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Society of Aviation and Flight Educators eNewsletter  
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IN THIS ISSUE
SAFE Membership Benefits
SAFE Content
The Profitable Instructor
CFI Survey
Recent Master Instructors
ENEWS SPONSORS
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1 September 2015 

SAFE represents more than 900 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 developed and is now offering Regional Pilot Proficiency Projects across the U.S.

 

SAFE Membership Benefits
The biggest benefit of being a SAFE member is participation. Regardless of where you are in your aviation career, volunteering in a SAFE effort provides you numerous rewards. Do you want to enhance your resume, share your skills in creating multimedia programs, or practice your communication skills? These goals and more are within reach and for less time commitment than you might imagine. You'll gain many benefits, tangible and intangible, when you become a SAFE volunteer. Last issue I detailed how more than 48 SAFE members served the organization and the aviation industry by volunteering at AirVenture 2015.

"From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life."
~ Arthur Ashe

I can hear you asking, "So what's in it for me?" Here are three genuine examples: First, improve future job prospects by increasing your circle of acquaintances. Serve as a SAFE committee member and you'll work with a handful of others, gain new friends, and possibly meet a future employer or gain a job reference. Second, become a SAFE Ambassador and become a local aviation resource. Third, give back to the aviation community. You could give your treasure by becoming a supporting member of SAFE but why not "go all in" and share your time and talents. Share experience you've gained as an aviation educator or other skill set with SAFE members and the aviation community on a larger scale.

I want to emphasize my second point in the previous paragraph, become a SAFE Ambassador. The Ambassador Program has been around since the beginning of this year and to date a handful of members - Rich Stowell, Jeanne MacPherson, Steve Quigg, and Chris Hope have and continue to serve as SAFE Ambassadors. Chris is the 2015 National FAASTeam Representative of the Year. I wonder if his ambassador status helped him win that award.

Ambassadors represent SAFE at local or regional events - fly-ins, pancake breakfasts, pilot safety meetings, conferences, or any event where aviation is the topic. Imagine the impact you could have on aviation! You'll have all the resources you need: materials that identify you as a SAFE representative, print items that tell the SAFE story, exhibit materials, and contact information for other SAFE subject matter experts. You can be as active as you desire. Participate in one activity or do something monthly.

Email JoAnn Hill, Ambassador Program contact, at MasterInstrs@aol.com

We all benefit from having you as a SAFE member - a participating member. I ask you to become active in SAFE. You and the aviation community will benefit.


SAFE Content

Membership benefits continue with useful content from several sources. In addition to this monthly eNewsletter, our quarterly online magazine provides SAFE members great information. Show your thanks to our newsletter and magazine sponsors by visiting their websites (see links in the left-hand column).

Do you use Facebook? If so, we hope that you have pushed the "Like" button on our page at www.facebook.com/SAFEPilots . SAFE also tweets on Twitter, where we currently have 3,558 followers. Join us at @SAFEPilots. We are also on YouTube and LinkedIn. Become interactive with other SAFE members join us at any or all of these social media outlets.

The Profitable Instructor
 Or how to make money teaching

There are two truths in aviation. One, you can make a lot of money teaching and two; a lot of people don't believe it. So how do I make over $70,000 a year teaching when other instructors at the same airport can't make enough to cover their rent? I've got 25 years of sales experience and have proved that attracting the right customers is the key to success. Every month, I'll share some of the "sales secrets" which have helped me and can help you too. 

Last month we talked about the importance of a first impression with having a professional business card. Today we will cover the importance of dressing like a professional, because much like a good business card it can create or destroy your credibility and make the difference between getting a client or not.
  
Look at three different instructors and decide which one would make someone new to flying feel safe. What does each one say to you?



The first one says, "Hey, I'm cool and we should hang out later." Teachers are supposed to inspire trust, not look like they are at a beach club. Every time you meet a client is a job interview and you should dress like you want the job.

The second one, to me, is overkill unless you teach at an academy that is only focused on training pilots for the airlines. 

Number three is a very professional look. A nice dress polo embroidered with your name (and the SAFE logo) says that you take flying seriously. I've always gotten my shirts from Sporty's and been very happy. The SAFE logo shirts available through Lands End are great quality products.

So the final question is can you wear shorts or not? I teach in SoCal and during the summer I couldn't wear pants or I'd pass out. I think shorts are fine as long as they are clean and you wear closed toe shoes, flip flops aren't safe on the tarmac and destroy the image you're trying to create. What do you think? Does how you dress matter? Did I get it right or wrong? Let me know at GaryR@PilotSafety.org

About the Author:
Gary Reeves is a two-time Master Instructor, FAA Safety Team Lead Rep, National Public Speaker, Flight School Owner, and a member of SAFE. Learn more about Gary by visiting www.PilotSafety.org

CFI Survey
Thanks to those of you that participated in the study on CFI Complacency announced in June. Here is another opportunity for you to help a fellow flight aviation educator.

Mr. Hussain Alhallaf is a PhD candidate at Florida Institute of Technology's Aviation Sciences program. Hussain is examining aviation professionalism and is seeking assistance from industry members through an online survey. The survey will take less than 15 minutes to complete. Mr. Alhallaf endeavors to understand why the aviation profession is such an important career and how we can improve ourselves as professionals within the aviation profession. This study is dedicated to Colgan Air flight 3407 (2009), other catastrophic aviation events, and the aviation industry as a whole. To participate, access the online survey here. ( http://questionpro.com/t/ALRnkZSa9Y)

Thank you for your participation.

Recent Master Instructor Designations
Congratulations to these SAFE members!

Sanford Cresap "Cres" WISE 
III, Master CFI    
Bonaire  GA
E-mail:    Cres_Wise@hotmail.com
Sanford C Wise III, a 2-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.  A retired US Air Force officer, Cres is an assistant chief flight instructor with the Part 141 Robins Air Force Base Aero Club (WRB) 
where he specializes in primary and instrument training.  He also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA's Atlanta FSDO area as well as a mission pilot, check pilot examiner and instructor pilot for the Georgia Wing of the Civil Air Patrol
 

James Edward "Jim" MC CORD Jr, Master CFI   

Santa Rosa  CA
E-mail:   JimMcCordCFI@gmail.com 
James E McCord, a 2-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.  A former volunteer Angel Flight pilot, Jim serves on the Sonoma County Aviation Commission and is a FAASTeam representative in the FAA's Oakland FSDO area.  Additionally, he is an independent flight instructor with RAM Aviation  at Santa Rosa's Charles M Schulz - Sonoma County Airport (STS) .

Bernard Francis "Barney" KING, Master Instructor Emeritus   
Salina  KS
E-mail:   BarneyF.King@gmail.com
Bernard King, an 8-time Master and SAFE member, was recently granted Master Instructor Emeritus (MIE) status in recognition of his many years of commitment to excellence, professional growth, service to the aviation community, and quality aviation education.  A retired US Army aviator, Barney was a professor of aviation in Kansas State University's Professional Pilot Program at Salina Municipal Airport (SLN).  Additionally, he also served as K-State's interim aviation department head.  



Matthew Robert "Matt" D'ANGELO, Master CFI    (Initial: 12Aug15) 
Spring Lake  NJ
E-mail:  Matt@FlyingJourney.com  
Matthew R D'Angelo, a 1st-time Master and SAFE member, recently earned his initial Master CFI accreditation.  Matt is a flight instructor with Air-Mods Flight Training Center at the Robbinsville Airport (N87) as well as the former chief flight instructor with Aero Safety Training, a Part 141 Cessna Pilot Center at Lincoln Park Airport (N07) in northern New Jersey.  Additionally, he is the former chapter president of the Lincoln Park IMC Club and is a FAASTeam representative in the Teterboro and Philadelphia FSDO areas. 


Theodore "Ted" CORSONES, Master Instructor Emeritus    (MIE:  20Aug15)
Naples FL  &  Rutland VT 
E-mail:   TedC@Corsones.com  
Ted Corsones, a long-time Master and SAFE member, was recently granted Master Instructor Emeritus 
(MIE) status in recognition of his many years of commitment to excellence, professional growth, service to the aviation community, and quality aviation education.  Ted works as a flight and ground instructor providing primary through advanced aviation training in Vermont and Florida.  Additionally, he serves with Mooney's MAPA Safety Foundation as an instructor, treasurer, and chief financial officer. 




See you in the pattern...






John Dorcey, Interim Executive Director
Society of Aviation and Flight Educators
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