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The horrific 2019 Hawaii crash of a King Air has motivated the NTSB to request that FAA FSDOs be notified when a flight instructor's 'pass rate' falls below the national average of 80 percent. Until automatic notification is implemented, the NTSB asked that FAA inspectors review individual CFI pass rates on an ongoing basis to identify instructors in need of closer monitoring. Although the FAA has always kept records on CFI pass rates, the new system will actively notify the FSDO if an individual CFI's pass rate falters. The FAA has promised a response to that request no later than April 7.

The Hawaii crash killed all 10 skydivers and the pilot and generated extensive TV coverage. The NTSB accident docket and supporting documents cited an inadequately trained pilot who received all or most of his training from a single instructor. This pilot initially failed flight tests for his private, commercial and instrument rating, passing each on later tries. The NTSB also questioned the accident pilot's extensive time logged as a student pilot in a King Air on commercial trips with passengers in the cabin.

SAFE cautiously supports this NTSB request, though a simple pass/fail metric can be an ineffective indicator taken by itself. "As we read the NTSB's request, this official effort is to help low-performing CFIs improve their teaching practices," said Kevin D Murphy, SAFE Communications Director. "Since SAFE's whole mission is the elevation of CFI professionalism, with our programs like mentoring, skill-building and CFI-PRO™, we're good with this NTSB recommendation."

As pilots, we have all been through the FAA testing process and understand that even the most well-prepared flight candidate can fail on any day for any number of reasons - we are human. This NTSB recommendation seeks to eliminate patterns of abuse in the recommendation process. We all deplore the practice of recommending questionable flight candidates with little chance of success; the "solid 70%." As pilots, we all share the same facilities and airspace. If you are like me, you sometimes wonder how some bad actor in the NAS became a pilot? These questionable pilots can be serious safety problems and are the target of this safety recommendation. The NTSB docket on the Hawaii crash revealed some incredibly questionable training practices: "The accident pilot had accumulated only 4.6 hours as a student pilot when he began logging (and the instructor began endorsing) commercial pilot training and experience"

SAFE is also actively engaged in systemic change on the DPE side of the pilot certification system. The termination of well-respected DPE Ken Wittekiend called FAA actions into question and highlighted some systemic issues. SAFE is part of the AOPA DPE advisory board and eagerly waiting for the FAA ARAC report. The AOPA group has more flexibility and will be a continuing initiative.

The ideal flight training system creates pilots motivated toward continuous improvement and learning. This requires caring collaboration between CFIs and DPEs sharing best practices and a positive attitude toward safety and excellence. The SAFE mission promotes excellence in all piloting and education. Aiming beyond the minimums ensures a margin of safety in all operations that accommodate those "surprise events" that can always occur in the aviation environment.

Cases of ATC delays and "ATC Zero" situations continued to pop up in the first month of 2021 as the Covid pandemic reached new peaks in the US. A user-created Google map with ATC tower or Center personnel affected by Covid is updated each day at 7:00 PM eastern time (0000Z). Click on FAA Facilities Affected By Covid-19.

In March, the FAA revised its ATC Operational Contingency Plan, which includes procedures for ATC Zero situations. (Warning: written in heavy bureaucratic-ese).

A more CFI oriented explanation was published by the AOPA Air Safety Institute last month. Called a special safety notice for pilots, it suggests procedures for various situations involving loss or impaired ATC service.

The January/February 2021 issue of FAA Safety Briefing takes a unique look at the “challenge and response” environment prevalent within the aviation community.

"The DSAS organizers wisely determined that holding a superspreader event in central Florida at the height of a pandemic wasn't good planning," said Kevin D Murphy, SAFE Communications Director. "It's exactly the kind of realistic pilot judgment we'd like all pilots to exercise, right?"

A US brand since 1902, Cadillac often pitched itself as a luxury item for aspiring Americans. In the 1950s, the brand introduced tailfins, lots of chrome and polished stainless steel. Also debuting on cars in the mid-1950s were Dagmar bumper guards, taking their name from the notable physical attributes of an early 1950s TV star from Yawkey WV.

Signature Flight Support, which has been on an acquisition tear since 2008, may be up for sale.

The large FBO chain, which rose to prominence at large US air carrier airports in the 1980s and 1990s, is now on 370 US airports, many primarily GA fields. They manage 13 million square feet of hangar, terminal and office space.

Signature has been controversial in GA circles for overturning the traditional free ramp use that has long been assumed for light aircraft at FBOs. With mandatory ramp or facility use fees for all aircraft, even at single-FBO airports, many light GA pilots felt slighted. "It's like they're trying to push out anybody who doesn't burn lots of Jet-A," said one. Signature points to accommodations they've made in many locations for local pilots and flight schools, and fee waivers for public service flights such as Angel Flights.

How valuable is a company that charges ramp or handling fees? Currently, the top bid in the contest to buy Signature is $4.63 billion.

Master Instructors is pleased to announce William E. Dubois's designation of Las Vegas, NM as Master Ground Instructor (MGI) for the first time. William is a CFI Academy ground instructor for Airline Transport Professionals (ATP) at its KAPA location, where he helps prepare new CFI candidates for their initial practical test. Dubois serves largely in a “teach the teacher” role, helping future instructors hone their classroom and cockpit education skills during ten-day intensive ground courses. He also travels the country for AOPA’s You Can Fly initiative, teaching Rusty Pilot seminars as one of the organization’s professional presenters. An aviation author and air racer, he has been an FAA Certified Advanced and Instrument Ground Instructor since 1984.

The Master Instructor designation is a national accreditation recognized by the FAA. Candidates must demonstrate an ongoing commitment to excellence, professional growth and service to the aviation community, as well as a rigorous evaluation by a peer Board of Review. To learn more, go to Master Instructors.

SAFE is a 501(c)(3) educational, not-for-profit professional organization building aviation educator excellence and aviation safety. Our more than 3,300 members include many of the best-known, best-credentialed and most experienced CFIs as well as many FAA Designated Pilot Examiners.

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