The SAFE Board and the Executive Director, under the guidance of a trained facilitator, has just completed a four month planning process that resulted in completing Phase One of a three year strategic plan for the organization. As a result of this planning process, there were eight key areas that were identified as being central to the continued growth and development of SAFE. These areas included: development and implementation of a marketing and public relations campaign, improving membership recruitment & retention (to include a more streamlined and automated membership system) and enhanced volunteer recognition and rewards for those who generously donate their time to the success of the organization. These areas will require that we enhance some of our current systems as well as develop new ones to meet our growth needs. Of course, none of this can happen without a sound fiscal plan that centers on an on-going fundraising campaign.

 

Your current Board and Executive Director have been diligently working to build SAFE into a "World Class" aviation educator's organization. With this in mind, the strategic plan would not be complete without addressing the area of succession planning. This applies to your Board of Directors as well as the Executive Director. It is critical for the continued success of SAFE that our next generation of leaders knows and understands the history of the organization and has the necessary passion and vision to carry us into the future.

 

The next step in the process will involve you the member. This may take the form of serving on any of several key committees that have been identified to carry out portions of the strategic plan. It will also include providing input to several surveys that are planned in order to gain as much insight as possible from each one of you as the strategic plan is implemented. As we move forward I would like to encourage each and every one of you to participate in the success of our organization's strategic plan.

 

Mark Adams

Chairman of the Board

 

Elections are coming up next month (1-15 May) to fill three openings on SAFE's Board of Directors.  To prepare you for this important event, you can click here to read more about the upcoming election and statements from each of the candidates. 

Remember, it's your organization.  Mark your calendar and don't forget to VOTE!

 

The SAFE government affairs committee, after soliciting and receiving response from the membership on the draft response to the "Pilot Certification and Qualification Requirements for Air Carrier Operations" NPRM, has sent the draft to the SAFE Board of Directors for final approval. The Board will submit the official response to the FAA before the deadline of April 19th. Every member of SAFE is encouraged to send their own response to the FAA on this important NPRM that could have major impacts on the aviation education community. 

 

To review the entire NPRM, click here.

Submit your comment here.

 

Comments are due before midnight (EDT) 30 April 2012.

All SAFE members are encouraged to review these new standards as they include some significant changes both in the way we test, and the way we prepare applicants for the test. Of particular note is the inclusion of SRM assessment in both tests, similar to what currently exists in the Instrument PTS. There is also stronger language encouraging the DPE to structure the test to incorporate scenarios as much as possible, thus testing more to a level of application and correlation than has previously been done. There is also much greater emphasis on runway incursion knowledge and inclusion of emergency descents in both private and commercial tests.  Plus, the new PTS explicitly states that maintaining altitude in stall recoveries is NOT the objective, but that reduction of AOA is the most important. 

FMI: Private PTS, Commercial PTS

 

SAFE recently entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Orbital Commerce Project (OCP). The purpose of the agreement is "to promote safety in the Commercial Human Spaceflight industry through excellence in training and education." The two organizations will team up on initiatives that include:

• Working with the Office of Commercial Space Transportation (FAA/AST) to develop the framework for spaceflight educator certification
• Developing recognized levels of achievement and spaceflight educator proficiency
• Creating courses and teaching materials to advance spaceflight education
• Promoting "safety through training" to the Commercial Human Spaceflight Industry
• Developing unusual attitude and G-tolerance courses

During recent testimony before a U.S. House subcommittee regarding the FY2013 budget for the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation, the Office's Associate Administrator stated that he expects space tourism to begin within the next two years and grow into a billion dollar industry within ten years.

 

OCP CEO George Tyson commented, "We are excited about working with SAFE. SAFE's mission to provide quality education for Flight Educators will combine and enhance OCP's desire to continually improve and update our training programs." He continued, "This powerful partnership will enhance the skills of the Flight Instructors and therefore increase safety for the flying public."

 

A corporate partner of SAFE, enflight.com provides the most advanced flight planning web service available. As the original developers of DUATS, enflight has continuously improved its product, offering a premium subscription service for 10 years with a completely different interface. Everything that enflight.com offers is designed to increase safety, save time, and cut through information overload, to give you the fastest, most complete, legal briefing possible.

 

Enflight briefing is a tremendous enhancement to flight safety for all pilots. The personal minimums briefing is an innoculation against get-home-itis. It contributes to a feeling of confidence because you will know you haven't missed anything and can make truly informed decisions. The personal minimums briefing is particularly important for students, to whom it teaches the meaning and value of personal minimums.

 

Enflight saves money by providing the most convenient and useful fuel pricing information available, and by allowing you to print sectionals and approach plates right on your printer at no additional cost. You will also be able to print Enroute charts soon.

 

Enflight offers 2 versions, web and mobile. Enflight Web works on any conventional web browser. Enflight Mobile works on almost any portable networked PDA or smart phone.

 

Enflight is providing SAFE members with a special offer that will allow you to try enflight.com free for 60 days with no obligation. You pay the special subscription rate of $99.95 per year for web or $149.95 for the combination of web and mobile. Just use the special offer code SAFE60 when you sign up.

 

Enflight will also make it possible for SAFE members to pass these savings on to their students. Contact us to receive your personal special offer code. In any month you have 10 or more students signed up, your enflight account receives a free bonus month!

 

For more information click here.

 

 

Version 2.0 of the Aviators Model Code of Conduct (AMCC) has been released. Developed by a team of aviation professionals and drawing upon decades of research and experience, the Code recommends operating practices to enhance the quality and safety of your flight operations.

 

Pilot conduct impacts the entire aviation community, including its safety culture. A code of conduct can help achieve new levels of proficiency. The AMCC is just such a tool, a set of guidelines that is adaptable to each pilot and organizational need. We encourage you to adopt it, and to commit to the highest principles of aviation safety.

 

The AMCC was developed as a volunteer effort and is provided without charge as a public service. The Code and supporting materials can be found online at secureav.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to the concerted efforts by SAFE member Jack Vandeventer, now any item that can be purchased from the Lands' End catalogue with embroidery included, can have the SAFE logo added to the many other choices. Full details are available at the SAFE website.  

 

Click here to link to the Land's End Company Store, as as well as a tutorial on how to order embroidered items from the store.

 

The SAFE Program CFI Liability policy includes instruction in more types of aircraft than any other CFI policy available.   In addition to the typical single engine aircraft such as Cessna 152 or 172, the SAFE policy includes Light Sport Aircraft, Experimental or Standard, Multi Engine and Seaplanes.   Other CFI policies exclude Multi-engine and Seaplanes. SAFE program provides coverage while instructing in Multi-engine and Seaplanes at no additional premium.  

 

If you instruct in ME or Seaplanes, the SAFE CFI policy is your best choice.   

 

Please note: that the multi-engine policy provides coverage for piston, non pressurized aircraft only.