SAFE eNews
The Monthly Bulletin of the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators
|
|
SAFE is a 501(c)(3) educational, not-for-profit professional organization building aviation educator excellence and aviation safety.
Our more than 2,000 members include many of the best-known, best-credentialed and most experienced CFIs and many Designated Pilot Examiners.
|
|
SAFE members Greg Acton, Paul Smallhorn and Executive Director David St George at the AOPA Fly-In in May. Volunteers greeted hundreds and explained the organization's goals to many during the two days of the show. SAFE's membership climbed to over 2,000 at the show.. SAFE will be next at the
AOPA Fly-In at Livermore CA
on June 21 and 22.
Booth volunteers at KLVK
will be welcomed!
|
|
SAFE Board Election Today
Vote NOW, Please!
Election Starts TODAY
Vote Online June 1 - 10
|
|
SAFE regular members will receive an email invitation to vote this week.
Three experienced aviation education professionals,
Jerry Eichelberger of Jackson MS,
Joshua Hart of El Paso TX and
Wayman Alfredo Luy of Miami FL are on the ballot. Running for re-election are current board chair
Eric Hake of Houston TX and treasurer
Parvez Dara of Philadelphia PA.
There is also a question on this year's ballot to change the SAFE Bylaws to allow more time to interview qualified Board members, presenting the slate of candidates to the Board two weeks prior to April 30 rather than March 31.
|
|
First
SAFE CFI-PRO™
In October
Where Are You On The Continuum?
|
|
Visualize the "
CFI gap" between a newly minted aviation educator who may barely have met the
minimal 70% pass level on his practical test and an experienced senior CFI with years of experience and real world savvy.
The "
CFI gap" between these two and the missing skills and attributes are what SAFE will present in the
SAFE CFI-PRO™ curriculum, scheduled for its first two-day clinic Tuesday and Wednesday, October 2 and 3, at the AOPA complex on the Frederick MD airport. Tuition is $375. Reservations will be available soon.
David St. George, SAFE Executive Director explained, "when I ran a
141 school
for many years there was a standard education/indoctrination program we found necessary to make safe and effective educators. The
minimum CFI certification from the FAA is a good basis but not enough. Every other country in the world
requires mentoring before turning CFIs lose to teach in the wild; we now have
SAFE CFI-PRO™, the missing manual."
Additionally, there is a great benefit to reversing this process and taking a senior CFI that has been in the field for many years and perhaps has dated information ("what is a scenario?") and has acquired "
right seat rust. Senior CFIs can benefit from the exciting renewal process with new techniques and like "incremental mastery." Networking the new and experienced CFIs in a 2 day clinic is a powerful advantage all in itself.
A large focus of the SAFE CFI-PRO™ workshops is on fundamentals of flight dynamics and "
Envelope Expansion" including
Rich Stowell's "Learn to Turn"
content. "We unfortunately discover huge gaps in necessary knowledge in our pilots (and CFIs)" said St. George. "What you have been seeing in the
SAFEblog is exactly where we are headed with this workshop;
addressing LOC-I head on with solid techniques and information. When we bring up the level of the CFI
from good to great we improve every pilot."
Register for more information
here; the doors open for sign-up soon.
|
|
SAFE Member Benefit
Use ForeFlight? Save $100 Now
Yes, Even If You Just Purchased Or Renewed
|
|
Members who use ForeFlight products can take immediate advantage of the company's spectacularly generous
one-third off deal for SAFE members, saving members $100 on the Performance Plus subscription.
The one-third discount applies to all ForeFlight subscriptions and can be taken at any time, even if a member just signed up or renewed his ForeFlight subscription the day prior, said SAFE Executive Director David St George.
See this tutorial.
A full SAFE membership is $45 a year, but St George cautioned that brand new or just-renewed SAFE memberships can take a few days to get into the database; please be patient. Existing SAFE members should experience no delay and can check their validation at
this link.
ForeFlight has long been a strong advocate for increasing CFI professionalism, SAFE's raison d'être, and has assured SAFE it will continue doing so despite their recent ownership change..
|
|
ATP ACS Effective June 28
Free Webinars On Newest ACS In June, July
|
|
The FAA is holding four free webinars to introduce the new ATP-Airplane ACS to CFIs and DPEs, according to Dr. Donna Wilt,.an aviation professor at Florida Tech's Aeronautics Department and the SAFE representative for much of the years-long process of creating the ACS series.
The Webinars will be conducted on June 14, June 26, July 10 and July 24.
Register here.
The previously-recorded
ACS Explained webinar explains the general difference between the Practical Test Standards and the new ACS standards, while the new webinars will be specifically addressing the various areas of operations, tasks, elements and appendices for the ATP-Airplane ACS.
The concept of ACS orginated at a SAFE-sponsored symposium in Atlanta in 2009 on problems in the flight instruction industry.
|
|
Gary Reeves Is CFI Of The Year
Top CFI 2019 is SAFE Lifetime Member
Year's Top A&P, FAASTeam Rep Also Named
|
|
SAFE lifetime member
Gary Dale Reeves has been named the 2019 National CFI of the Year in the annual awards national awards. Winners will be feted at AirVenture in late July in Oshkosh, WI.
Reeves, of Decatur TX is an ATP and Master CFI with over 7,500 hours, mostly dual given, in over 50 types of aircraft from Cessna 172s to Beech 1900s. He is founder and chief safety officer of PilotSafety.org, an organization to reduce general aviation accidents by offering free and low-cost training programs. He specializes in single-pilot IFR using autopilots, GPS and electronic flight bag software.
|
|
Aviation Technician Of The Year
Jon David Monti of Gardnerville, Nevada took top honors this year as the 2019 Aviation Technician of the Year.
Dave soloed on his 16th birthday and earned his private pilot certificate on his 17th. He now holds an instrument rating, commercial pilot certificate, aircraft and powerplant mechanic certificate, and inspection authorization.
In 1975, Dave founded Rebuilt Aircraft, Inc., now in Minden, Nevada (KMEV), which specializes in maintenance and repair of Beech Bonanzas, Barons, and Travelairs.
|
|
FAASTeam Member Of The Year
Karen Ann Kalishek
of De Pere, Wisconsin was named the 2019 National FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year.
Karen has served as FAASTeam Lead Representative for the Milwaukee FSDO since 2015, and as a FAASTeam Representative since 2013. She is a Master Flight Instructor and FAA Gold Seal Instructor who holds ATP, CFI, CFII, CFIME, CFI-Glider, AGI and IGI certificates.
|
|
Meet The Honorees Tuesday
LIVE Online 9E/6P (or 0100Z)
|
|
You'll have a unique opportunity to meet all three of 2019's National General Aviation Award winners online on Tuesday, June 4 starting at 9 PM Eastern / 6 PM Pacific. The three are Karen Kalishek, national FAASTeam Rep of the year, Gary Reeves, national CFI of the year and Dave Monti, national AMT of the year.
Host for the program will be Ron Timmermans, a FAASTeam Lead Representative, AOPA Rusty Pilots Instructor and BPPP flight and ground instructor. The panelists will explain their contributions to our industry and give their top safety tips.
To attend,
follow this link at the appropriate time.There's no requirement to register for this event, and no limit to how many may attend this live course.
Those attending this LIVE webcast are eligible to receive WINGS CREDIT (1 credit for Basic Knowledge Topic 3) and/or AMT CREDIT (1 hour). Plase join us Tuesday evening.
|
|
VA Flight Training Endangered
SAFE Joins AOPA, Other Industry Groups Opposing HB 1947
|
|
House Bill 1947, which passed the House of Representatives May 21, would cap veterans benefits for flight training unfairly, SAFE says.
"Without the promised benefits, most veterans cannot train for a career as a commercial pilot," said SAFE Executive Director David St. George. "And with the now-obvious pilot shortage, this is a shortsighted measure that we hope the Senate will stop."
The changes are a result of some flight schools exploiting loopholes in the system to increase the cost of training. SAFE and the other aviation organizations working to educate lawmakers say the majority of flight schools - which have not taken advantage of the VA benefits - and their veteran students are the ones being hurt.
Groups signing the protest include AOPA, the Air Medical Operators Association, Airlines for America, Airports Council International-North America, American Association of Airport Executives, Association of Air Medical Services, Experimental Aircraft Association, General Aviation Manufacturers Association, Helicopter Association International, National Air Transportation Association, National Association of State Aviation Officials, National Business Aviation Association, Regional Airline Association, and Veteran Air Warriors.
|
|
Whither Thou Goest, CFI?
Article Points To Major Changes In Flight Training
In Our "CFI Here Today, Gone Tomorrow" World
|
|
The giant sucking sound at flight schools around the country is caused by the pilot shortage, and it is causing big changes in the flight training industry, according to an article in Plane and Pilot magazine by author Kate O'Connor.
Ms O'Connor in the June 2018 article opines that "...whether or not flight instructing should be treated as an hour-building position and stair-step to other career options is an argument that is largely theoretical at this point" and says that CFIs at both the University of North Dakota (UND) and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) instruct an average of 14 months before moving on. She added that only two percent of UND 2015 CFI hires were still there, and 12 percent of the 2017 hires have already departed, most to the airlines.
The article cogently presents a review of the intended and unintended consequences of the pilot shortage on the instructional community, concentrating on the large university flight schools.
"With the demand for airline pilots continuing to grow and airline careers once more providing a reasonable living, it remains to be seen what learning to fly will look like when the dust clears," concluded Ms O'Connor.
|
|
Also new are adverse condition updates by voice application or text, and free preflight activity summary emails.
SAFE TIP:
There's no app yet for the new FSS mobile website, but you can easily add a button to your mobile that will take you directly to your own settings on the FSS website.
Details in the SAFE blog.
|
|
TSA Web Portal Offline Till June 3
|
|
The TSA's software platform for processing training requests and security threat assessments will be offline for a software upgrade from May 30 to June 3.
The system was created shortly after the 9/11 terrorist hijacking. Any flight training toward a recreational, sport or private pilot certificate; multiengine or instrument rating; or any initial US airman certificate issued by the FAA must be approved through the portal. Certificate training in airships, balloons and gliders is exempt from the TSA security threat assessment.
|
|
SAFE Insurance Sponsors
Add Coverage, Offer Scholarship
|
|
SAFE supporter
Starr Insurance
has added the ability for drone operators to purchase insurance within minutes, at any time, on its web site. The company last year added UAS coverage for its SAFE CFI policyholders at no extra cost.
Another long-time SAFE supporter,
Aviation Insurance Resources, announced last month it is again offering scholarships to deserving current and future pilots. To date, the company has awarded five scholarships to help pilots realize their aviation dreams.
|
|
Gold Seal Offers CFIs Free Advertising
|
|
"There is no better way to stand out from the crowd than by promoting your own branded websites," said business owner and SAFE member Russ Still.."And... you will have your own personalized version of the Gold Seal Ground School."
Gold Seal Online Ground School offers online courses for private, instrument, commercial and drone pilots, and allows a CFI to follow along with his student's progress, providing help when necessary.
|
|
Volunteer CFIs Needed For PPP
EAA's Pilot Proficiency Program At OSH
|
|
Admission to AirVenture 2019 is paid, lodging is available and lunch may be provided volunteers. SAFE and NAFI members may
complete the sign-up form here.
"This outreach is staffed solely by SAFE and NAFI members," said David St George, SAFE Executive Director. "It's not easy, but the return rate of CFIs to teach next year is always very high."
|
|
Bye Partners With BlackBird
Says Will Make On-Demand More Affordable
|
|
Bye Aerospace of Denver, which is developing both 4 and 2-place electric aircraft, is partnering with
BlackBird, an online service connecting pilots, airplanes and passengers. Blackbird will buy Bye's first 100 commercial 4-seat eFlyer 4s and 10 eFlyer 2s.
BlackBird says it provides the freedom to travel between 50 miles and 300 miles for much less time and money than driving. BlackBird’s first eFlyer aircraft is slated to begin flight demonstrations in 2020.
“At less than $50 an hour to operate, the eFlyer 4 is the future of aviation,” said Rudd Davis, CEO of Blackbird. “When it is accessible to everyone through BlackBird, it will become the future of personal transportation.”
Bye Aerospace says the energy cost for the electric eFlyer 4 is four times less than driving a conventional car per mile, three times faster, and requires no aviation fuel, resulting in zero emissions and significantly lower noise pollution compared to conventional aircraft.
|
|
V-Tail Bonanzas: Can They Be Saved?
|
|
The American Bonanza Society Air Safety Foundation last month announced prizes totaling as much as $200,000 for an engineering solution to save V-tailed Bonanzas.
The classic V-tail airplanes are under a death watch as the fleet ages because of its unique tail, which must be skinned with magnesium rather than aluminium. But since 2017, the cost of magnesium from leading producer China has skyrocketed, limiting supplies. There are two other countries with the largest reserves, but unfortunately they are North Korea and Russia.
The reasons magnesium skin is a requirement for V-tails are
detailed here
.
|
|
June SAFE CFI Poll
Do you instruct in a large, academic-oriented Part 141 flight school such as UND or ERAU? Or are you based at a non-college, smaller flight school?
|
|
|
Large academic school (ERAU, UND, etc)
|
|
|
|
|
Large non-academic school (American Flyers, etc)
|
|
|
|
|
As an independent CFI at the local airport
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Last Month's SAFE Poll
How Did You Last Renew Your CFI Certificate?
|
|
The four choices for answers in the May eNews survey were:
1) ASI FIRC, live or online 40%
2) Other FIRC 45%
3) CFI Activity 11%
4) Other 4%
Until the mid-2000s, in-person FIRCs were immensely popular, with the two-instructor sessions conducted by ASI (then ASF) at the top of the attendance heap. Since then, there have been several online FIRCs created, causing attendance at live FIRCs to dive.
|
|
|
|
Keeping Volunteer Pilots
Out Of Trouble With Safety, Taxes
|
Public Benefit Flying, such as taking children to medical care, flying environmental surveys, moving rescued pets to a permanent home or taking supplies to a disaster area, is an attractive volunteer opportunity for many pilots.
"But there are pitfalls most pilots never think about," warned Kevin D Murphy, SAFE Director of Communications. "Operational, tax and legal pitfalls abound. A solid training course for your PBF clients is the free AOPA Air Safety Institute’s excellent
Volunteer Pilots: Balancing Safety and Compassion. It provides specialized information for volunteer pilot operations."
|
UPS To Add 260 Boeing 747 Pilots
110 Hired So Far; 150 More Before Year End
|
UPS has more than 2,800 pilots, has hired another 110 so far this year and plans to hire another 150 before the end of the year. The company says business is good and they're adding six Boeing 747 Jumbo Jets that will have a 19 percent higher payload with slightly better fuel economy.
UPS Capt. Patrick Sutton told a Louisville journalist that the company is hiring pilots in their 30s, but also some older than 50, to minimize a scramble with many retirements at the same time. The company has two full-motion simulators in Anchorage AK and nine in Louisville KY, but the captain said expansion is sorely needed.
|
Boeing, FAA Seek NASA Help
Panel Will "Directly Inform" Relaunch Decision
|
NASA is joining a panel of experts from the Air Force and DOT to review Boeing's latest software fixes for the grounded 737 Max airplanes.
The FAA said the panel’s recommendations will “directly inform the FAA’s decision concerning the 737 MAX fleet’s safe return to service.”
The plane was grounded March 10 after the second fatal accident in less than five months claimed a total of 346 lives.
Boeing says it is changing the software to make it less likely to fail and to limit how far it can drive down the nose, but says it hasn't yet completed its work.
|
|
|
|
"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 the continuing education regimen used by other professionals to increase their professionalism. The designation must be renewed biennially and significantly surpasses the FAA requirements for renewal of 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.
|
|
Brandon is the president, owner and lead flight instructor of
High Performance Aviation, where he specializes in high performance aircraft and transition training at North Houston Regional-Lone Star Executive (CXO) airport.
A first officer with United Airlines, he is also an FAA certificated airframe and power plant technician (A&P) and serves as a a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Houston FSDO.
|
|
He works to ensure adherence to all of the FAA's Part 141 standards while also providing training for private, commercial, instrument and flight instructor students Additionally, he serves as a mentor to newly certificated flight instructors as well as the coordinator for the local IMC chapter and is a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Washington FSDO.
|
|
Thomas Michael Garrison, MCFI
|
|
Mike serves as a designated pilot examiner (DPE) and FAASTeam lead representative in the FAA's Orlando FSDO area. In addition to being a US Navy veteran, a retired professional engineer and a holder of the FAA's coveted Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award, Mike is also an independent flight instructor specializing in instrument, multiengine and Cirrus training (CSIP) at Saint Lucie County International Airport (FPR).
|
|
Randall Loren Brooks, MCFI Aerobatic
|
|
Randall L Brooks of Hurst TX, a 3-time Master as well as a member of SAFE and IAC, recently renewed his Master CFI-Aerobatic accreditation through the
Master Instructors LLC MICEP program. A 13-year member of the aerobatic Red Baron Squadron, Randy is now the vice president of training and business development with
Aviation Performance Solutions LLC at Arlington Municipal Airport (GKY) in Texas.
He specializes in stall / spin as well as upset prevention / recovery training and formation aerobatics training.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
