Volume 10 | March 2019

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 1,800+ members include many of the best-known, best-credentialed and most experienced CFIs and many Designated Pilot Examiners in the US and internationally. Join SAFE now! Donate to SAFE

Visit SAFE At Sun 'n Fun 2019 Fly Redbird's TD Simulator Get Answers To Your CFI Insurance Questions Appear On SAFE TV Worldwide

Top features at SAFE's Sun 'n Fun triple-size booth C53-54-55 for SAFE members April 2-7 will include: Redbird's advanced TD simulator ready for SAFE members to fly, pre-loaded with original VFR and IFR scenarios. Mindstar Aviation's Stasi Poulos, Johnny Johnson and Billy Winburn will be on hand to demonstrate how the company's advanced software can better the learning experience in simulators. For SAFE members wanting to hone their sim teaching skills, Mindstar will be offering free instruction. The latest instructional software from ForeFlight and CloudAhoy will be demonstrated. Aviation Insurance Resources will be at the SAFE booth daily1:00 pm to 2:30 pm on April 2-5 to write policies and answer questions. Their SAFE Insurance Program is the most comprehensive and affordable in the market and is SAFE's number one member product. It provides discounts for WINGS participation and MCFI status.

SAFE TV, sponsored by Gold Seal Online Ground Schools, will broadcast live worldwide on the internet from the SAFE booth all during the show. SAFE sponsors will be featured with demonstrations of their products and services, and time slots are available for individual SAFE members with a product or service they'd like to promote to, literally, the world. Watch for the published schedule of live events on the Gold Seal Online Ground Schools website.

Members are still needed to help staff the booth in four-hour shifts. If you'll be at Sun 'n Fun this year, please sign up to help, even if only for four hours one day. The 2019 NOTAM for the Sun 'n Fun fly-in is now available.

You Can Improve CFI Professionalism SAFE Seeks Qualified Board Members Nominations are open for the 2019  SAFE Board of Directors , which sets policy for the Society and ensures SAFE members are properly represented. An online election in May will determine replacements for three members of the nine-person Board. All Board members are volunteers, and each serves a three-year term. There is a two-term limit for Board members. SAFE is proud to elect our governing officials directly from our active membership, and always seeks talented and enthusiastic volunteers with the management skills and qualifications needed for this responsibility. Please enter your information  HERE  if you feel you meet the qualifications and have the time to serve. We will review your qualifications promptly. View resumes of the   current SAFE board members  for an idea of the skills and experience we are seeking to oversee the organization. Successful nominees will be placed on the ballot for SAFE's on-line election process in May, and those elected will be added to the board during our 2019 Annual Board of Director Meeting at Oshkosh. All Board Members are required to attend the annual meeting at Oshkosh each year for the duration of their board service. All our other meeting are conducted via Zoom online. Please get in touch.  Attack Of The Drones? In Poll, 20% Report Encounter More than one in five SAFE members responding to an eNews poll last month reported encountering a drone while flying, and two-thirds of those said the encounter was definitely a hazard. SAFE Communications Director Kevin D Murphy noted that the poll was not scientific but did confirm an airplane-drone issue exists for CFIs. "And with the recent prolliferation of both hobbyist and industrial-use drones, this issue is not likely to get better in the near future," he said. "It's a sign of the times that the FAA just published a new rule requiring drone owners to display their drone's registration number on the outside." Murphy listed three things SAFE members can do to minimize drone threats: Read more.. Cause Of TEB Lear Crash TBA Watch Live March 12, 9:30 AM ET The NTSB's determination of probable cause in the May 15, 2017 Learjet 35A crash at the Teterboro Airport will be webcast live starting at 9:30 AM Eastern on Tuesday, March 12. The document record, which contains every bit of evidence collected by the NTSB, including cockpit and ATC communications, was released just over a year ago. A link to the webcast will be available shortly before the start of the meeting. The well-publicized accident is of interest to flight instructors because it appears strikingly similar to light GA accidents by inexperienced pilots overshooting final approach. Witnesses told investigators that the airplane was banked almost 90 degrees trying to compensate for a late turn to final.

Redbird Blog Offers Free Biz Education Instructional News And Commentary

Recent posts in Redbird's Landing blog are offering wide-ranging education and business views helpful to CFIs. In the section titled " The Business Of Flight Training" are articles on Building The Next Generation Of Flight Instructors, Logging Time Under The New Part 61 and Consumer Experience Is The Key To A Flight School's Front Door. In the company's The View From The Cockpit section, recent articles include Aviation Topics Trending In 2019, Finding Satisfaction In Flight Training and Essential Questions You Need To Be Asking Every Flight School. Redbird's Landing blog is free and open to all.

SAFE Reminder: FAA Designees Extended Extension DID NOT Include CFIs!

SAFE and other aviation training organizations responded to the FAA's request at the end of January to spread the word that FAA Designated Examiners - including pilot examiners and Part 141 schools had their examining authority extended to April 30, 2019. "We were glad to help the FAA get the word out, of course," said David St George, SAFE Executive Director. He said SAFE advertised the message on its own web site, its Facebook Page, Twitter and SAFE blog and posted notices on numerous flight instruction-related web sites and chat areas. He said the extension did not include relief for Air Carrier Check Pilot observations, and did not supersede any individual designee performance management communication or activities, or other actions that are or will be processed.

There Are 108,564 Of Us CFIs But How Many Of Us Are Active? Would You Believe 4%?

Thanks to original research by noted FAA DPE and aviation writer Jason Blair, we now know how many CFIs are truly 'active' in training new pilots: just 4,646, or 4,3 percent of all 108,564 CFI certificate holders in 2018. 'Active' for this purpose means five or more recommendations for flight tests during the year. Another 12,202 instructors endorsed between one and four students each during the year. Many CFIs work in ordinary jobs or other areas of aviation, conduct training for which no recommendation is required, or are largely retired and provide an occasional flight review. "The most active instructors, the 4 or 5 percent that Jason identified, are usually younger CFIs, building hours," said Kevin D Murphy, SAFE Communications Director. "But among the 95.7 percent of SAFE members who may no longer instruct daily, there's a vast CFI experience reservoir untapped."

Vast CFI Experience Reservoir Untapped Join SAFE's Mentoring Program

SAFE is asking experienced CFI members to volunteer as mentors for less experienced instructors as they build experience. A high percentage of SAFE members are high-time, experienced instructors. SAFE's Mentoring Program pairs volunteer veteran CFIs with newer instructors to improve professionalism in the ranks. The program has been one of SAFE's member benefits since shortly after the organization was founded in 2009. "Our current system has new pilots taught by the least-experienced among us," said Ken Wittikiend, head of SAFE's Mentoring Program. "But SAFE is full of well-experienced CFIs who can help newer instructors improve both their instructional skills and their professionalism." Read more...

Runway Incursion Report Released SAFE-Assisted Report Includes Recommendations

Despite the FAA's best efforts at pilot education over the years, runway incursions increased by nearly half between 2011 and 2015. A just-released Pegasas report explores why and suggests possible fixes for the issue. About 80 percent of incursions are by GA pilots. The study did not differentiate instructional flights from all GA, although CFIs are disproportionately exposed to incursion situations. 'I urge you to take a look at the full report, which you can read here," said SAFE Executive Director David St George. "Especially note the recommendations." Read more...

ADS-B Deadline Now Just Months Away Jan-Feb FAA Safety Magazine Answers ADS-B Questions

It's been almost three years since an issue of FAA Safety Briefing carried an update on all things ADS-B. But back then, the mandated equippage deadline was still three or four years in the future, and the typical GA flight school owner response was an Alfred E. Neumann-esque, "What, me worry?" But the January 1, 2020 date for ADS-B Out installation hasn't changed, so the January/February 2019 issue of Safety Briefin g is prepping aircraft owners for the predicted mad scramble at the avionics shops. This issue presents ADS-B answers in several different ways, all designed to increase your understanding of the roll ADS-B plays in FAA's NextGen project. It continues and expands the discussion of safety/technology benefits of ADS-B. For owners, it provides current information on purchase, installation, and operation of ADS-B equipment.

WINGS Campaign Widens Scope Now Open To ALL CFIs, WINGS Clients The annual $10,000 WINGS promotion sweepstakes funded by retired Connecticut businessman Paul Burger will be open to all CFIs and to their WINGS -phase-accomplishing clients in 2019 and future years through 2022. The sweepstakes had been available only to SAFE and NAFI members as a beta test in 2018 and proved successful enough to expand.

The sweepstakes awards ten cash prizes each year through 2022, totalling $10,000 for promoting the FAA's WINGS proficiency program. Awards range from $500 to $1,500, and both the CFI and his or her client are eligible for the prizes. The sweeps will run each year through 2022. Entry for both CFIs and clients is by recording or validating the client's WINGS phase at the FAA Safety website. " WINGS ongoing training provides continuous focused learning and thus makes safer pilots," said David St George, SAFE Executive Director. "It's well-structured, already in place and easy enough for almost anyone to understand." The WINGS sweepstakes are being administered by the WINGS Industry Advisory Council.

Former SAFE Chair Introduces Revised eTextbook Intro To The National Airspace System

A second edition of the textbook "Introduction to The National Airspace System" has been published in eBook form by SAFE member and former Board Chair Dr. Donna F. Wilt of the Florida Institute of Technology. The eBook version is available for $19.95 from the University Aviation Press. This second edition covers how the National Airspace System came to be and how air traffic control, airports, airspace, electronic navigation, operations, procedures and regulations all fit together. It also has information on large airports and air transport operations. The material in this book is currently used in a prerequisite course for Airport Design, ATC I, Unmanned Aerial Systems, and Airline Operations at FIT's aviation department.

Community Aviation Naming Training Centers Advanced Sim Lessons Flight Training Network

Community Aviation, a developer of simulator-based flight missions, lesson plans and knowledge-based content sold through its website, is equipping selected training centers around the country with its software. Called Pilot Proficiency Centers, the training facilities will have the latest lesson plans, software and additional flight training tools. Community Aviation's Billy Winburn will be in SAFE's triple-size booth at this year's Sun 'n Fun, April 2-7, using a Redbird TD simulator to demonstrate its Learn-Do-Fly method of flight training.

NTSB Deletes LOC-I From Top 10 As SAFE Predicted Last Month

As SAFE last month predicted could happen, the National Transportation Safety Board deleted "Loss Of Control Inflight" (LOC-I) as a Top 10 desired safety improvement category. Each two-year Top 10 list covers all modes of transportation, but LOC-I had been the only GA-specific improvement on the list. "Maybe it's a good thing to be de-listed," said David St George, SAFE Executive Director..."if there's been a measurable decrease in accidents, the NTSB can focus on to more pressing issues.(Though it is still on the top or our list here at SAFE) The LOC-I deletion opened a space for FAR Part 135 (air taxi) safety improvements, which the NTSB will pursue through 2020. Read more...

GA Maintenance, Manufacturing Shortage Also Critical Kansas Will PayYour Training, Housing, Living Expenses

A Kansas technical college announced last month that it will pay for your aviation maintenance training, plus free housing and living expenses. Oh, and moving expenses too. They'll also guarantee you a job interview at a Wichita aviation company such as Spirit AeroSystems or Textron Aviation once you complete the course. The program is limited to the first 50 students who meet eligibility requirements . It is funded through Wichita Promise Move, a scholarship program administered by WSU Tech. Specialties require six to eight weeks of training for such occupations as such as aviation sheetmetal assembly, aerospace manufacturing technology, aerospace coatings and paint technology. In addition to paying tuition, fees and living expenses, Wichita Promise Move will provide certification, credentials and personal career coaching to students, said Andy McFayden, a spokesman for  the National Center for Aviation Training .

SAFE's Free Teaching Tip, March Edition "Jane's Low- or No-Cost Scan Focuser"

An inexpensive answer for CFIIs with instrument students who have trouble holding altitude: the homemade Scan Focuser, a modified cover for 3 inch panel instruments. Leading Edge flght school owner and SAFE member Jane Carpenter of Loveland CO says the cover helps improve student scanning ability, particularly for holding altitude. The device is made of heavy matte black vinyl, with a cut-out wedge showing 50 feet on either side of the desired altitude. With a pair of scissors, the wedge can be widened to plus or minus 100 feet. A small suction cup in the center of the circle holds the device to the altimeter so the wedge can be rotated to any position. Jane says the Scan Focuser is meant to improve altitude control, but can also be used on other instruments. With a 60-degree wedge, the device can be used on the DG to demonstrate that it's not necessary to watch the heading indicator until the desired heading comes into view. It also can be used on the tach to train a student's ears, and on the airspeed indicator to force a student to use other cues to judge airspeed when the airspeed needle disappears. Jane says she got the idea from Jim Pitman in SAFE member Greg Brown's Student Pilot Pep Talk Group on Facebook, then improved it. As of now, she has no plans to sell the device commercially.

Chicago Meigs To Rise From The Dead? It *Could* Happen, We Suppose...

SAFE is asking the two remaining candidates in the Chicago mayoral contest, Toni Preckwinkle and Lori Lightfoot, to consider adopting a pledge from one of their former rivals that would re-open the iconic Meigs Field. Meigs Field's north-south runway, which paralleled the lakeshore of downtown Chicago, was closed unexpectedly in August 2003 when the autocratic mayor Richard Daley sent bulldozers to destroy the runway by carving Xs into the pavement. But a proposal by losing 2019 mayoral candidate Willie Wilson called for rebuilding Meigs as an airport, based on an estimated $500 million yearly benefit for the city. The existing park on the site brings in just $55,000 a year. Before Daley closed the airport it brought between $300 and $500 million a year to city coffers. It was heavily used by corporate operators and recreational fliers because of its proximity to downtown Chicago. Wilson was one of the 14 mayoral hopefuls competing to replace outgoing Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. In the February 26 election, though, he and 11 others were defeated, leaving vote leaders Preckwinkle and Lightfoot to face off on April 2.

Did You Ever Wonder What Caused It? Air Canada 759 Almost Landed On Taxiway

Remember that Air Canada A320 that almost landed on a taxiway parallel to its assigned runway 28R at San Francisco in 2017? There were four other airliners on that taxiway and the Air Canada flight got as low as 60 feet before going around. The NTSB final report says the obvious: the crew misidentified the taxiway for the runway. But investigators found a whole Pandora's box of other factors involving the crew, pilot fatigue regulations, poor database programming, and more. The Board recommended 10 changes, nine to the FAA and one one to Transport Canada.

Flight Training Financing Announced

A new flight training financing program was announced Feb 15 by the Flight School Association of North America (FSANA). Called Skybound, it offers business lead loans by FMS Bank directly usable for flight training. The program's loans are secured by a percentage down payment, Loans with no callateral needed are also directly usable for flight training. The program is open to FSANA member flight schools.

SimHawk Evolves to AvMkt

Muliple-year SAFE sponsor Simhawk is expanding its mission to connect buyers and sellers of virtually any aviation service. Nearly two and a half years after its initial launch selling time in advanced simulators worldwide, Simhawk is changing its name to Avmkt.com . “Working with thousands of Simhawk buyers and sellers... we realized that the same challenges existed for pilots, aircraft owners, and operators looking to buy numerous other aviation services.” said Chris Weinberg, Founder and CEO of Avmkt.com. “Our customers loved being able to get bids from multiple suppliers without having to spend their time calling around and wanted the same kind of capabilities for the other services they need besides training.” Read more...

TFR-Closed Flight Schools, FBOs To Get Reimbursed Flight schools, FBOs and other businesses at three airports - New Jersey’s Solberg and Somerset airports and Florida’s Palm Beach County Park Airport, also known as Lantana - will be reimbursed up to $3.5 million for business losses due to extended Presidential TFRs. The money was authorized in the February bill passed to keep government operating.

Please Share Our SAFE CFI Toolkit App! SAFE Executive Director David St George

Hi SAFE Members and Supporters! I travel quite a lot as part of my charter flying and have been able to visit many SAFE members around the country. I also stop into every flight school at airports I visit. I am continually surprised how many CFIs have still not heard of our CFI Toolkit App. They are universally delighted to discover there is a native app specifically designed for CFIs. Please do me a favor and go to the last tab on the app "info" and send the app link to your fellow instructors? This will allow them to use the Toolkit App emulator, as are over 3,000 other CFIs actively using this app. Help out your fellow instructors with a link.

On another quick note, in addition to our triple booth at Sun 'N Fun and our energetic participation at all AOPA Fly-Ins, watch for details coming soon on our exciting CFI-PRO ficiency Clinic to be offered this fall. Expand your capabilities (and flight envelope) with ground seminars and flight with master instructors. From > Good to GREAT < More information coming soon! Thanks for supporting SAFE in so many ways. DStG- Director

Are Other CFIs Teaching Good Coordination? SAFE's Poll Of The Month

In your experience, do other instructors teach good control coordination, especially rudder? Yes, I almost never seen any coordination problems in pilots I fly with. Select From what I've seen, some CFIs teach good coordination and some don't. Select Too many CFIs either never learned or forgot proper rudder coordination. Select

"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.

Ken Fukayama, MCFI

Ken Fukayama of Centennial CO, a four-time Master Instructor and SAFE member, renewed his Master CFI accreditation February 1 through Master Instructors LLC. A former instructor pilot with Prescott's Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Ken is now the owner and lead flight instructor with TPA Aviation at Centennial and Rocky Mountain Regional airports where he specializes in single engine, multi-engine and Cirrus training.  He was named Colorado's Certificated Flight Instructor of the Year last year and serves as a FAASTeam Representative for the FAA's Denver FSDO.

Dave Carroll, MCFI-Aerobatic

David A Carroll of Sevierville TN, a 3-time Master Instructor and a member of the International Aerobatic Club as well as SAFE, renewed  his Master CFI-Aerob atic accreditation February 15  through  Master Instructors LLC . Dave teaches with Aviation Performance Solutions at Dothan Napier Regional Airport in Dothan, Alabama.  A retired United States Air Force officer and F15E instructor pilot, he is active in the Civil Air Patrol as well as the Commemorative Air Force.  He specializes in upset prevention and recovery training (UPRT)  along with spin and advanced aerobatic flight training.

Mike Lents, MCFI-Aerobatic

Michael J Lents of Grand Forks ND, a 4-time Master and a member of IAC as well as SAFE, renewed his Master CFI-Aerobatic accreditation February19 through Master Instructors LLC . Mike is an assistant professor of  aviation as well as aerobatic flight and ground instructor at the University of North Dakota's John D Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences  He is also the founder of Double Helix Aviation, which provides upset prevention and recovery training, and serves as a coach of UND's 8-time national championship aerobatic flight team. Mike is an IAC aerobatic competitor and air show performer himself.

Ed Murphy, MCFI-Helicopter

Edward J Murphy of Palm Beach Gardens FL, a 5-time Master and SAFE member, renewed his Master CFI-Helicopter accreditation February 26 through Master Instructors LLC .  A retired US Army officer and helicopter pilot, Ed is a Part 135 check airman and a Sikorski SK-92 instructor pilot with ERA Helicopters LLC at their Lake Charles, Louisiana training facility..  He specializes in initial and recurrent helicopter training in both simulators and aircraft while also serving as a pilot examiner (DPE) as well as an FAA FAASTeam representative for the FAA's South Florida FSDO.

Rich Stowell Jr., MCFI Emeritus

Richard L Stowell of McCall ID, an 11-time Master and a member of IAC as well as a founding member of SAFE, was granted Master Instructor Emeritus status February 1 through  Master Instructors LLC . The honor is in recognition of his many years of commitment to excellence, professional growth, service to the aviation community, and quality aviation education.     A nationally known author, lecturer and aerobatic instructor specializing in emergency maneuver training and spin recovery, Rich now teaches primarily aviation-themed STEM outreach programs. The 2006 National CFI of the Year as well as the 2014 National FAASTeam Rep of the Year, he also serves as a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Boise FSDO. He was one of the first aviation educators to earn the Master designation when the accreditation program was introduced by then-FAA Administrator Barry Valentine at Oshkosh AirVenture 1997.