Nathan R Zucker, now a three-time Master CFI.  Nate provides both initial transition training and advanced instruction in technically advanced aircraft (TAA) with Platinum Aviation at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE).  In addition, he administers flight checks for pilots completing Platinum’s Cirrus transition training.

Jonathan E Shorey, now a first-time Master CFI. Jonathan is a flight instructor anad contract pilot with FlightSource at Odessa-Schlemeyer Field (ODO) but will soon relocate to Saint Cloud, Florida. He also serves in the Texas Wing of the CAP and is a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Lubbock FSDO area.

Susan K Parson, now a four-time Master CFI and Master Ground Instructor. Susan is a special assistant to the FAA’s Flight Standards director as well as an independent flight and ground instructor in the Leesburg Virginia area. She also serves with the Civil Air Patrol’s Virginia Wing and is a FAASTeam representative in the Washington FSDO area.

David St George, now a seven-time Master CFI and Master Ground Instructor. David is the chief flight instructor with East Hill Flying Club, a Part 141 flight school at Ithaca’s Tompkins County Regional Airport (ITH).  He also serves as a designated pilot examiner and a FAASTeam representative in the Rochester FSDO area.

Joseph D Suarez, now a three-time Master CFI. Joe is a professor of aviation and an assistant chief flight instructor with the University of Dubuque’s Part 141 aviation program at Dubuque Regional Airport (DBQ).  He also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s DesMoines FSDO area.

Timothy J Brill, now a first-time Master CFI-Aerobatic. Tim is the owner of the Aerobatic Company and Flight School, specializing in emergency maneuver and aerobatic training at Reno Stead Airport (RTS). He also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Reno FSDO area.

Patrick T Carter, now a two-time Master CFI-Aerobatic. Patrick owns Acroflights, where he specializes in unusual attitude and aerobatic training at Tri-City Airport (PPF) in Parsons, KS. He also works as a production test pilot for the Cessna Aircraft Company in Independence.

Following a tremendous effort by the SAFE Library Editorial Review Committee (LERC) and information provided by FAA Safety Briefing editor, Susan Parson, the new Safety Briefing section of the SAFE Library is now open and available to SAFE members!

Members will find a link directly to the FAA Safety Briefing website (formerly FAA Aviation News) in this section. The virtual shelves of the Library have also been stocked with direct access to a wide selection of great articles from previous issues of the FAA publication. As future issues are released, new articles will be added to our Library.

In addition to the new Safety Briefing section, the SAFE Library provides members with access to other excellent reference materials contributed by members, as well as other FAA and non-governmental information. To access these and other materials, please log in to the SAFE website and follow the path Members Only > Library > Enter > FAA & Other Government Materials > FAA Safety Briefing Magazine

The SAFE Library is a key benefit of membership in our organization, and you are encouraged to submit material to the LERC for inclusion in the Library. To begin the submission process, log in and follow the path Members Only > Library > Contribute

http://www.safepilots.org

Lamar A Childs — Renewal, now a 2-time MCFI. Lamar is president of Lamar A Childs’ Flight Training where he specializes in primary and advanced flight training in single and multiengine aircraft at Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport (PNS). He also serves as a director of the Pensacola Navy Flying Club.

Vicki Lynn Sherman — Renewal, now a 3-time MCFI. Vicki is a flight and ground instructor with Falcon Flight at Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB). She also serves with the National Aviation Safety Foundation and is a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Orlando FSDO area.

Clair E “Geni” Grant — Emeritus Status (a 6-time MCFI). Geni is the director of aviation flight technology at Bay City’s Delta College and serves as a FAASTeam representative for the FAA’s Detroit FSDO area.

James L Alsip — Renewal, now a 2-time MCFI-Aerobatic. Jim owns Dylan Aviation, an aerobatic flight school at Indiantown Airport (X58) specializing in spin, upset recovery, and basic aerobatic training. He also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Orlando FSDO area.

New Instrument Instructor Practical Test Standards Go Into Effect 01 July 2010

In an effort to keep members ahead of the curve, the SAFE Board has learned that the latest standards are now available on the FAA website. SAFE members have a two-week head start on this!

For those who’d like the long form of the URL:
http://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/airmen/test_standards/media/FAA-S-8081-9D.pdf

Latest Benefit Adds Print Media to Growing Member Resources

Flying is now including subscriptions to its monthly magazine as another great benefit of membership in SAFE. Promoted as “the world’s leading aviation magazine”, Flying delivers reliable information on aircraft evaluation, safety, new product development, and the latest technology. Comprehensive coverage of general aviation along with popular columns such as “I Learned About Flying From That” provide a useful resource for SAFE members in their roles as aviation educators.

Your membership benefits now include a one-year subscription (12 great issues) to FLYING Magazine as part of your annual dues.

Members — watch for Flying magazine in your mail boxes soon!

Proposed Regulation of FBOs & Instructors would “Kill Aviation in California”

The Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) has submitted a letter to various officials in the State of California in opposition to Assembly Bill 48 (AB 48). The bill would impose burdensome and overly costly regulations on FBOs and independent flight instructors, treating them the same as post-secondary institutions. Not only has SAFE taken a stand on the issue, but many individual SAFE members in California have also mobilized in an effort to stop a bill that many believe will cause serious damage to California’s flight training industry. The statement prepared by SAFE reads:

The Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) is an international organization formed to facilitate the professional development of aviation educators, as well as create a safer aviation environment. By providing quality educational materials and other resources, we seek a reduction in aviation accidents, increased professionalism among aviation educators, and lifelong learning by everyone involved in aviation. We seek to make aviation education a viable career goal.

SAFE is therefore very concerned that the reauthorization of the California Assembly Bill 48, designed to monitor the quality of post-secondary institutions and protect students from losing pre-paid tuition when a school closes down, will have dire consequences for California flight training facilities. The reauthorization includes the repeal of exemptions for flight training facilities, which will cause potentially serious difficulties for Fixed Base Operators, flight schools and independent flight instructors.

If the exemption is removed all flight training facilities from Part 141 flight schools to independent instructors will have to be certified and will have to operate as though they are post-secondary institutions such as colleges or technical schools. It is understood that AB 48 was intended to regulate private colleges and technical schools not flight instruction which covers a wide range of providers and whose curricula are already regulated by the FAA.

It has been reported that if independent instructors wanted to continue instructing under the new rules they would be subject to additional qualifications before they can teach in California even though they are certified by the FAA. All instructors would also be subject to academic reviews that are designed for colleges and universities. In addition to the yearly academic reviews, periodic fees would be assessed on each flight instructor including $2.50 per $1,000 which would go toward a state fund that would pay claims to students if their “flight school” closed its doors after they had paid their “tuition” in advance. Each instructor would be charged an initial application fee of $5,000 and a $3,500 renewal fee every three years. If instructors have a second location an additional fee of $1,000 would be assessed. Finally, they would be required to pay an operation fee of three- quarters of a percent of their income (not to exceed $25,000 annually).

If we might point out, it is highly unlikely that any of the free-lance instructors in California accept pre-payment for their instruction. Further, calling a free- lance instructor “a flight school” or post secondary institution is as ridiculous as referring to a free lance Spanish tutor as “a school.”

If flight schools, Fixed Base Operators, and independent flight instructors are no longer to be exempt from the requirements of AB 48, it is likely that many, already in a precarious financial condition, would elect to curtail their flight instruction. This would have a severe impact upon flight safety in California, as it is these very instructors that provide the vast majority of recurrent safety training to California pilots. It is also these same instructors that provide virtually all of the initial training received by pilots in California.

Since many pilots come to California not only from across the entire United States, but from many foreign countries as well, not only would the flight instruction industry suffer, but all the ancillary businesses (hotels, restaurants, etc.) would lose business as well.

As a professional association concerned with aviation education and safety, SAFE believes that if exemptions for flight training facilities are not reinstated in the bill it would make it difficult, if not impossible, for flight training providers to continue to make a viable contribution to California’s reputation as a state that welcomes and supports aviation education.

Sincerely,
Doug Stewart, Chairman, The Society of Aviation and Flight Educators

Within hours of learning about the looming deadline for commenting on AB 48 and its potentially devastating provisions, the SAFE Board of Directors acted swiftly to craft the above response. Moreover, representatives from SAFE will be present along with other pro-aviation organizations at hearings held on AB 48 in Sacramento on Monday, June 7th.

END

Two Incumbents, One New Director Chosen

In the recently completed annual elections for Directors of the Board of the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE), two incumbents and one new Director were elected. Incumbents Mark Adams and Larry Bothe are joined by new Director Cliff Chetwin. All are Master Instructors who will be serving three-year terms.

Adams is SAFE’s current Vice Chair, has actively served as chair of the governance committee since SAFE’s inception, and is a check airman for FedEx. Bothe is SAFE’s current Treasurer, chairs the finance committee, and is an active Designated Pilot Examiner. Chetwin is a recently retired National Park Service pilot, aviation program manager, and accident investigator with experience in developing aviation programs and standards.

“It is exciting to see an organization in action that has member-centricity as one of its core values,” said SAFE Chair Doug Stewart. “I welcome Cliff to the Board and am happy to have his expertise to help guide us through our formative years. I am also glad to see that the membership recognized and valued the service of Mark and Larry by re-electing them to another term.”

SAFE remains the only organization to represent aviation educators where members freely elect the entire nine-person Board of Directors. Members can easily access their Directors through the SAFE website, and transparency in governance is ensured through the posting of approved minutes, by-laws, and other documents on the website.

FMI see www.safepilots.org

FAA & Industry Recognizing Excellence

The National Awards Plaque Hangs in the EAA Museum, Oshkosh, WI

The General Aviation Awards Committee recently launched a new website devoted exclusively to the General Aviation Awards program.

In addition to containing the application / nomination packet and other information, the website also profiles the four 2010 National Award winners: MCFI Jeff Moss, Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI) of the Year; Neil Nederfield, Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) of the Year; Kirk Peterson, Avionics Technician of the Year; and MCFI Tom Turner, FAASTeam Representative of the Year.  Links to all sponsoring organization are posted as well.

Developing the new site has been a collaborative effort that included funding from the National Aviation Safety Foundation (NASF) and Rich Stowell Consulting, design work by 2007 National FAASTeam Representative of the Year Cheryl DeFilippo Hardy, and web hosting by the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA). Future plans include the addition of photos, awards presentation videos, past news releases, and a list of all past national winners.

The General Aviation Awards program has been in existence for 47 years and is a joint effort of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and industry to recognize aviation professionals for their contributions to aviation, education, and flight safety. Each year, a small group of professionals in the fields of flight instruction, aviation maintenance, avionics, and safety are recognized at the local, regional, and national levels.

The selection process begins with local FAA Safety Team managers at Flight Standards District Offices (FSDO) and then moves on to the eight regional FAA offices. Panels of aviation professionals from within those four fields then select national winners from the pool of regional winners.

For more information, visit the new website at http://www.GeneralAviationAwards.org/ or call 303-485-8136.