senior flight instructor and president of
Specialty Flight Training
, a Cessna Pilot Center at Boulder Airport. He also serves as a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Denver FSDO. Additionally, he was one of the first aviation educators to earn a Master designation when the accreditation program was first introduced in 1997, and is only the third instructor to ever be accredited eleven
times.
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Again, thanks for your support and
Fly SAFE!
David St. George, Chair
Society of Aviation and Flight Educators
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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 |
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