Welcome to the Safety Section of the Flying Clubs Newsletter, Club Connector!
Every month we provide resources for flying club safety officers so that they can keep their clubs informed and safe. We also include links to the FAASTeam Topic of the Month PowerPoint slides providing talking points for your next safety meeting. Along with the slides, we often provide links to relevant articles, videos, and other media that you may also find helpful. To learn more about this section, be sure to check out Episode 15 and 15b of Flying Clubs Radio!
If you are interested in using the FAASTeam WINGS program with your flying club, feel free to contact Steve, who is a Lead Representative and WINGSPro, and uses the program in his club.
More on "WINGS for Clubs" can be found here in Flying Clubs Radio Episode 8 and the May 2020 Question of the Month.
Before we get to this month’s Topic of the Month, let’s do a quick reminder of just some of the resources available to all pilots:
- The FAASTeam website is the portal to a vast array of courses, videos, links, and much more. Remember that WINGS not only encompasses “knowledge” activities, but also flight activities. Use the various search options to narrow down to, say, flight activities for a basic phase of WINGS, and you’ll be able to find a syllabus and often a worksheet for each flight activity. There are also Topics of the Quarter, where knowledge and flight activities are suggested on a quarterly basis...completing three such topics will earn a phase of WINGS.
- AOPA’s own Air Safety Institute, which by the way, is funded by the AOPA Foundation just like the You Can Fly program, is packed with amazing content, including exceptional videos, podcasts, accident analysis, online courses, recorded webinars and more. Completing these activities may also earn WINGS credits. Of particular interest to flying club safety officers is the recently updated Safety to Go section. Here, you can download a selection of topics, each coming with PowerPoint slides and speaker’s notes!
Alright then, let’s get on with this month’s safety topic!
June Topic of the Month: After Market Safety Equipment
Background:
The GAJSC feels that the use of after market safety equipment can significantly reduce the likelihood of certain general aviation accidents. The committee is particularly interested in angle of attack indicators, engine monitoring equipment, and enhanced/synthetic vision systems. They also support reducing regulatory burdens on the certification and installation of safety-enhancing equipment.
Learning Points:
- A number of technologies have proven useful in reducing the likelihood of general aviation accidents
- FAA recognizes that reducing regulatory burden can result in increased safety equipment installation and use
- Pilot proficiency is still the most profound influence on flight safety
- As with all technologies, pilots must be thoroughly familiar with limitations and proper operation of the equipment
- Don't let the shiny new gadget become an in-flight distraction—it is meant to help with safety
June Topic of the Month: After Market Safety Equipment
