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Society of Aviation and Flight Educators eNewsletter  
IN THIS ISSUE
Message from the Chairman
Give Back!
Maine Teacher Wins Grant
SAFE to FAA -- Collect Recurrent Training Data
Pilot Proficiency Project
SAFE Resource Center
Recent Master Instructors
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October 2013 

SAFE represents more than 700 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 is also leading the Pilot Training Reform Initiative.

Message from the Chairman, John Dorcey

SAFE Activity Takes Off

There is much activity at both the board and committee levels of your organization. Of course our executive director, Doug Stewart, is keeping busy representing all of us at various meetings and events. SAFE, in partnership with Redbird Flight Simulation, is conducting our first Regional Pilot Proficiency Project in just a few weeks. A quick review is in order.

 

SAFE Board

Five new directors joined the board during the July meeting held at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. All nine directors are serving as board liaison to at least one committee. The board meets monthly via teleconference. Minutes of the board meetings are available here. I encourage all members to reach out to your directors with any questions, comments or suggestions. You can find their contact information here.  

 

Committee updates

The membership committee continues its efforts at increasing our membership as well as retention of existing members. Grassroots recruitment remains our most effective tool. Help the committee, and all of us, by asking your aviation educator friends to join SAFE.

The program development committee is working on several ideas; webinars are just one of them. Stand by for more news about this exciting topic.

Give Back

 

SAFE has numerous ways that its members can give back. One of those ways is to get involved in a committee that is focused on furthering the vision and mission of SAFE. There are a number of committees that may be a fit for you and you are encouraged to check them out. By involving yourself in a committee that fits your interests and talents, you help SAFE make an impact on aviation education and safety - right now! One of the committees that could use "a few good men or women" is the Government Affairs Committee. This committee is actively involved in responding to proposed FAA and other governmental rules and actions that will impact the general aviation community and the training practices used to make this industry safer. If you have an interest in being a part of this committee, please contact either Cliff Chetwin or Kurt Reesman.

 

For information on the committees needing your help contact John Dorcey.  Currently we need your help with the following committees:

  • Awards Committee
  • Finance Committee
  • Government Affairs Committee
  • Flight Training Safety Committee
  • Mentoring Committee
  • Social Media Committee

 

Maine Teacher Awarded SAFE Classroom Teacher Grant
Lisa M. Damian of Rockport, Maine is the winner of the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) 2013 K-12 Classroom Teacher Grant award.  Ms. Damian teaches physics at Camden Hills Regional High School in Rockport.  

The $250.00 grant award was initiated by SAFE this year to encourage classroom teachers to incorporate aviation and aerospace-themed lesson plans and projects into their regular classroom curriculum, helping support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) studies.

 

Ms. Damian's proposal involves a three-week capstone project during the 2013-2014 school year challenging high school juniors and seniors to research, design and build a model rocket.  The students must use a NASA engineering design process and apply Newtonian physics and numerical simulation to solve a second order differential equation.

 

Grant proposals were evaluated by seven SAFE aviation educators based on the following selection criteria:  uniqueness of the project; lasting effect of the learning outcomes; and feasibility of the replication of the project by other aviation educators.  

SAFE Asks FAA to Collect Recurrent Training Data
 

SAFE was among aviation industry and government leaders invited by FAA to a September 10 meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the FAA's annual GA and Part 135 Survey. Many of you have participated in the survey over the years. The FAA says one goal in conducting the survey is to "evaluate the impact of safety initiatives and regulatory changes." They go on to say, "Data collected from the survey is also used ...to pinpoint safety problems..."

 

These are certainly worthwhile goals. However, the problem, as we see it, is the FAA is not collecting the data critical to reaching those goals or be of value to other organizations like SAFE. When asked our opinion, SAFE Executive Director Doug Stewart suggested the FAA could improve the data collected with several minor changes in the "Types of Flying" portion of the survey.

 

Stewart said, "Dividing the types of flying relative to "instructional flight" into two categories: Primary Instructional Flight - flights through and including supervised solo; and Instructional Flight - flights including Flight Reviews, Instrument Proficiency Checks, WINGS programs and complex/tailwheel/high-performance training, could provide needed information regarding initial and recurrent training."

 

The data, if collected as suggested by Stewart, would be used by SAFE to help reach its goals and move us all closer to the organization's vision of a safer aviation environment.

Pilot Proficiency Project One Month Away
With less than one month to go until the first regional Pilot Proficiency Project kicks off (Oct. 26 - 27 at Skyport in San Marcos, TX) SAFE is gearing up for a great event.  Pilots that attend the event will have the opportunity to fly 11 different scenarios in the Redbird FMX, and attend 7 different seminars with topics for every type of pilot: from Single Pilot IFR to Tailwheel Tips and Tricks; from iPad Best Practices for Flight Planning to Human Factors in Loss of Control. Plus, pilots flying in to San Marcos (KHYI) will be able to purchase 100LL avgas for just $1.00 per gallon.

 

On Saturday evening (Oct. 26th) SAFE will host a dinner for SAFE members and guests that will be a wonderful opportunity for members to socialize and network. Additionally there will be discussion on "The Art of Teaching in the Cockpit" moderated by Rich Stowell and Doug Stewart. Click here to register if you plan on attending.

 

For those of you who live within a reasonable flying distance from Skyport you could help the promotion of this event by printing and posting this poster in your local flight school or FBO.

 

We hope to see you there!

SAFE Resource Center
This month's feature: Are Your Students in the Know on AROW?

Among the first items any pilot examiner will look at during a practical test is the airworthiness of the aircraft to be flown. What do your students need to know about this?  The answer goes well beyond just memorizing the rules and regs and knowing where to find the aircraft paperwork.  Pilot Examiner Larry Bothe reveals what his expectations are in his article, "What the Examiner Sees - Airworthiness Inspections, Records and Required Equipment." Find it in the Members Only Resource Center under the Testing topic.

Our SAFE Resource Center's Member Section is an exclusive benefit for all SAFE members. To make the most of YOUR membership, take advantage of the wide variety of instructional tools you'll find there. New resources are posted regularly, and you are encouraged to submit your own multimedia materials to the Resource Center.
Recent Master Instructor Designations
Congratulations to these SAFE members!

  Russell Frederick "Russ" STILL, Master CFI         (Renew:  18Sep13)  
Cumming  GA
E-mail:  Russell@GoldSealFlight.com
Russell F Still, a 5-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.  Russ is the president of Atlanta Flight Training at Gwinnett County Airport (LZU).  A published aviation author, he also serves with the Georgia Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) primarily as an instructor pilot.    

Edgar Melville "Ed" FINK, Master CFI       (Renew:  16Sep13)    
Fort Myers  FL
E-mail:    EdMFink@comcast.net
Edgar M Fink, a 9-time Master and a SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.  A retired Army officer, Ed is an independent flight and ground instructor at Page Field Airport (FMY) in Fort Myers.  He also serves with the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Sundowners Search & Rescue Flying Club, and was a longtime FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Tampa FSDO area. 

Kele Huia FERGERSTROM, Master CFI   (Renew:  1Sep13) 
Honolulu  HI
E-mail:  Kele@Fergerstrom.net 

Kele H Fergerstrom, a 2-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.  Kele is the chief flight instructor with Barbers Point Flight School at Kalaeloa Airport (HJR) where he specializes in primary and tailwheel flight training.  An A&P mechanic, he also serves in the Hawaii Wing of the CAP and is an industry check pilot for the Honolulu FSDO. 
 

Raymond Wilbur "Ray" BROWN, Master CFI      (Renew:  31Aug13)   
Avon Lake  OH
E-mail:  
 RayTopGun@yahoo.com 
Raymond W Brown, a 7-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.  Ray is the lead flight instructor and president of Top Gun Flight Training Academy at Burke Lakefront Airport (BKL) where he specializes in tailwheel and technically advanced training.  He also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA's Cleveland FSDO area.


 
Doug
Have a SAFE day!


Doug Stewart, Executive Director
Society of Aviation and Flight Educators
 
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