Advocates for Aviation Safety Foundation, Inc.

Rarely does an opportunity come along where you can make a huge impact by doing very little. And the FAA has just given us that opportunity by approving our plan to survey aviators to get their insight.  This is really important. 

WINGS accredited aviators are safer pilots.  More than 215,000 aviator's have registered for and have received a WINGS credit but less than 6% are accredited.  The FAASTeam's [Our] Mission is to improve the nation's accident and incident rate.

Now I need your help to see this project succeed.  Please take the time to read the two attachments (Beresford Research Proposal and the FAASTeam authorized Mike Costa e-mail), all of which have been accepted and approved by the FAASTeam's legal department.  The project cost of $30,000 has been pre-funded by the Advocates and if you agree that this initiative is definitely worthwhile, I would appreciate your help in funding the project by making a modest contribution.

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Together we can make a difference. 

Please join me in advocating a change in the WINGS Program validation period. Our argument is that it should be consistent with the Flight Review 24 month requirement.

For example, in the trailing twenty four month period, 03/01/2009 thru 2/28/2011, this change would have allowed an additional 133,728 aviators time to complete their Basic WING.

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FLYING LESSONS for March 3, 2011 is now posted at www.mastery-flight-training.com. Topics this week include:

• Hard landing
• Vso window
• The Alpha Pilot

Thomas P. Turner, M.S. Aviation Safety Master CFI, 2010 National FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year, 2008 FAA Central Region CFI of the Year

In April 1986, following an attack on American soldiers in a  Berlin disco, President Reagan ordered the bombing of Muammar Qaddafi's terrorist camps in Libya...

My duty was to fly over Libya, and take photographs recording the damage our F-111's had inflicted.

Qaddafi had established a 'line of death,' a territorial marking across the Gulf of Sidra, swearing to shoot down any intruder, that crossed the boundary.

On the morning of April 15, I rocketed past the line at 2,125 mph.

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FLYING LESSONS for February 24, 2011 is now posted at www.mastery-flight-training.com. Topics this week include:

• Sleet and freezing rain
• Thinking three-dimensionally
• GA Fatals: Loss of control

Thomas P. Turner, M.S. Aviation Safety Master CFI, 2010 National FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year, 2008 FAA Central Region CFI of the Year

An EVA Air Boeing 747-45EM taking off from runway 36L at Amsterdam - Schiphol, Netherlands. The  great timing and angle just makes this shot, and the size of the  747, look surreal. The distance to the fence was 145 meters (475ft)...

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FLYING LESSONS for February 17, 2011 is now posted at www.mastery-flight-training.com. Topics this week include:

• Jet blast
• Propeller strikes
• Asking too much?

Thomas P. Turner, M.S. Aviation Safety Master CFI, 2010 National FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year, 2008 FAA Central Region CFI of the Year

Personal Preference: Choose One of the Following:

___ Getting an FAA Ramp Check
___ Getting Beat with and Ugly Stick

Some Dos and Donts That Might Make a Surprise Meeting With the FAA a Little Easier

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The WINGS User's Guide beta test has closed, and the completed guide may now be found on the FAASafety.gov website:

WINGS Pilot Proficiency User's Guide (PDF format) 

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FLYING LESSONS for February 10, 2011 is now posted at www.mastery-flight-training.com. Topics this week include:

• The first rule of emergencies
• The second rule of emergencies
• Top 10 #9

Thomas P. Turner, M.S. Aviation Safety Master CFI, 2010 National FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year, 2008 FAA Central Region CFI of the Year