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Society of Aviation and Flight Educators eNewsletter  
IN THIS ISSUE
Please 'Step Up' - Support SAFE
SAFE Member is Best CFI
CFI, Flight Schools Rated Excellent
New SAFE Blog Contributions
Chart User Guide Available
SAFE at FLYING Expo
Hoover Praised, Thanked
Election: GA and the Candidates
New SAFE Web Site Due in December
Calendar Note
MyGoFlight Flight Bags
ForeFlight 8 is Here
Mastery of Flight on FB
SAFE Teacher Grants Valued
Master Instructor Activity
ENEWS SPONSORS
QUICK LINKS
SUBSCRIBE to eNEWS
2 November 2016

SAFE represents more than 1,100 of the industry's top aviation educators in 49 states and nine foreign countries, including the majority of Master Instructors and numerous General Aviation Awards winners in all four awards categories. 

 

SAFE Membership Nears 1,200
Still Time to "Step Up"

by David St. George, SAFE Chair

David St George
Thanks for your amazing response to our
Step Up campaign this fall!  SAFE Membership is growing rapidly, including a remarkable number of members who have taken advantage of the organization's Lifetime Membership .  We are grateful for our passionate supporters.

Mike Duc who stepped up to a SAFE
Mike Duc (left)
lifetime membership this month, is a near-perfect representative of our highly experienced membership. He has 37 years and 19,000 hours of flying and has been a CFI since 1981.  Mike taught in both A-10s and T-38s before going on to Southwest Airlines.

Although he is retiring from that airline as a captain, he remains an active pilot with his 1962 Mooney M-20C. You guys rock!
 
Please "be like Mike" and Step-Up for SAFE this holiday season.  You can throw your hat into the ring with a supporting membership or a donation. We need funds to continue our advocacy, such as our continued representation of CFIs and other pilots as a member of the FAA Aviation Working Group and our presence at shows like the Flying Expo in Palm Springs last month.
 
SAFE will be updating to a new website this month and you may see notices in your e-mail to that effect as we migrate the database and permissions. This new site will be much more exciting and modern than our current website and will allow increased functionality and present fresh resources for our members. We will alert you with an e-mail notification when we know the final cutover date, of course.
 
Please check our blog for a   tribute to the amazing Bob Hoover and be aware Jeppesen recently updated their Sid/Star format.  Fly SAFE and have fun.

SAFE Member Brenda Tibbs Named 
Best Flight Instructor in National AOPA Poll


SAFE Member Brenda Tibbs

S AFE member Brenda Tibbs of Bravo Flight Training in Frederick, MD was named Best Flight Instructor in the 2016 AOPA Flight Training Excellence Awards.  The awards were announced Oct. 26.  (Photo courtesy David Tulis, AOPA).
 
Tibbs, who learned to fly in 2001, owns and operates the school at 330 Aviation Way on KFDK.  The school's aircraft include a Cessna 150 Commuter, a Cessna 172 and a recently-acquired Piper Arrow. FAR Part 61 training available includes courses for private, instrument, commercial and certificated flight instructor.
 
As an up-to-date flight school, Bravo Flight Training maintains a web site as well as an active Facebook page.  Scheduling for instruction or rental is available on the school's web site.


More Than 75% of CFIs, Flight Schools 
Rated Good or Excellent

An online poll of subscribers to AOPA's Aviation eBrief at the end of October found that more than three-quarters of students and pilots rated their flight training experience as good or excellent.  AOPA cautioned that as a self-selecting Internet-based poll, the results should not be used for research.
Graphic Courtesy SmartBrief
 
More than half (54.5%) of the responses rated experience with their CFI or flight school as "excellent," while more than a quarter (27.8%) described their flight training experience as "good."  Fewer than one in five respondents rated their training as average or poor.  

Despite the good results of this poll, the number of FAA-certificated pilots in the US continues to decline, from 827,000 in 1980 to about 600,000 today.  About 40 percent of the population held a private pilot certificate in 1980, but that dropped to 30 percent in 2013 and is forecast to continue dropping to 28 percent in 2034. Worse, the number of beginning students has dropped nearly 30 percent in just the last 10 years.

"While we're always happy to see poll results like this, we should remember that several reliable studies have found that close to 80 percent of people who start flight training drop out before earning their pilot certificate," said SAFE Chair David St. George.  "One of SAFE's goals is to lower that horrendous number of dropouts through increased professionalism, on both the part of CFIs and flight schools."  

New SAFE Blog Contributions

More Like Bob Hoover!   A tribute to legendary pilot Bob Hoover, who died last month at age 94, includes sentiments from aerobatic pilots Sean Tucker and Patty Wagstaff.  "To live constantly on the edge of disaster for so many years and die peacefully at 94 bears clear testimony to Bob's piloting skills and also his risk management acumen," said SAFE Chair David St. George.  "Because he pursued excellence in everything he did (but especially flying) Bob survived some incredibly challenging situations; his skill, courage and ingenuity brought him through every crisis."
 
Slow Flight Viewpoint.    Master CFI Rich Stowell, who has logged more than 9,000 hours of dual given, bluntly tells the FAA that its new standard for slow flight - which requires NOT triggering the aircraft's stall warning indicator - is incompatible with not only previous FAA guidance but also Part 23 airworthiness guidance for manufacturers. His erudite analysis is a concise summary of the argument against the new FAA slow flight standard.

Read More...
New Aeronautical Chart User Guide Available

The 12th edition of the FAA's Aeronautical Chart User's Guide is now available for  free download , and it's a gold mine of information for CFIs and their students.
 
"Many student pilots - and often certificated pilots - don't even scratch the surface of information available on their lowly sectional aeronautical chart, or its electronic version on an Android or iPad tablet's screen," said Kevin D Murphy, SAFE member and former VP of the AOPA Air Safety Institute.  "Worse, CFIs too often skip an in-depth briefing and just hit the highlights of charts and expect their student to puzzle out the rest."  
 
The 85 pages of this illustrated 12th edition are useful to new pilots as a learning aid, and to experienced pilots as a quick reference guide.  The booklet explains all VFR charts, including Helicopter Route Charts and VFR Flyway Planning Charts, as well as low and high altitude enroute IFR charts and terminal procedure charts.

 "For instance, if you fly into an area shown with this symbol  (right image) on a sectional chart, should you be concerned?," asked David St. George, SAFE Chair.  "If you don't know, your students won't either and that lack of knowledge could hurt them.  No instructor should be without one of these free guides."

 
October's FLYING EXPO 
"Great to see so many SAFE members"

By Donna Wilt

Thanks to the support of members and sponsors, SAFE helped make the 2016 FLYING Aviation Expo in Palm Springs last month a success.  
 
The FLYING Expo - modeled on the AOPA Expo held in Palm Springs in years past -  brought together pilots, aircraft manufacturers and pilot products and services for 3 days of airplane browsing, product shopping and pilot education.
Dr. Earl Weener, NTSB
 
SAFE had a significant presence in the pilot-education portion of the Expo, with SAFE member Dr. Earl Weener, an NTSB Board Member, as Friday's keynote speaker (pictured).  SAFE members presenting at the Expo including Gary Reeves, Judy Phelps, Kay Sundaram, Donna Wilt,  Radek Wyrzykowski, and Howard Wolvington.  A copy of Wilt's seminar, Avoiding Runway Incursions, will be available shortly in the public section of SAFE's Resource Center.


Flight Instructor Bob Hoover Praised, Thanked
"We Should All Aspire To Be More Like Bob"

Legendary pilot and flight instructor Bob Hoover, 94, died Oct 25 at his home in Los Angeles.   A tribute to his life, An Evening Celebrating Bob Hoover , was held just five months ago at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.

Mr. Hoover learned to fly as a teenager and taught himself loops and rolls in training aircraft before enlisting in the Tennessee National Guard.   At the onset of World War II, he was sent to England as a flight instructor for the Royal Air Force, but finally persuaded his commanders to grant him combat duty, telling them "I can hit a target upside down or right side up."

He was shot down by the German Luftwaffe in February of 1944, but escaped in the chaotic final days of the war by  commandeering an aircraft from a deserted Nazi base and flying to freedom in the newly liberated Netherlands.  In his memoir, he told of being chased after landing by pitchfork-wielding Dutch farmers enraged by the plane's German markings.
 
"As pilots and caring humans we should all aspire to be more like Bob Hoover," said SAFE Chair David St. George.  "What an incredible person and pilot he was, and what an example of a life well-lived."
 
 
SAFE Education Outreach
How Do The Presidential Candidates View General Aviation?

SAFE takes no position on candidates for public office, but urges you to exercise your right to vote in the November 8 elections nationwide.

For a review of the two presidential candidate's views on general aviation, including GA's contribution to the economy, role of local airports, GA in education, third class medical reform, imposition of user fees and the FAA's recent move to risk-based regulations for new and legacy aircraft, go to the November 1 edition of AOPA eBrief.    No AOPA membership is required to read this summary.

SAFE Website NOT Improved
It Will Be ALL NEW Instead, Starting In December

New SAFE Web Site
After a gestation of more than two years, the all-new SAFE website will be born in December.
 
"The original, mostly static site was created shortly after the organization was formed in 2009," said David St. George, SAFE Chair.  "Since then, we've grown to nearly 1,200 of the most experienced instructors in the world, and our web site needed to catch up."
 
The new user-friendly, easy-to-navigate and interactive SAFE website will feature fresh resources for CFIs and other aviation educators while retaining the current large library of instructional aids.  Members will receive an email notice in late November or December when the new site is active.

SAFE also maintains an active FaceBook page with regular notices of current events and safety tips.  A SAFE Blog is available for viewpoints of SAFE members related to general aviation and aviation instructional excellence.


Calendar Note: Visit SAFE at Sun'n Fun, AirVenture Next Year
 
 
SAFE officials and members will staff the new SAFE exhibit booth in 2017 at both Florida's Sun'n Fun, April 4-9 and at EAA's AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 24-30. 

In Lakeland, the organization's booth space at Sun'n Fun in Lakeland will be A-059, the same as in 2016.  The SAFE location at AirVenture 2017 last year was in Hangar B, spaces 2093 and 2094, but keep watch on SAFE eNews for confirmation of the 2017 AirVenture location.  Members who would like to present a seminar at Sun'n Fun may sign up now to get the best day and time.
 
An electronic sign-up sheet for SAFE members willing to help staff the booth at either or both events will be available on the SAFE web site in early Spring, 2017.


My Go Flight Bags With SAFE Logo Available

Quality custom flight bags with the SAFE logo embroidered on the front are now available from MyGoFlight.com.   A short video showing the various features of the Flight Bag PLC is on the MyGoFlight web site.
 
"It's designed by pilots to meet the exacting needs of the cockpit environment," said SAFE's Donna Wilt.  "It can carry a headset or overnight gear, an iPad or other tablets, even a laptop computer up to 13 inches.  But it's the bright blue and yellow SAFE logo on the front that marks a pilot or instructor as a professional pilot."
 
Interior pockets of the bag are made of mesh, making finding and accessing stored items easy.  The exterior is made of sail cloth, making it water resistant, and it comes with a strong shoulder strap.
 
The MyGoFlight customized bags are available in sizes from the Flight Bag PLC Lite, which measures 14" x 6" x 11" to the Flight Bag PLC Pro, which measures 16" x 9" x 14".  Prices range from $99 to $189, plus the embroidery charge for the SAFE logo and may be ordered online .

ForeFlight 8 Is Here!


ForeFlight, a leader in GPS-based navigation software, has announced the debut of the revolutionary ForeFlight 8.  Company founder Tyson Weihs calls it "the next generation in data-driven map technology." 

ForeFlight, which provides SAFE members with 33% off annual subscriptions to its software, says the ForeFlight 8 map engine is completely rebuilt, using underlying data rather than simply reproducing a paper chart.

According to the company, the new ForeFlight 8 features global charts with Continuous Zoom, a feature that keeps key information appropriate to different zoom levels. Charts are available in the company's Basic Plus, Pro Plus and Business Pro plans. 

Displays of the moving map are available in classic, light or dark modes.  (In photo, light is top, classic is middle and dark is below). . A short video  showing new features of the software is available on YouTube.

ForeFlight 8 includes Smart Airway Labels on IFR enroute charts that expand magnetic bearing and the airway MEAs on zoom-in.  Embedded airport diagrams directly on the map no longer require separately opening the published airport diagram.
 

Mastery of Flight Postings Now on SAFE FaceBook Page

 
Master Flight Instructor and SAFE member Tom Turner's Flying Lessons series is now being posted on SAFE's FaceBook page.   Use the search function for FLYING LESSONS.   The short, insightful posts are also posted on Turner's web site,   Mastery Flight Training.
 
Flying Lessons for October 6 uses the past week's mishap reports to consider what might have contributed to accidents, so you can make better decisions if you face similar circumstances.
 
Turner opines that in almost all cases, design characteristics of a specific make and model airplane have little direct bearing on the possible causes of aircraft accidents, so apply these Flying Lessons to any airplane you fly. Verify all technical information before applying it to your aircraft or operation, with manufacturers' data and recommendations taking precedence. You are pilot in command, and are ultimately responsible for the decisions you make.

SAFE's Aviation Education
Help Ensure GA's Future
Scott Cutler's Students With Aviation Project

Not everyone knows that SAFE's mission isn't limited to promoting instructional excellence from flight instructors in the right seat of an airplane (or left seat in a rotorcraft). 
 
Not at all. SAFE's official mission and vision statements also apply to public and private school teachers who use aviation as a springboard to capture their student's enthusiasm for learning.  For the last four years, SAFE has been awarding modest educational grants to teachers from elementary and secondary schools for use to in aviation-related projects with their students.  Two such grants were awarded in 2014 and again in 2015.  Thanks to generous SAFE supporters there will be four grants awarded in 2017.
 
What good do these modest, $250 yearly SAFE grants do to interest students in aviation?  Please read this short essay from one of last year's grant recipient teachers.

Project Report from 2015 SAFE K-12 Classroom Teacher Grant Competition 
by Scott Cutler
Science Teacher
A.G. West Black Hills High School
"As a flight instructor and a science teacher, I have combined my love of flying with my love of teaching by creating an aeronautical engineering course to draw students into the field of aviation or careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). 

Master Instructor Activity


Three top professional aviation educators have renewed their Master Instructor designations through Master Instructors, LLC .  The designation identifies outstanding aviation educators who demonstrate an ongoing commitment to excellence, professional growth, and service to the aviation community.    The three are Lance Alan Bartel, Erick de Barros Camara and Ken Wittekiend, Jr.

"Through their dedication to excellence, Masters have earned their "black belts" in aviation education," said Sandy Hill, administrator of the Master Instructor program.  "They truly represent the crème de la crème of the aviation industry."

The Master Instructor designation is a national accreditation recognized by the FAA.  


Lance Alan Bartel

Erick de Barros Camara

Ken Wittekiend, Jr

 

Fly SAFE!


David St. George, Chair
Society of Aviation and Flight Educators
Copyright SAFE, Inc. 2016. All rights reserved.
SAFE, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Public Charity

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