from Doug Stewart, SAFE Chair 

That was the question we posed in advance of the April 20th meeting with the FAA Airman Testing Standards Branch (AFS 630) in Oklahoma City. One hundred ninety-one of you took our online survey, with 137 of you also providing tremendously valuable comments. 

Ninety-six percent of you were flight or ground instructors, 37% were Master Instructors, and 14% were Designated Pilot Examiners. You had collectively provided more than three-quarters of a million hours of instruction, conducted nearly 12,000 check rides, and been involved in aviation education for a combined 3,600 years. By more than a 2-to-1 margin, you felt the FAA should notify the flight training industry before making changes to test questions.

Prior to the meeting, SAFE issued a 29-page report that included eight key recommendations to modernize and improve written testing. The people at AFS 630 were so receptive to our recommendations that they created a slot on their agenda for me to give a PowerPoint presentation. SAFE was the only organization representing the flight training industry granted this unique opportunity. Not only was SAFE the best prepared of the flight training industry representatives, but our members clearly dominated the audience. I counted at least 16 SAFE members among the audience of about 40 non-FAA people. 

The input provided by SAFE members -- both in the survey and in person -- definitely made a difference here, and on behalf of the organization, I thank you for making your views known. But the next phase now begins: working in partnership with FAA's testing branch to modernize written tests.

Any of you who are interested in being part of a joint steering committee to work on improving the writtens are encouraged to contact me as soon as possible.   

Sincerely,

Doug Stewart

Read the SAFE Report Issued to AFS 630