Most Popular FAA Legal Interpretations Aviation educators are regarded as the local authorities in the aviation community. Superior knowledge and familiarity with the regulations are essential for conducting the job of flight educator in a professional manner. For instance: What counts as an “instrument approach?” If you break out at 600 feet, is that an approach? Check FAA InFo 15012 for the answer. What is the legal definition of “known icing?” A careful reading of CFR 61.1 (“Applicability and definitions”) resolves many noisy hangar flying arguments but you have to dig deeper to find a definitive answer for many questions. This blog is open to everyone.

SAFE recently revealed that approximately 20% of flight test candidates arrive at their evaluation flight unqualified to even begin. Now another alarming statistic is in the news; the failure rate of new pilot candidates for the basic private is approaching 50%.

There is a lot of conjecture as to what is causing this alarming trend, but certainly, the aggressive pilot hiring market has created a rush to acquire pilot certificates. This could easily fuel an increasing failure rate. After all, we are using the same test, and largely the same evaluators.

"This depressing statistic should be a wake-up call to every conscientious aviation educator to double down on preparation and make certain they fully prepare every candidate for their flight test (and remember the ACS represents the *minimum* FAA standards)," said SAFE Executive Director David St George.

SAFE provides a series of helpful web resources on the free SAFE Toolkit App called “Checkride Ready!™” for most pilot certificates and ratings. This material was written by DPEs and targets pilot applicants to ensure comprehensive preparation. It reveals the "gottchas" that have trapped other applicants (pink slips). "Please use (and share) the SAFE App; let's stop this downward trend in training," he said.

The latest addition to the SAFE Toolkit for CFIs, an Android and iPhone app, is a checklist for all requirements for each certificate or rating plus the endorsements required by AC 61.65H. The requirements are in PDF and on a single checklist format sheet.

The addition comes after SAFE discovered that about 20 percent of all FAA checkrides fail to start due to errors in applicant preparation. These lapses usually involve insufficient (or incorrectly logged) experience and/or endorsement problems. SAFE advises members to consult with the DPE prior to test day if there are any unanswered questions.

The SAFE Toolkit App also provides a complete list and now "one-stop shopping" for each certificate. Also available through the app are SAFE CFI NOTAMS, which alert CFIs to changes in regulations and common failures in the pilot certification process. Included are tricky aspects of flying and logging PDPIC (performing the duties of PIC) and logging instrument time required by 61.129.

SAFE charter member and award-winning MCFI Rich Stowell last month published a paper identifying the first principles of light airplane flying. Nine principles are offered, divided into the three categories Mindset, Motion, and Mechanics.

Stowell, also known as The Spin Doctor, said the principles offer a solid foundation for building pilot skills. “The principles should look familiar to most pilots," he said. "What I’ve tried to do is identify, refine, and list them in one place.” He said he hopes others will see value in defined principles to work from and fall back on.

A good example of training content rooted in first principles is the free Learn to Turn program released by Stowell last year. The featured principle is “Lines and Circles.” That is, airplanes move along either straight or curved flight paths. Straight segments can be level, climbing, or descending; curved segments can be in the horizontal, the oblique, or the vertical. All maneuvers can be resolved into these segments.

“The Nine Principles of Light Airplane Flying” is available as a downloadable PDF for $7.95.

The November/December 2022 issue of FAA Safety Briefing magazine explores tips and best practices that help pilots find ways to avoid the “danger zones” where accidents can occur.

Articles highlight system safety and risk management in the context of persistent accident factors during preflight; taxi; takeoff and departure; maneuvering flight; and approach and landing. Feature articles include:

How Do You Do? - Practical Ways to Practice Risk Management

Tips for Perfect Preflight Prep - Why Better Preflight Preparation is Paramount to Safe Flight

Top Six Taxi Tips - How to Improve Your Ground Game

Don’t Try This a̶t̶ ̶H̶o̶m̶e̶ on the Runway - Common Take Off and Departure Errors

Shiny Side Up! - Avoiding Loss of Control

It's All in Your Approach - Top Tips to Fine Tune a Final Approach and Landing

A Scientific Reports article says that pilots tend to have lower trait Emotional Intelligence (EI) scores, indicating less confidence and reliance on their emotional world, "with all the advantages and disadvantages this might entail,” researchers wrote.

Pilots scored consistently lower than their counterparts in EI, as well as three of its four factors: well-being, emotionality and sociability. For the fourth factor, self-control, no significant differences were identified.

The study assessed a group of 44 pilots using the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue) and compared the results to a control group taken from a TEIQue U.S. dataset. 93 percent of the pilot participants were male, ages ranged between 24 and 67 years, and flight experience varied from 150 hours to over 5,000 hours. Participants included both rotary- and fixed-wing pilots from military and civilian aviation organizations.

The nuance between confirmation bias and continuation bias is vital for pilots to know to minimize the chance of a CFIT accident, says the latest FAASTeam seminar. As this presentation says, "It's hard to change horses in the middle of the stream, but sometimes the stream gets too strong for the horse you're on."

The seminar, conducted November 22 with Ron Levy, explains how Plan Continuation Bias is a form of Confirmation Bias, pressing on with a plan even though information that indicates the plan should be modified or abandoned is readily available. It appears stronger as one nears the destination.” In other words, it gets harder to swap horses the closer you get to the far shore.

The new seminar has helpful safety suggestions for pilots (and CFIs):

Aviation meterologist Tim Vasquez has penned an excellent piece that can help all pilots - and especially students struggling to understand weather - see the 'big picture' with weather maps.

"For pilots, no matter how clear the skies, we always seem to be dealing with the wind," says author Vasquez. "So, let’s look at wind from the perspective of an aviation meteorologist—where it comes from, what goes into forecasting it, and even some tips to help keep your flying safer."

The article was original published in IFR Magazine and reprinted by AvWeb on November 14.

Subject headings in this free article originally published in IFR Magazine and reprinted by AvWeb include What Causes Wind? Tropical Winds, Polar Regions, Weather Systems, Mesoscale: In Between, Microscale and The Hazards.

Sling Pilot Academy of Torrance CA has established a pilot pathway with SkyWest Airlines.

Benefits of the new pathway include enhanced seniority, access to experienced pilot mentors, interview prep and a guaranteed final interview for a first officer position at SkyWest.

Officials of Sling also said eligible students can enjoy a $15,000 tuition reimbursement through certain program milestones, exclusive workshops and other events, and access to a direct SkyWest liaison committed to Sling Pilot Academy students.

The 17-page FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 90-48E, issued October 20, is a remarkably thorough review of everything pilots must know about midair collision avoidance.

"This AC was issued right after a couple of high-profile midairs, but they obviously had been preparing for years," said SAFE Communications Director Kevin D Murphy. "It's exceptionally complete and well worth pointing out to your learners."

The AC recommends improvements to pilot education, operating practices, procedures, and improved scanning techniques to reduce midair conflicts.

Memorizing the position of cockpit dials and gadgets is easy, using a large poster of the appropriate panel taped to the wall of your bedroom. But translating that into not only the 'look' but the 'feel' of a real cockpit is where the old-school method falters.

Alaska Airlines is using VR goggles in the early stages of ground training, allowing trainees to both 'see' and 'feel' the appropriate control.

"When you start your first simulator sessions, we don't need to spend four hours trying to figure out where the switches are. You can step in on day one, minute one and know exactly where things are," said Alaska Airlines FO Shawn Thumma.

The FAA has declared that commercial pilots should be able to fly their aircraft manually. "Well, duh!" declared SAFE Communications Director Kevin D Murphy. "SAFE has been advocating that for years."

The new FAA AC 120-123.pdf has comprehensive new training guidelines for airlines and other commercial aviation operators in the US. It was prompted in part by the 2013 crash of an Asiana Airlines aircraft at SFO after pilots were confused about automated controls, which caused the plane to hit a sea wall, killing three people.

The NTSB report on the accident recommended an FAA panel of experts to improve pilot training to increase their ability to fly the plane manually when automated flight control systems are not reliable.

"Multiple crashes have shown a need for pilots, who might switch on autopilot soon after takeoff, to sharpen their abilities to fly without automation in case they have to take over during an emergency," the FAA said.

A recent article by ALPA cites evidence that the pilot shortage is not a lack of pilots so much as poor airline distribution of resources. "If that is true it means they don't have the right people in the right places," said David St George, SAFE Executive Director.

United CEO Scott Kirby acknowledges the pilot shortage but says it predates COVID and is a result of the high cost of training to qualify as a potential airline candidate (all the certificates and the ATP minimums)

Other Industry forecasts and non-airline data paint an entirely different picture, with a critical shortage resulting from a lagging pay scale. It may be a little of all of these. Wages and hiring are certainly (finally) on the increase, and it is currently a hot market for pilot hiring and remuneration. Obviously, there is a critical need for qualified CFIs too. Unfortunately, with the glut of brand-new CFIs (record numbers) eager to build time, the CFI pay scale does not currently resemble the airline increases 🤣.

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The Master Instructor designation is a national FAA-recognized professional accreditation and parallels other professionals' continuing education regimens to increase their professionalism. The Master's designation must be renewed biennially and significantly surpasses FAA requirements for renewing the candidate's flight instructor certificate. Of the 122,000 flight instructors in the US, fewer than 800 have earned the Master Instructor designation, Most are SAFE members.

Shane Vande Voort of Pella IA has attained Master Instructor status for the tenth time, marking more than twenty years as a Master Flight Instructor, demonstrating a long-term commitment to personal growth and excellence. Shane is a second-generation CFI and owner/operator of Classic Aviation, Inc. the FBO at the Pella and Oskaloosa Municipal Airports in Iowa. Classic Aviation is a full service FBO that offers flight instruction, aircraft maintenance, fuel sales, pilot service, and charter.

Shane also serves as a DPE for the Des Moines FSDO and gives checkrides from Sport Pilot to ATP. Shane has been a member of the Cirrus Standardized Instructor Program since 2004 and serves as an instructor for the Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association's Cirrus Pilot Proficiency Program. In addition to holding pilot and instructor ratings he also is a FAA licensed A&P mechanic with inspection authorization. In his free time Shane enjoys flying and maintaining antique and classic aircraft and traveling with his family in GA aircraft.

Michael Bugg of Burleson TX has earned his third accreditation as Master Instructor-Aerobatic.

Mike joined Aviation Performance Solutions in July of 2017. He is an Air Force veteran and graduate of the US Air Force Academy and flew the C-17 and T-6.

He developed a passion for flying at a young age, and his dedication to aviation has provided a solid foundation for his service and success as an Air Force pilot and as an aerobatic flight instructor.

Robin Lindstrom of Huntsville AL has earned his 12th designation as a Master Flight Instructor, recognizing more than twenty-five years of excellence as an aviation educator.

A pilot for over 50 years, Rob is assistant chief CFI at Redstone Arsenal Flying Activity, Redstone Army Airfield (HUA) He is also a staff instructor at Revolution Flight Center at Huntsville International Airport (HSV) and teaches Ground School classes at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (PRO 280).

A charter member of SAFE and a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Birmingham FSDO area, Robin specializes in Avidyne, Aspen, and Garmin avionics, and provides instrument and recurrency training in high-performance, complex aircraft.

Brian Robbins of Southampton NJ, a charter member of SAFE, has been awarded Master Instructor accreditation for the ninth time, representing nearly 20 years of professional aviation education.

Brian is a Gold Seal CFII, MEI and is an active FAASTeam Lead Representative for the Philadelphia. FSDO. He has logged over 3,500 hours, including 2,400 hours as a Flight Instructor. He is the 2004 FAA Eastern Region Aviation Safety Counselor of the Year and 2006 FAA Eastern Region Flight Instructor of the Year.

Brian is an ATP with more than 40 years of flying and has been a CFI for 28 years. He instructs out of N14 (Flying W Airport), N87 (Trenton-Robbinsville Airport) and other airports in Southern New Jersey.

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