2022 Paul and Fran Burger WINGS Sweepstakes Entry Deadline, Dec 31, 2022 (TODAY!)

Posted on by

Have you earned a phase of FAA Wings this year? If you did a practical test with me, you probably did. And whether it was on a practical test with me, another DPE, or you earned a phase of FAA Wings through the FAASafety Program in any other combination of ways this year, you are eligible for entry into a sweepstakes.

Today is the last day you can validate your credit to get your entry. Log into your FAASafety.gov account today and make sure you complete your sweepstakes entry.

The WINGS Industry Network (WIN) administers the Paul and Fran Burger $50,000 sweepstakes designed to provide a cash incentive to aviators who complete the FAASTeam WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program. WIN offers a chance to win one of ten awards in the annual $10,000 contest. To be eligible, pilots must complete a phase(s) of WINGS, and CFIs must validate phase(s) of WINGS.

If you do this by the end of today, 12/31/22 you get a chance to win real cash!

You can enter the sweepstakes in the Team Member Rewards
section of the “My WINGS” page at FAASafety.gov.

For more information on the sweepstakes and to learn about the mission of the WINGS Industry Network, visit www.wingsindustry.net. Continue reading →

Chasing the ATP Number, Forgetting about the Skills

Posted on by

What is more important? The number of hours a pilot has to be an airline pilot or,r having the skills and proficiency as a well-rounded pilot?

I can’t help but notice that what we say is more important versus what is actually happening out in our training system right now might not be a match.

In the past couple weeks alone I have had conversations with people who have conveyed some interactions that make me think that many pilots are just “chasing the hours,” not the actual skills and proficiency we need.

One such conversation was with a CFI who is getting close to meeting the number of hours they need to meet Restricted ATP minimums to qualify to be hired by a regional airline. Well, to at least be at the number of hours where they will meet the requirements that will get them into their class at the airline for initial pilot training.

The conversation included noting the fact that the CFI only needed to get 52 more hours in the month of December for them to meet the class date in January with the regional airline that wanted to have them start. What does this push mean for the quality of training that CFI is going to provide to their students over the month? Are they going to be more likely to fly in questionable weather conditions to get those hours instead of canceling a flight that might be less productive from a learning perspective for their student? Could it cause them to operate with less of a safety margin from personal or aircraft minimums as they push to get those hours? I think both are possible. In fact, I have seen other CFIs do exactly that as they push to get those last few hours, and their deadline for a class date approaches.

I am going to fault airlines partially for pushing this situation. It’s not necessarily on purpose, but their push to draw people of out of flight training to airline pilot service is degrading the dedication to doing the job of being a good flight instructor in many. Continue reading →

The Most Dangerous Place in Aviation – The Icy Airport Ramp?

Posted on by

So, last winter I remember vividly the moment when I was laying in bed after a visit to my chiropractor thinking, “the most dangerous thing to me losing a medical might just be an icy airport ramp.”

Ok, so a little back story.

I had just finished a flight and was putting the plane away. I took lots of care doing this.

The ramp was icy, so I put the ice cleats on my shoes that I kept in my truck for exactly these conditions. I took my time hooking up the tug for the plane, and slowly pushed it back into the hangar. I didn’t want to fall on the ice or slide the plane into anything that would cause damage.

Successful, I close the hangar door, locked up, took the cleats off my shoes, and climbed to my truck. Off I went toward home.

But about two miles away, I noticed I had forgotten my coffee cup, hat, and gloves, in the plane. So I turned around and headed back.

I parked in front of the hangar and hopped out to just run in quick and grab what I had forgotten.

But when I did so my left foot hit the ice and slid out completely. 

I hit the ground hard on my left hip and back.

Laying there, I thought, “am I hurt?” or “is this just going to hurt?” Continue reading →

Pilot Certificates are Not Participation Trophies

Posted on by

Every generation seems to think the next generation doesn’t work as hard, isn’t as talented, or doesn’t have the same motivation that their generation did when they were younger. I don’t think that has been any different in aviation training historically.

There are certainly things that younger pilots know and do better than generations before. There are probably skills and knowledge that older generations of pilots had or developed that new generations don’t, or don’t even need. But one thing that I can say is that from a metrics standpoint, it certainly seems that we are headed the wrong way in pilot skill and knowledge right now.

A statistic was recently shared with us
that indicates that in the past approximately
6-months, it appears first-time pass rates on
private pilot airplane single-engine land
practical tests are hovering somewhere
in the 50-60% range.

Take this to heart, please. It means that nearly half of our pilot applicants are failing their first attempts at a private pilot certificate.

This is bad. I don’t know how to say it any other way. Continue reading →