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In Flight USA Articles
Editorial: Student Pilots… Are You Getting Your Money’s Worth?
By Ed Downs
Yes, we start with a very open-ended question, so let’s narrow it down. “Student Pilots” come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from the newbies who are just getting into flying to advance pro’s going for type ratings in large turbojet aircraft. In fact, every pilot is, or should be, a “student” any time they are exercising the privileges of being a pilot in command. This writer has been at it for 60 years and has yet to land from any flight without having learned something from the experience. For the purpose of this discussion, let’s stick to newbies who are just getting into the art of flying and even narrow it down a bit more by talking about the cost and quality of flight instruction.
Now, you may ask, who made Ed Downs the know-it-all of flight instruction quality? Plainly stated, this writer does not claim to be the top expert in the field of instructing, but circumstances have given this writer an interesting look into the national window of what is going on, at least in the sector of flying with small, independent schools and part-time CFIs. As a long time CFI, and regular instructor for Aviation Seminars, a company that specializes in weekend training programs for a variety of written examinations and Flight Instructor Revalidation Courses (FIRCs), this writer works with hundreds of students every year. Additionally, Aviation Seminars guarantees results, providing private tutoring to those who have a tough time with written exams. That “guarantee” is, you guessed it, this writer.
Editorial: Stick and Rudder
By Ed Downs
Does that title sound familiar? For many, the book, Stick and Rudder, written by Wolfgang Langewiesche, appears on nearly every bookshelf of aviators around the world. First published in 1944, this book became the quintessential word on the “art of flying,” stressing the need to develop well-understood skills to be used in controlling the aircraft. Those of us who teach Flight Instructor Refresher Clinics (FIRC’s) are hearing the term “stick and rudder” again, but not in reference to this classic book. This time it comes from the FAA, having added mandated content to approve FIRC curriculums that addresses the subject of “stick and rudder” skills, or more accurately, the lack of such skills. But let me take a step back and explain the issue at hand.
Every CFI must undergo classroom (or today, web-based) training once every 24 calendar months. The course undertaken is approved by the FAA and must contain a specific amount of FAA mandated content. Companies that conduct such courses maintain an FAA approved status, as do their instructors, like this writer. The program (class or web) MUST contain a minimum of 16 hours of actual training, and significant paperwork is involved. Failure to attend a FIRC every two years and pass two written exams means the CFI loses the privilege to instruct. Once a FIRC is missed, the CFI must attend a FIRC and take an FAA check ride to reinstate CFI privileges. Stop and think about it, how many other licensed professions (medical, legal?) have such requirements?
Editorial: All We Can Do is Rant?
By Ed Downs
The title of this month’s column is both a statement and a question. Follow along and see if you can decide which interpretation is correct. With patient understanding from the editors and production team of In Flight USA, this writer has been waiting until the last minute, hoping for good news from AirVenture 2013 regarding the outrageous fees assessed by the FAA to support this year’s EAA program.
Regrettably, as of the time this is being written (EAA AirVenture 2013 is underway), the fees still apply and even Congressional efforts have had little or no positive effect.
The FAA tossed in an additional insult by officially announcing that FAA Administrator Michael Huerta was not going to attend the traditional “Meet the Administrator” event at AirVenture 2013. Virtually all FAA activities at the program were canceled, including Wings course participations and safety seminars. The official FAA explanation was that budget constraints prevented the FAA from attending and Administrator Huerta had previous plans made months earlier.