SAFE To Emphasize Instructor Professionalism At Sun’n Fun

SAFE will be emphasizing instructor professionalism at the 2017 Sun’n Fun fly-in, asking its highly experienced members to create presentations targeting professionalism for CFIs.
“We’re asking every presenter, and especially Master CFIs, to up the ante with a topic aimed at aviation educators rather than the average private pilot,’” said David St. George, SAFE Chair. “Subjects like How To Talk To The Tower have been routine, but let’s kick it up a notch this year and address professionalism for CFIs instead.” He suggested fresh, upper-level looks at presentations addressing CFI needs such as Mastering Technology for CFI and Student, Teaching The New ACS or other higher-level subjects.
SAFE members with experience and expertise are asked to contact Sun’n Fun’s Joel Walker at educationalforums@hotmail.com, copying the request to St. George. All CFI Master presentations at Sun’n Fun 2017 will be publicized specifically as ‘SAFE Presents CFI Professionalism’ and will be so noted in promotional materials and the event program.

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SAFE co-founder Doug Stewart and other SAFE members originated SAFE’s Pilot Proficiency Project several years ago, teaching basic and advanced pilot skills in Redbird simulators around the country. The program is now a highlight every year at the annual EAA AirVenture fly-in, allowing SAFE to re-target CFI professionalism education.
“We hope every SAFE presenter will find an advanced, CFI-suitable topic to make this year’s educational forums really sizzle,” said Kevin D Murphy, SAFE Communications Director. “SAFE’s membership includes many high-time, seasoned veterans whose years of accumulated wisdom can help newer CFIs, or those who have not been actively instructing and need to knock off some right seat rust.”

New AFH Published

The FAA’s completely revised Airplane Flying Handbook (AFH) was published in early November and is available free on the FAA’s website. The full handbook may be downloaded as a low resolution PDF, while each of the 17 chapters is also available separately.
SAFE members were heavily involved from the beginning of the three-year effort to make significant improvements in the handbook. In addition to providing expertise for all the chapters, SAFE members authored the original work on upset prevention and recovery training that ultimately was added to the new Chapter 4, Maintaining Aircraft Control, as Upset Prevention and Recovery Training.

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One small section of the revised AFH, however – on teaching slow flight – remains controversial, with many high-time CFIs maintaining that it is impossible to teach slow flight as currently described by the FAA. For a review of the controversy, see SAFE member Rod Machado’s entry in the SAFE Blog.

CFIs Cheer, Boo AOPA, UND Study Of Circular Traffic Pattern

A “circular traffic pattern” is being studied as an alternative to the traditional “box,” or rectangular pattern that has been in use since long before most of today’s pilots were born.
The AOPA Air Safety Institute and the University of North Dakota are conducting the study, which hypothesizes that a continuous turning approach from downwind to final will reduce accidents. The idea originated at a recent panel discussion with the NTSB on ideas to reduce inflight loss of control accidents (LOC-I), which have the highest lethality of any GA accident type.
Many CFIs have expressed strong opinions on such a change, both pro and con.

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Proponents of the change contend that a continuous turning pattern will promote increased approach stability, reduce pilot workload, and help pilots better manage angle-of-attack variances. Additionally, say boosters, the use of a continuous turning approach may reduce the likelihood of overshooting a runway during base-to-final turns, which has resulted in multiple stall/spin accidents due to aggressive corrective maneuvering.
Opponents of a circular traffic pattern argue that the FAA is trying to require airline- and military-style flying for light aircraft training, and that a wing will continuously block the pilot’s view of the some portion of the traffic pattern.
“Our current FAA leadership has a love affair with how military and airline pilots fly and it wants general aviation pilots to share in this love-fest, too,” said SAFE member Rod Machado. “I don’t know about you, but I only have so much love to go around when it comes to applying airline and military flight procedures to small airplanes.”
SAFE members are encouraged to submit their comments on the traffic pattern change for possible publication in the SAFE blog. Send comments to communications@safepilot.org.
Both ASI and UND say they hope to have results of their study in early 2017.

The Modern Pilot Offers 68% Discount for SAFE Members

The Modern Pilot, a company that provides training for users of the industry-leading navigation program ForeFlight, is offering SAFE members its ‘Power User Series’ of 26 videos bundled with a one year Premium Modern Pilot subscription for just $67. The offer is a $140 discount from the retail $207.83 price tag, a savings which will by itself pay for three years’ worth of SAFE membership.
Purchasers will also be eligible for a 33% discount on any future course purchases.
“Unless a CFI limits him or herself to sport pilot, tailwheel instruction or flight reviews, tech savvy is essential in today’s aviation environment,” said SAFE Chair David St. George. “It’s unacceptable to have the student teaching the CFI how to use an application like ForeFlight.”

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The high definition instructional videos teach the power user features of the Touch Planning interface, Procedure Advisor, customizing ForeFlight settings, learning to harness the power of ForeFlight’s Global Wind Engine in flight planning, and much more. The special offer includes a Premium Modern Pilot subscription with full access to the company’s webinar series, early access to new training videos, a ForeFlight version alert service and Modern Pilot online forums for questions and interaction with experts and other ForeFlight users.

CFI Christmas Shopping Discounts for SAFE Members

Many manufacturers, distributors and retail outlets are offering SAFE members substantial discounts on products and services for CFIs and other aviation educators.
Participating companies include ForeFlight, Hilton Software LLC, Aerovie, iflightplanner.com, QRef, Sporty’s Pilot Shop, MyGoFlight.com, ASA, Bose, Lightspeed Aviation, BrightLine Bags, Gleim, Jeppesen, King Schools, Max Trescott, Modern Pilot, Pilot Workshop.com, and Promark Aviation Services.
In addition, purchases made from Amazon.com through the company’s Smile program benefit SAFE at no additional charge to you. To use the Smile program, go to http://www.smile.amazon.com and select SAFE as your designated charity.

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The way to access all these discounts is to log into the member side of our website with your member information (please call if you forgot your password and need a reset) All this discount codes are protected here (we cannot just publish them to the public)

ForeFlight is introducing ForeFlight 8, with a new data-centric map engine and remote CFI logbook signing. The company offers SAFE members 33% off subscriptions to ForeFlight Mobile or Pro annual subscriptions.
Hilton Software LLC offers SAFE members a 25% discount on their popular WingX Pro7 software for IOS devices by calling 408-268-8418.
Aerovie, the recently introduced EFB for IOS devices only, now includes electronic PIREP submission to Lockheed Martin Flight Service. The company is offering a free account – regularly $69.99 a year – to SAFE members. To get the free account, members must first download the app, establish a 30-day free account and then email the company for the free account.
Iflightplanner.com gives SAFE members a $20 discount on the company’s Premium annual membership, or a $5 discount on quarterly members, plus a free profile in the iFlightPlanner Flight Instructor Directory.
QRef Quick Reference offers SAFE members 5% off all of the company’s checklists. Recently added are aircraft-specific checklists for models including the Cessna 172RG Cutlass, Cessna T-R182, Beechcraft Duchess BE-76, Beechcraft C24R Sierra, Beechcraft Debonair, Cirrus SR-20 and the Piper Cherokee Six 300.
Sporty’s Pilot Shop gives SAFE members a 20% discount on selected educational material.
MyGoFlight.com is giving SAFE members a 10% discount on all the company’s catalog products, except Garmin equipment. Recently introduced are flight bags embroidered with the SAFE logo.
ASA offers a 2016 Holiday Gift Guide, and SAFE members get a 20% discount on merchandise by entering the ASA site from the ASA logo on the members-only SAFE benefits page.
Bose provides SAFE members a 10% discount on Bose products, plus referral program rebates.
Lightspeed Aviation continues its CFI Appreciation Program, offering CFIs, including SAFE members, $125 off a Zulu PFX, $100 off a Tango or Zulu.2, or $75 off a Sierra headset.
BrightLine Bags offers SAFE members a 10% discount on pilot flight bags with promo code SAFEBLB09.
Gleim offers a 25% discount on qualifying Gleim educational materials for SAFE members by calling 800-874-5346, extension 471.
Jeppesen gives SAFE members a 10% discount on all training products including online courses.
King Schools, which recently introduced ACS Checkride training videos, gives SAFE members a 20% discount on all King courses. For the discount, call 800-854-1001.
Max Trescott, the 2008 National CFI of the Year, offers a 20% SAFE member discount with promo code SAFE2011 when calling 800-247-6553 or ordering online through www.g1000book.com.
Modern Pilot is offering SAFE members a 68% discount – worth $140 – on a bundle of the company’s 27-video ForeFlight Power User video series plus a one-year premium subscription to the Modern Pilot online service. The regular price of the bundle is $207.83.
Pilot Workshop.com offers SAFE members not only a waiver of the $199 new member fee but a $10 reduction in the cost of IFR Mastery, their monthly, scenario based training product for instrument pilots.
ProMark Aviation Services offers SAFE members a 10% discount on their seaplane flight training package. Mention SAFE membership when calling 830-385-1593.

A Whole New Meaning to “Fly By Wire”

Researchers from Honeywell Aerospace earlier this year demonstrated hands-off brainwave control of flight in a King Air C90. Think and ye shall fly. The researchers say it’s unlikely the experiments will lead to thought-controlled aircraft flooding the market, but it is expected to add to safety by reducing pilot workload, especially in high-density terminal environments.
Honeywell Aerospace demonstrated the fly-by-thought technology, outfitting journalist Jack Stewart with an electrode-studded elastic cap that transmitted his thoughts of up, down, left and right to the modified autopilot of a King Air C90. And, reports the non-pilot Stewart in the November 15 edition of Wired Magazine, it works.
“The first few maneuvers, I can’t believe it’s actually me in command,” Stewart reported. “And then comes the euphoria. I am swooping through clouds, climbing, diving, flying in circles, all at my whim.”

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The technology is already being used to control small drones, and medical research using brainwaves is helping people control their otherwise-paralyzed or artificial limbs by thought alone. As the science develops, brain-computer innovations could allow pilots to perform non-critical tasks hands-free, such as quickly finding an appropriate checklist, zooming in on a GPS moving map or flicking switches.
“We all know there are limitations to how well a human can perform,” said Honeywell neurotechnology researcher Santosh Mathan. “We hope that the work we’re doing will help create more robust technologies to monitor cognitive states that might affect pilots.”
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