Data analysis shows that the use of aftermarket safety equipment can significantly reduce the likelihood of certain general aviation accidents. Of particular interest are: full-harness seatbelts, angle of attack indicators, ADS-B IN, flight & engine monitoring equipment, and enhanced/synthetic vision systems. There have also been significant inroads to reduce regulatory burdens on the certification and installation of safety-enhancing equipment, so making it quicker and cheaper to get in the hands of users.
Learning Points:
Please download and use these slides at your club’s next safety meeting:
June 2024 Safety Topic of the Month: Aftermarket Safety Equipment
Other Safety Resources:
Here is a reminder of just some of the resources available to all pilots:
FAASTeam:
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.
Highly topical is the FAA’s new Human Factors course. This ten-module course (with WINGS credits) includes videos, quizzes, workbooks, and tests. If you are serious about understanding the role of human behaviors in aviation safety education, then please, invest the time to complete this course.
Log into faasafety.gov, go to activities-> courses-> all available courses and scroll to find these ALC codes—one per module: ALC-730, 731, 732, 825, 826, 827, 828, 829, 830.
Here is a link to get you to modules 1 and 2 (ALC-730 and 731): https://www.faasafety.gov/gslac/ALC/CourseLanding.aspx?cID=730
Don’t forget to regularly revisit these FAA safety gems:
Wait—what—you don’t do WINGS?
That’s a shame—you are missing out on a free pilot proficiency program that will help you enjoy your flying even more, allow you to earn a flight review every 12-months just by flying, may provide insurance discounts and…may keep you alive longer to enjoy all of the above!
The FAASTeam WINGS pilot proficiency program is one way for general aviation pilots to ensure they are competent, confident, and safe in their flight operations. Oh, and being determinedly proficient will save you money in the long run.
If you are interested in using the FAASTeam WINGS program for your personal flying or with your flying club, create an account on the FAASTeam website, http://www.faasafety.gov, and explore the array of courses and flight activities. Also, feel free to contact me (Steve Bateman, Lead Representative and FAA WINGSPro), and I’ll walk you through the program.
More on “WINGS for Clubs” can be found here in Flying Clubs Radio Episode 8 and the May 2020 Question of the Month.
AOPA Air Safety Institute:
https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/air-safety-institute
AOPA’s Air Safety Institute, which by the way is funded by the AOPA Foundation just like the Flying Clubs Initiative, 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. There, you can download a selection of topics, each coming with PowerPoint slides and speaker’s notes!
