2023 Board Nominees: Candidates For Your Consideration! – Society of Aviation and Flight Educators

Thank you for supporting SAFE! We have a diverse and talented group of candidates for your consideration on the board of directors. All are experienced CFIs and have answered the five questions to reveal their background and aspirations for growing SAFE. There are nine SAFE board positions each serving a three-year term. This provides three board openings every year. Please read their responses below and vote for the best candidate(s) – three maximum.

You should be automatically logged in to vote in the email you received (and can request a receipt to verify your ballot). If that login fails for some reason, your “voter ID” is your full member number beginning with “S” and including the zeros. Your “voter key” is your login to the SAFE website.

Andy Chan

Your aviation bio/resume with years and ratings?
Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Right Rudder Aviation, more than 20 years aviation experience. ~5500 Hours total time. CFII, MEI, CFIG, A&P, Airport manager. Chief Flight Instructor part 61 & 141. Director of Maintenance. NBAA Top 40 Under 40. GrowFL Top Companies to Watch. Safe Board Member (one term).

How long have you been a SAFE member and why do you want to serve on the S.A.F.E. Board of Directors?

Since 2016. My mission is to make the dream of flight accessible to all. Serving the Safe Board has allowed me to continue this mission. Going forward, our industry needs to continue to innovate to meet the needs of future pilots- SAFE will help shape future regulation changes to ensure that flight training continues to improve.

How will your aviation and professional background, special talents, and leadership skills help to further SAFE’s mission and goals? Please be specific.

Current SAFE Board Member. As a Chief Flight Instructor at RRA, I have firsthand knowledge of current and historical challenges facing our industry. As an A&P, I have a wealth of maintenance knowledge. As a business owner, I understand all aspects of operating a successful organization.

What do you see as the most pressing concerns and/or tasks for SAFE and for SAFE’s Board of Directors in the next 3 years based on SAFE’s current mission and vision Statements?
We are looking for imagination and vision here; tell us your best vision of SAFE!

Improve the examining process. Currently, there is a shortage of examiners in several regions across the US- we need to address this. Provide more value for our Members- SAFE will need to provide significant digital resources to our members- including videos and in-person offerings. Improved Mentorship Program- SAFE has always been proud to help new CFIs earn their wings- a modernization of this program is needed in the near future.

What other thoughts, suggestions, or ideas do you have to keep S.A.F.E. growing and thriving as a professional aviation education organization?

Continue to serve our Members. Improve our Mentorship Program. Lobby the FAA to improve Flight Instruction.

H. Michael Miley

Your aviation bio/resume with years and ratings?
Commercial SEL/MEL, CFII

How long have you been a SAFE member and why do you want to serve on the S.A.F.E. Board of Directors?

I’ve been a part of SAFE for the last five years (having switched from that other organization before that) which doesn’t seem so long ago considering more than 30 years as an independent CFII. All of my professional aviation experience involves teaching. I’ve worked for small FBOs, within clubs, directly for owners, and volunteered to teach with Civil Air Patrol. I bring with me a long history and perspective that seems valuable to the organization’s efforts and influence.

How will your aviation and professional background, special talents, and leadership skills help to further SAFE’s mission and goals? Please be specific.

Besides a long CFI history, I also bring experiences from my technical career where I worked in large tech firms and aviation startups. I’ve lived on the road providing endless customer meetings and demos. I’ve also led large, international teams. So, I bring with me the experience to know that good relationships and partnerships are always more important than big budgets. Soon, I’ll be completing a Ph.D. in Business Strategy and Innovation, and hope to bring those learnings to help SAFE grow and evolve.

Aviation is in a chaotic phase with much focus on the pilot shortage, a push towards autonomous UAM, low-altitude commercial UAV operations, and so much more. As the industry evolves, it is paramount that SAFE also adapts. How do we help increase the quality of instruction to help make the industry more approachable to an increasingly diverse pool of potential pilots who expect modern teaching methods? Our combined history and experience gives us a seat at the proverbial table as we help influence an industry focused on getting people into an airliner seat as quickly and economically as possible. As long as industry leaders focus on lowered costs and decreased time, I worry that the quality of instruction will take a backseat. So, I think there we are in a position to help advocate for change that increases pilot abilities while potentially decreasing the time and costs involved.

What other thoughts, suggestions, or ideas do you have to keep S.A.F.E. growing and thriving as a professional aviation education organization?

With an increased number of pilots skipping becoming a CFI on their path to the airlines, we face the potential of decreased membership even as the industry grows. Not only should we be partnering with the large flight schools and universities to advocate to have pilots become CFIs, but we should also consider our membership status and costs for early career entrants. If we make it easy or even free to join in their first years, we have a chance to provide support to the people that need us the most…. and create a long-term bond.

Newlan Parker

Your aviation bio/resume with years and ratings?

Current SAFE and AOPA member ATP, CFI, CFII, MEI, AGI, IGI
ASEL, AMEL, ASES
Designated Pilot Examiner

5000 Total time
2000 turbine
1000 tailwheel
Previous NAFI and EAA member

How long have you been a SAFE member and why do you want to serve on the S.A.F.E. Board of Directors?

Three years total. I am very impressed with your organization and its goals, and would consider it an honor to serve on the board. Aviation is a rapidly changing industry. My experience in the military, Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 sectors, as well as my passion for flight instructing and serving the aviation community as a DPE would benefit SAFE, as well as the flight training industry as a whole.

How will your aviation and professional background, special talents, and leadership skills * help to further SAFE’s mission and goals? Please be specific.

How will your aviation and professional background, special talents, and leadership skills help to further SAFE’s mission and goals? Please be specific.

I have a Master’s degree in Aviation and over a decade of instruction. I have not served on a board yet, but know that my passion for aviation has allowed me to be in a place where I could be beneficial to the board. I specialize in tailwheel instruction and truly believe that a safe industry starts with good primary instruction. If a student is taught solid stick and rudder skills from the start, as well as an understanding to the importance of knowing how to control their aircraft at all edges of the envelope, they will be able to handle the introduction of all of the technologies available, and combine the two for safe and fun flying for years to come.

Starting with enhanced education, I believe outreach is important. I recently asked a group of instructors if they had ever heard of SAFE. None had, unfortunately.
Following this- mentoring, support and professional accreditation. I believe outreach is also the key. I don’t think enough instructors know the amount of support there is available, and the benefits of accreditation.

What other thoughts, suggestions, or ideas do you have to keep S.A.F.E. growing and thriving as a professional aviation education organization?

Outreach and benefits. People want to know what they will get out of their membership. I believe a newer website and more outreach are good short-term goals. I would also like to see the accreditation more visible on the website, and a way to bridge getting accredited to the airlines, so that the airlines know the amount of work involved, and account for that in their selection and hiring process. This would motivate more instructors to aim for those goals. Along the way, they are getting out and volunteering more, networking more, studying more, and most importantly being better teachers to the next generation of pilots.

Dorothy Schick

Your aviation bio/resume with years and ratings?
I am writing to apply for a position on the Board of Directors for the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators. I believe that my skills and expertise can make a valuable contribution to our organization.

I have worked diligently throughout my career to promote aviation education, safety, and the professional flight instruction career path. In 1994 I established a Part 61 flight school where besides my flight instructor title I was “Chief Enhancer.” Besides ensuring integrity, trust, and safe operations, I created innovative training products and programs such as our FirstStep introductory flight lesson, “Capture the Airport” pilot cross-country game, and the Pilot Logbook and Journal, all designed to motivate beginners and long-time pilots to expand their aeronautical skills beyond basic currency requirements.

I have also authored flight training business articles for AOPA’s Flight Training Business and held a variety of general aviation leadership roles including:

FAASTeam Representative 2007- present
FAA Safety Counselor, 2003-2007
NAFI Master Flight Instructor, 2002-2005
Lane Community College Flight Technology Advisory Board Chair, 2001- 2004 AOPA Airport Support Network Volunteer, 2001-2003

EAA Chapter 31 Newsletter Editor, 2000-2001 Creswell Airport Commission (Secretary), 1995-2000

Certificates and Ratings: Commercial Pilot Instrument Rating
Flight Instructor—SEL Advanced Ground Instructor Remote Pilot—SUAS

I have 5476 Total Hours and 4692 hours of instruction given. As a tailwheel instructor, my favorite aircraft to instruct in is any Aeronca Champ.

PUBLICATIONS:
CRM: Customer Relationship Management (pp.324-337). Gregory N. Brown, The Savvy Flight Instructor, Second Edition, 2015. Aviation Supplies & Academics, Inc.;
Marketing to Millennials: Be true to your mission and values, AOPA Flight School Business, June 2014; Just say no to the wrong customer, AOPA Flight School Business, April 2014;
Five mistakes to learn from, AOPA Flight School Business, October 2013;
Do your students have stick-to-itiveness? AOPA Flight School Business, July 2013;
Some dollars have a high cost, AOPA Flight School Business, December 2013;
‘Curiosity’ is not just a Mars Rover, AOPA Flight School Business, September 2012.

I continue to mentor and promote the safety and education of flight instructors through various social media groups such Facebook’s “CFI Study Group.”

I believe that my experience and skills make me an ideal candidate for the Board of Directors position. I am committed to promoting the Society’s mission by supporting its members and helping move our organization forward. I am a team player and can collaborate effectively with fellow board members and stakeholders, but I will not hesitate to ask probing, “why, what, and how,” questions to ensure the Society’s continued success.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to contributing to SAFE and positively impacting the general aviation community

How long have you been a SAFE member and why do you want to serve on the S.A.F.E. Board of Directors?

As a member of the SAFE since 2009, I am already an advocate for aviation education and mentoring systems to ensure the success of general aviation pilots and technicians. I appreciate the Society’s dedication to providing continuing education and fostering professionalism for all aviation educators. As a board member I will listen to our members so as to be open to new ideas. I am a team player and can collaborate effectively with fellow board members and stakeholders, but I will not hesitate to ask probing, “why, what, and how,” questions to ensure the Society’s and our members continued success.

How will your aviation and professional background, special talents, and leadership skills help to further SAFE’s mission and goals? Please be specific.

My background is diverse, prior to starting a flight school I worked in marketing for more than 20 years including with Fortune 500 companies. I can use WordPress, and I am proficient with Constant Contact.

What do you see as the most pressing concerns and/or tasks for SAFE and for SAFE’s * Board of Directors in the next 3 years based on SAFE’s current mission and vision Statements?
We are looking for imagination and vision here; tell us your best vision of SAFE!

1. To ensure we have enough long-term CFI educators (more than one and done)!
2. Encourage flight schools to use a standardized CFI-initial training syllabus – perhaps creating it to work along with the new CFI-ACS.

3. To pursue removing PSI’s testing services as the sole vendor of knowledge test exams.
It is my observation that the majority of applicants today use vendors offering very effective knowledge testing software and online courses with testing results that are essentially equal to their FAA “real” test results obtained by taking tests from PSI.

Upon completing one of these courses and having passed at least one, practice “final’ exam, the applicant can receive and an endorsement or certificate to take their “real” AKT at a PSI testing center. Consider the FAA’s own statistics for 2021, the most recent year I could find with pilot knowledge testing score statistics (Passing an FAA AKT multiple choice test requires a minimum a 70% score).

Knowledge Test
Commercial Pilot Airplane
Flight Instructor Airplane Instrument Rating Airplane 17,537 Private Pilot Airplane 34,110

Pass rate 96.81% 94.57% 94.54%

89.86%

Average Score 87.24% 87.81% 85.73% 83.06% Volume 12,719 8,693

Why continue to use a sole (and costly) single provider for AKT. If we accept that the majority of applicants can use alternate vendors offering very effective knowledge testing software and online courses (with anti- cheating “firewalls” in place) that provide testing results which are essentially equal to their PSI exam’s test results?
Pilots and mechanics shouldn’t have to bare the costly additional dollars (upwards of than $1000 if they become a CFI) on PSI’s testing fees, when PSI AKT results likely give us no better or worse insights into our applicants aeronautical understanding than do tests from an aeronautical vendor such as ASA, AOPA, Sporty’s, Gleim, or Gold Seal to name a few.

What other thoughts, suggestions, or ideas do you have to keep S.A.F.E. growing and thriving as a professional aviation education organization?

I think you’re already doing great!
Continue the excellent discounts from industry partners offered to CFIs for being members and aircraft insurance.

Possibly have more board members and members recognize themselves as SAFE members when they interact individually on specific social media groups like CFI Discussion Group, CFI Study Group, etc.

Offer a medical insurance provider so flight schools and independent contractors can have that option.

Have quarterly Zoom meet-ups for collaboration with other members and for training sessions on specific subjects for CFIs and technicians.

Besides hats and other wearable items in the store provide car decals and patches for members.