Read More…… (Gary) In 2016, Gary created Master Flight Training to provide three-day Mastering Single-Pilot IFR programs for pilots who fly with Avidyne or Garmin glass cockpits. In the past three years, he has given this training to more than 60 pilots in 24 states involving 26 different aircraft models. Since 2012, Gary has been … Continue reading “June 2019 SAFE e-News “Read More””
FAA pilot certification is a carefully monitored pass/fail process, but surprisingly, only minimal performance is required to earn a pilot certificate or rating. The PTS/ACS standards only ensure that all elements are completed successfully and that applicants meet at least the lowest acceptable level of skill, knowledge, and judgment. And by regulation, if the standard … Continue reading ““Mind the (CFI) Gap!” Go “Good to GREAT!””
It was an honor to present during the Redbird Migration this week at AOPA. The message is critical to growing aviation and keeping us all safe: A newly certificated CFI (and all FAA certificates) only demonstrated the “minimum viable product” to earn this rating and needs more growth and seasoning to be truly functional. This … Continue reading “New CFI…Congrats! License to Learn!”
Since the new FAA rule, as of April 1st, 2016 all new pilots now have to apply for their student pilot certificates through IACRA or on a paper 8710-1 (not encouraged). It helps to repeat after me “IACRA is my friend” because a positive attitude helps immensely when navigating this website for the first time. … Continue reading “How to Apply in IACRA for a Student Pilot Certificate”
The final FAA rule for the proposed new student pilot certificates was issued in the Federal Register today. Fortunately the idea of photos and biometric IDs was dropped, but student pilots will no longer get their certificates from their AME. Instead they will apply in person at their FSDO (unlikely), through a DPE, with a … Continue reading “Plastic Student Pilot Certificates Start April 1st”
Read more…(Complex) “We had heard hints of this change at Sun ‘n Fun last month when we interviewed the FAA’s Brad Palmer of AFS 800,” explained David St. George, SAFE Chair. “His team at the FAA was very concerned about the safety of our fleet of aging complex airplanes.” St. George said he thought the … Continue reading “May 2018; “Read More””
There has been a watershed of helpful FAA regulatory changes supporting and improving General Aviation in the last year. This is part of a whole new attitude and relationship that every pilot should recognize and celebrate. We need to move beyond the traditional dark humor regarding the FAA; “we’re not happy until you’re not happy” … Continue reading “Your New Friends in the FAA!”
The FAA has made a bold move and dropped the requirement for a complex aircraft for the single-engine commercial and CFI tests. Dr. Donna Wilt, a professor at FIT in aviation and our SAFE representative on the ACS working group, alerted me to this change as it was being written earlier this week. We had … Continue reading “Easier is NOT Necessarily Better, BUT…”
“Good pilots are always learning” but this commitment is also vital for good flight instructors. To improve at anything, we must be continually curious, seeking new knowledge or inevitably cynicism and a glassy-eyed complacency set in. You know this look, 70% of US workers on the job are “disengaged”. A commitment to growth as a … Continue reading “CFI Good to Great; Learn From Your Students!”
First things first, what is a “great” flight instructor? Is it the instructor with the most ratings, the most dual given or is it the person with FAA National Accolades and many Master CFI Levels? Personally, I would argue it is a passionate, professional educator who consistently prepares safe, confident, skillful pilots at many levels … Continue reading “What Makes a “Great” CFI (and Can We Teach It)?”
