The program for the conference is now available. Still trying to decide if you are going to attend?

Check out the program to see all of the topics that will be covered during the 2022 conference by clicking here.

Now is the time to begin making plans to attend. Start by marking your calendar. It is not too soon to register and guarantee your rooms reservation.

Make your room reservations early.

If you or your business is interested in exhibiting or sponsoring at the 2022 Conference and Trade Show, visit the following on FSANA's website:

To exhibit / To sponsor

Walt Disney was a true visionary and had a keen ability to see far down the runway and ahead of the airplane. Aviation was a part of the Disney culture dating back to the early days.

As a soon-to-be graduate of Florida Tech in Melbourne, Florida, Bob Rockmaker, FSANA president & CEO had a meeting with Esmond Cardon "Card" Walker in 1975. The topic was a possible career in the Disney aviation operation.

Card became President of the Walt Disney Company in 1971. When he passed away in 2005, Card Walker was one of the closest connections to Walt and Roy Disney, co-founders of the Disney enterprise. Card collaborated closely with Walt and Roy and their vision for the future of the Disney business legacy.

During the meeting between Card and Bob Rockmaker, Card shared a vision that included a new airport to be named Disney International Airport. Card noted that Disney would be needing some folks to help get the new airport off the ground. There would be direct mono-rail service between the airport and the Disney entertainment properties.

A new Disney Airport was brought forward by Walt Disney himself in the early days of planning for Disney World. The Disney organization built an airport with a single runway in 1971. They named it the Walt Disney World Airport, also called the Lake Buena Vista Airport. The airport was located to the east of the former Walt Disney World Speedway.

The airport supported smaller, commuter flights and the airport was closed in the 1980"s.

The runway is still in place and is used for storage. The original Gulfstream I that Walt used is stored on Disney property.

Aviation tied into Disney's plans for the future of their efforts, but it also played into the public persona of even Mickey Mouse in the early days.

The very first Mickey Mouse cartoon, "plane crazy" focused on aviation in 1928 when the public was heavily focused on aviation and enthralled with the potential it represented. You can check that cartoon out at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCZPzHg0h80.

From the origins of Mickey Mouse to Walt Disney himself, and right into the modern-day, aviation has played a part in the culture of the United States. Millions of people have flown into the Orlando International Airport to visit Mickey Mouse and all of the Disney properties.

We don't see aviation as such a central point in cultural representations as we saw in the 1920s and 1930s, and again after WWII. There have been fleeting bursts, for in a large part airplanes have become an expected commonplace part of everyday life. Perhaps a little passion in our cultural vision would help us recruit the next generation we need to meet our workforce needs in the aviation sector.

Visit the National Museum of American History's story about when Mickey Mouse Turns 90 at https://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/mickey-mouse-turns-90 to see more of the history of Mickey Mouse.

FSANA has been getting more involved with GA safety and has created a Safety committee which will begin to address GA safety. While some may say that GA safety is better today than a year ago, they are both right and wrong.

The GA fatal accident rate is climbing even though there was a dip in 2020 which was brought about by a drop in flight hours due to COVID. FSANA has always recognized safety as the cornerstone of the aviation industry. As the trade association continues to evolve, the time has come for a new level of safety delivery which will help drive a reduction in GA accidents.

FSANA started to promote a Zero Accident goal for the GA industry in 2019. There is no flight school owner/operator that envisions aircraft incidents and/or accidents. The same holds true for all modes of transportation.

During a recent roundtable discussion with the Honorable Jennifer Homendy, chairwoman of the NTSB, Bob Rockmaker, FSANA president & CEO shared FSANA's GA safety goal. The Chairwoman applauded FSANA's position with the GA Zero Accident goal.

Jim Viola, president & CEO of The Helicopter Association International (HAI) stated that HAI supports the Zero Accident safety goal and is supporting the goal within the HAI community.

Paul Burger, chairman of the WINGS Industry Network has placed their full support to the GA Zero Accident goal. Berger has been a long time advocate of GA safety and has been vocal about helping to eliminate GA accidents. Link to WINGS website here.

Flight schools who encounter 1-2 incidents and/or accidents can be at risk of either paying sky high insurance premiums or not securing insurance at all. When the later occurs, there is typically an asset sale and a new owner steps in and purchases the school. FSANA has seen this happen on numerous occasions over the past 12 year.

November 30, 2021 is the deadline to submit a nomination this year. You can nominate someone to be recognized as the CFI of the year, Maintenance Technician of the Year or FAASTeam Representative of the Year. Or, you can nominate yourself!

Application instructions can be found here: http://www.generalaviationawards.com/nominations/

The mission of the General Aviation Awards program is to recognize individual aviation professionals on the local, and national levels for their contributions to aviation, education, and flight safety. The program is a cooperative effort between the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and many general aviation industry sponsors.

For more information contact info@generalaviationawards.org.

The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) just published SEVP Policy Guidance: Use of Electronic Signatures and Transmission for the Form I-20, which establishes the procedures for the use of electronic signatures and transmission of the Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Students.” This guidance permits designated school officials (DSOs) to electronically sign and transmit the Form I-20 to initial and continuing students and their dependents.

Under this guidance, DSOs may electronically sign all signature fields on the Form I-20 using software programs or applications, or by using electronically reproduced copies of a personal signature. Additionally, school officials may scan and email or electronically transmit the Form I-20 via secure platform, such as a school portal or other secure site, to F and M students and their dependents. DSOs may also choose to still physically sign and mail the Form I-20 to students.

Read the full guidance at ICE.gov/SEVIS/Schools in the Policy section under the Resources header. Please note that this guidance only applies to the Form I-20; there are currently no additional changes to other SEVP forms or processes.

When presented with the opportunity to buy CRAFT Flight Training in June 2019, owners Jay and Amanda Aldea jumped at it because they had a vision of creating a unique flight training experience using modern aircraft and technology and to raise the bar for pilot training in Charleston. In 2019 they started with just two airplanes and two flight instructors. Presently CRAFT boasts 18 employees, 16 aircraft, 2 Redbird simulators, and two locations.

“Our mission at CRAFT has been to provide the best flight training experience for our students, and to help the Charleston community to explore and enjoy aviation,” said Amanda Aldea. “Through our dedication to our mission and the mentorship we have received from the SBA, SCORE, the SBDC, and the relationships we’ve made through the Chamber, CRAFT Flight Training has become a recognized center of excellence for flight training attracting future pilots from across the nation to South Carolina.”

The SBDC Entrepreneur of the Year awards are given to business owners whose efforts and contributions stand out as having enabled their business to grow and thrive during the past academic year. Synovus sponsored the SBDC's participation in the EXPO and the award presentation.

The WINGS Industry Network, an alliance of many dedicated aviation organizations and individuals whose passion for general aviation safety shows through the many investments they make to help reduce the accident rate works to combine members’ resources to build higher levels of awareness to more effectively promote GA safety practices and proficiency.

A new website - wingsindustry.net offers information about efforts to bring industry together for the benefit of aviation safety with a primary focus on the FAASTeam WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program - WINGS.

Visit https://www.wingsindustry.com/ to learn more!

FSANA has been collecting DPE names who have expressed a willingness to travel to help flight training providers secure practical tests.

An up-to-date List of Travel-Willing DPEs with contact information is available on the FSANA website. If you are a flight training provider who is finding a challenge of scheduling DPEs in your local area, feel free to reach out to these individuals. They may be able to serve some of your local testing needs.

While this effort is being made in general, it is even more relevant as many DPEs self-selected to delay a return to providing practical tests during this period of COVID-19 uncertainties.

If you are a DPE who is not on this list but would like to be, please let FSANA know by emailing us at info@fsana.com with your name, city, state, email and phone number and we will add you.