Rich Stowell, a SAFE charter member widely known as The Spin Doctor, has released his free multi-resource Learn To Turn course. "This may be the most valuable free course you've ever taken," said SAFE Executive Director David St George. "It'll do you and your learners a world of good." They might even become Breitling pilots. (See Status Quo Not Acceptable story below).
|
|
CFI Bill Advances
Would Force FAA To Rescind Bad Definition of CFI
|
|
The legislative effort to reverse the FAA's shortsighted decision to classify flight instructors as charter pilots providing transportation moved forward last month as two Congressmen attached the measure to a larger bill, the House National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). That measure passed the House on September 23.
Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) and Rep. Kai Kahele (D-HI) filed the amendment. It would add a definition that a flight instructor providing student instruction, flight instruction, or flight training shall not be deemed to be operating an aircraft carrying persons or property for compensation or hire.
SAFE is one of the GA groups supporting AOPA's effort and SAFE Communications Director Kevin D Murphy was optimistic about the new measure. "The NDAA has been signed into law every year for the last 60 years, so we're hopeful this will fix the FAA's ill-considered interpretation," he said.
|
|
Status Quo Not Acceptable
Education For CFIs From Spin Doctor
|
|
Rich Stowell, known as The Spin Doctor, testified in 2015 at an NTSB hearing on GA safety that "the status quo in aviation is unacceptable." That's still true, but you can't accuse Rich of not doing his best to change that situation. Last month he released his new, richly-endowed "Learn To Turn" course that teaches control coordination for all pilots.
"This may be the most valuable free course you've ever taken," said SAFE Executive Director David St George, "It is embarrassing to realize that most pilots and even a majority of CFIs don’t know which flight control powers the basic turn." Basic loss of control is the largest single cause of GA fatalities .
|
|
NOTAM Improvements Promised
It's An Unholy Mess, Says SAFE
|
|
Alphabet groups attempting to improve the FAA's NOTAM system say they're making progress. Improvements promised soon will include graphical airport construction diagrams and fewer permanent NOTAMS as the changes are incorporated into charts. In addition, there is now a place for pilots to complain when they find confusing or erroneous NOTAMs: the FAA’s Aeronautical Information Portal.
CFIs and other professional pilots have long complained about the NOTAM system, with SAFE reporting that the sheer volume of NOTAMs has frustrated efforts to reform it. But pilots agree that when the transition of NOTAMs from paper to the cloud is complete in 2024, they will be much more easily sortable. The FAA is holding a NOTAM Summit on October 7 that will be streamed on the FAA's social media platforms.
AOPA, which has been leading the effort to make NOTAMs useful to pilots, acknowledged that most pilots won't even see the differences in the raw NOTAMs because they usually read the plain English translation. SAFE pointed out that CFIs are much more likely than private pilots to be current in reading raw data, such as METARS and TAFS.
|
|
DPE Enigma: Are We Making it Worse?
DPEs Are 'Gatekeepers' For Standards
Editorial by SAFE E.D. David St George
|
|
Collusion between flight schools and DPEs can easily create corruption in the pilot certification process. We have all seen this problem in action. There is a good reason to maintain a professional distance between flight schools and DPEs - upholding the high moral standard necessary for the honesty and safety of the pilot certification system.
DPEs are the “gatekeepers” of FAA standards and there are always temptations and ethical questions in this profession. More than anything, the DPE function requires honesty and great integrity. Maintaining a professional distance between schools and DPEs removes temptation and protects the independence and integrity of this process. Geographical freedom, announced in October 2020, created chaos in the system nationally by suddenly shifting the balance of influence toward flight schools and creating a glut of DPEs in busy flight training markets.
Immediately following this change, solicitations went out nationally from larger training facilities seeking services from DPEs from across the country offering lots of tests, transportation and living accommodations. You can’t blame the schools, they need to get tests done in a timely fashion, but too close a relationship can create temptations (and bad public optics). WIth geographic freedom, DPEs from the frozen north aggressively invaded the southern states. Suddenly, long-time DPEs in states like Florida had no tests at all with DPEs from North Dakota and Minnesota testing in Miami and Orlando. In the private market, “DPE-hopping” became the new norm with applicants triple booking examiners then canceling at the last minute based on their changing schedules. The result of this change was all the leverage was in the hands of the flight schools with a glut of DPEs in the busy flight testing areas. Meanwhile, the northern states were languishing. The FAA’s attempt to create availability resulted in some surprising and unwanted consequences!
In an honest system, there will always be some distance (and occasional friction) between flight schools and DPEs, just by the nature of the relationship. Flight schools understandably want their students to pass and pilot examiners need to work. But integrity and independence are essential to assure an honest government standard (and protect aviation safety). Some applicants will always be unsatisfactory and need more training to be safe – no participation trophies in aviation! Good flight schools and CFIs understand this need for separation and work well with regular DPEs learning and improving their training. But this process requires mutual respect and professional distance; not cozy relationships.
The DPE system never envisioned professional full-time DPEs. The original system designated experienced, professional aviators offering part-time testing to assist the FAA in pilot certification. Full-time examining only became possible as the FAA got entirely out of the testing business. Some DPEs now conduct >300 evaluations a year. And most full-time examiner’s only income is conducting tests.
The FAA is working to create positive change right now, with listening post meetings at Oshkosh and lots of ideas in play. The free-market “money for ratings” system does not seem to be headed in a healthy direction Changes need to be well thought out and not improvised by industry. Success will ultimately depend on the hard-working, honest DPEs at the heart of the system.
|
|
ERAU Develops Virtual Training |
|
Virtual Reality (VR) headsets may be a fixture at flight schools sooner, not later, thanks to a flight training VR headset developed by a team of Embry-Riddle University Prescott students.
The HoloLens VR headset uses holograms to put a learner in a virtual cockpit, currently a CRJ-700.
It lets users step through 3D interactive training with access to schematics and information about the aircraft. Under development are VR models that will allow learners to look around the cockpit and manipulate the buttons, switches and controls just as in real life. Another will depict landing gear and the external fuel panel.
Learners under the VR hood step through interactive training modules with access to schematics and information about the aircraft in 3D. Another type of hologram model in development could also let them look around the flight deck, manipulating the buttons, switches, and controls as they would in real life. The HoloLens 2 can even see the learner's hands.
“The holograms they have made will be a wonderful tool to start using AR for teaching, practicing of skills and, ultimately, testing,” said Dr. Michelle Hight, assistant professor of Aeronautical Science and Fixed Wing program chair.
“We encouraged the team to consider the reasons for using augmented reality rather than virtual reality on the project,” associate professor and SSGA Program Chair Derek Fisher explained. “They determined that while virtual reality might provide a more immersive alternate experience, AR provides opportunities to focus on interacting with the computer-generated jet while collaborating in the familiar environment of the classroom, with real-life colleagues."
|
|
Tuskegee Airmen School Opens
Financial Need Is A Requirement
|
|
The Tuskegee Airmen chapter at Stewart Airport (SWF) in upstate New York officially opened its new flight academy last month. The academy will guide minority students to become licensed commercial pilots.
The RedTail Flight Academy will aim to do its part to increase the number of minorities in a field and will be offering scholarships. In fact, financial need is one of the requirements for admission.
The Part 141 program aims to increase aviation's diversity by offering scholarships. Minority aviators compose less than 7% of commercial and military pilots, up from just 2% a few years ago.
The school has courses from Private Pilot to Commercial Multi-Engine and says plans include building infrastructure for 25 students. In addition, RedTail Flight Academy is proposing:
- A training pathway to the regional or major airlines.
- Introducing aviation careers to under-privileged and under-represented communities in the Kansas City area.
- Low-cost, high-value flight training for Kansas City area youth. The emphasis is on FAA certification in both manned and unmanned flight as well as aircraft maintenance.
- Leverage existing private pilot ground school training programs and augment with hands-on labs, interaction with aviation professionals and simulator training which includes enhanced airline training techniques and military training best practices.
- Use of a building block approach focusing on continuous engagement and mentorship through programs beginning in middle school through 12th grade.
- Soft skills required for any profession; not just aviation. Things like accountability, etiquette, decorum, timeliness and personal conduct will be emphasized throughout the program.
|
|
Vital CFI Info: Airports/Airspace
Sept/Oct FAA Safety Briefing Is Rich Resource
|
|
The September/October 2021 issue of FAA Safety Briefing focuses on airports and airspace, which are integral parts of the National Airspace System’s (NAS) infrastructure.
Articles in this issue explore the value of our nation’s vast array of public-use airports and their importance to the communities they serve. We also highlight some critical “rules of the sky,” explore nearly a century of evolution in the NAS and review some best practices for communicating with air traffic control. Feature articles include:
Evolution of the National Airspace System
Take Our Quiz to Sound Like a Pro on the Radio
Using Airport Visits to Advance Skills (and Pilot Stories!)
Advocating for GA in the TFR Process
How Federal Airport Grants Provide the Lifeblood for U.S. Airport Safety and Infrastructure
How Aircraft Transponder Signals Take the Guesswork Out of Counting Non-Towered Airport Operations
Regular FAA Safety News departments in this issue are:
Jumpseat: an executive policy perspective
Aeromedical Advisory: a checkup on all things aeromedical
Condition Inspection: a look at specific medical conditions
Checklist: FAA resources and safety reminders
Drone Debrief: drone safety roundup
Nuts, Bolts, and Electrons: GA maintenance issues
Angle of Attack: GA safety strategies
Vertically Speaking: safety issues for rotorcraft pilots
Postflight: an editor’s perspective
Faces: FAA employee profile.
|
|
|
|
CFI Round-Up
Miscellaneous Items
Of CFI Interest
|
Do you have a contract with your flight school? If so, you're in the majority. A late August AOPA Flight Training poll asked CFIs that question. Just over 80% of CFIs responding had a contract.
A new Business Aviation Factbook is out, published by industry manufacturing advocate General Aviation Manufacturers Association and NBAA. If you need to defend business flying, this is your cudgel.
Eyes outside, please. Yet another study has confirmed that most midairs occur within 5 miles of an airport, in VFR weather on a warm summer weekend. This AOPA article might help with students glued to their ADS-B traffic display.
What scholarships are available for flight school? Several are available for budding birdmen/women. This AOPA summary was published just last month.
It's not your grandfather's preflight. From the 1970s on, GA pilots fought threatened closure of the hundreds of FSSs that once dotted the US. In those days, access to an FSS was either by walk-in visits or telephone. CFIs know those days are long gone but Avweb just confirmed it. Telephone calls to FSS specialists continue a precipitous decline while pilots increasingly depend on apps for weather briefings.
OK to fly after Covid? A report in Plane and Pilot magazine last month explained the process for evaluating medical fitness for flight after acute Covid symptoms. The article is here.
Laser Outlaws beware: the FAA is getting new software that will help them find and apprehend you. Reported laser strikes increased in 2020 despite decreased flight activity. The FAA received 6,852 reports, the highest since 2016.
AOPA's You Can Fly curriculum is doing well. The STEM curriculum encourages teenagers to use STEM in aviation applications. Some 300 schools in 44 states are using it this school year, a 50% increase.
The best way to find a good instructor is by asking those who have seen the results of his instruction: local DPEs. A 1998 article by Rod Machado describes the process for asking DPEs.
SAFE has unearthed a 1995 analysis of ASRS reports involving flight instruction. It was done by Marcia Patten and ASRS analysts and may be helpful for any CFI who can learn from others' mistakes. Caution: very interesting but a long read.
NTSB is revamping its website to make navigation more intuitive. A spokesperson says CFIs and students can find investigation detail pages, both ongoing and historical. |
|
|
|
"The Master Instructor accreditation singles out the best that the right seat has to offer."
FAA Administrator Jane Garvey
|
|
Master Instructor Achievements |
|
The Master Instructor designation is a national FAA-recognized professional accreditation and parallels other professionals' continuing education regimen to increase their professionalism. The Master designation must be renewed biennially and significantly surpasses FAA requirements for renewing the candidate's flight instructor certificate. Of the 101,000 flight instructors in the US, fewer than 800 have earned the Master Instructor designation, and most are SAFE members.
|
|
David Pepitone of Polvadera NM has been accredited as a Master Aviation Educator for the third time.
Dave holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and is an Accredited Aviation Psychologist specializing in learning performance. He is a Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award Winner and an Elected Senior Fellow to the Royal Aeronautical Society.
He holds ATP, CFII, CFIG and Remote pilot certificates and has been flight instructing since 1978. A former engineer and technical pilot for NASA, Boeing and Honeywell Aerospace International, Dave currently flies for the Civil Air Patrol in Transport Mission and Check Pilot capacities. He also is a volunteer pilot for Flying Doctors. He has had a lifelong commitment to aviation safety and holds 50 patents for air safety cockpit systems.
|
|
John Mahany of Long Beach, CA has been named a Master Instructor for a remarkable seventh time, an honor few CFIs can match. Since each MCFI renewal coincides with the two-year CFI cycle mandated by the FAA, earning a Master Instructor designation also renews the instructor's FAA teaching certificate.
John was an instructor at a FAR 142 training center in Long Beach, CA until 2020, when he and a number of his colleagues lost their posts during the pandemic.
John continues to actively advocate for aviation safety while seeking opportunities to fly and provide advanced training, including avionics training.
The Master Instructor program rewards aviation educators who have demonstrated a professional attitude and knowledge of the science and art of flight instruction. It operates under the auspices of SAFE. Full information is at Master Instructors. |
|
Kelly Manzani of Temecula CA has earned her second designation as a Master CFI.
Kelly took up flying in 2013 after her older son learned in 2008. Since flying is not her first or even second career, it was part time until she retired after 19 years as a public school teacher.
Now, Kelly is a full-time CFI and provides all levels of instruction from Private to MEI. She is proficient in a myriad of planes from a C-150 to the Cirrus SR-20 to the Beechcraft Dutchess and with a variety of avionics systems. Her specialties include aviation weather, aircraft systems, and FOI.
In addition to instructing, Kelly assists in running an aviation youth program for teens, transports rescue animals for Pilots n Paws and provides EAA Young Eagles flights. "My plan is to continue to learn, instruct, and be a positive role model/mentor to new instructors as well as a leader at our flight school," she says.
|
|
Brandon Ray of Conroe, TX has also been named a Master CFI for a rare seventh time.
Brandon is the President & CEO of High Performance Aviation, LLC at the Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport, where he leads a team that specializes in sales and acquisitions of piston, turboprop, and jet aircraft.
He is an airline pilot on the Boeing 737 and an FAA certificated A and P. His general aviation flight activities are often in the Cessna TTx, Cirrus SR22T, or Cirrus SF50 G2 Vision Jet.
Brandon currently attends The Wharton School's MBA for Executives program at the University of Pennsylvania.
MICEP designations serve two purposes: 1) They identify and recognize educators who have demonstrated an ongoing commitment to excellence and professional growth in, as well as service to, the aviation community; and 2) They establish professional standards to which all aviation educators should aspire.
|
|
David McVinnie of Albuquerque NM has successfully renewed his Master CFI for the 13th time, representing 26 years of professional dedication. “I am proud to have achieved and maintained Master CFI status for a Quarter Century," he said.
The Master Instructor designation is a national accreditation for aviation educators,
recognized by the FAA. Candidates must demonstrate an ongoing commitment to excellence, professional growth, and service to the aviation community, and must pass a rigorous evaluation by a peer Board of Review. The process parallels continuing education regimens used by other professionals to enhance their knowledge while increasing professionalism.
Designees are recognized as outstanding aviation educators for not only teaching excellence but also for their engagement in the continuous process of learning -- both their own, and their students. The designation must be renewed biennially. It significantly surpasses the FAA requirements for renewal of a CFI certificate.
|
|
Daniel Gerbus, Jr. of Pickerington OH has earned his first designation as a Master Instructor.
Dan's love of aviation began when he observed flights arriving and departing Lunken Airport in Cincinnati; this spurred him into pilot training during high school with Eastern Cincinnati Aviation. He went on to the University of North Dakota for a BS in Aeronautics. After college, he flew Dehavilland DHC-8s for Piedmont Airlines for 10 years before joining a Part 142 training provider as an Instructor, Program Manager and Director of Training.
Dan holds a Fixed wing ATP with DHC-8, SF-340, CE-560XL, CE-680 type ratings, and on September 15th, completed his commercial balloon rating. His favorite aircraft are the DHC-8-200, PA-24, and a Lindstrand 105 balloon.
Dan is a FAASTeam representative, a freelance CFI and a volunteer instructor and examiner for the Civil Air Patrol.
|
|
SAFE is a 501(c)(3) educational, not-for-profit professional organization building aviation educator excellence and aviation safety. Our more than 3,900 members include many of the best-known, best-credentialed and most experienced CFIs as well as many FAA Designated Pilot Examiners.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
