Mon, Aug 07, 2006
Aero-Tips!
A good pilot is always learning -- how many times have you heard
this old standard throughout your flying career? There is no truer
statement in all of flying (well, with the possible exception of
"there are no old, bold pilots.")
Aero-News has called upon the expertise of Thomas P. Turner,
master CFI and all-around-good-guy, to bring our readers -- and us
-- daily tips to improve our skills as aviators. Some of them, you
may have heard before... but for each of us, there will also be
something we might never have considered before, or something that
didn't "stick" the way it should have the first time we memorized
it for the practical test.
Look for our daily Aero-Tips segments, coming each day to you
through the Aero-News Network.
Aero-Tips 08.07.06
Get ready for changes in the FAA's
WINGS program.
From the FAA: The Aviation Safety Program
will soon undergo a change to the Federal Aviation Administration
Safety Team (FAASTeam). In addition to the name change, the program
will be restructured to allow agency resources to be more carefully
focused on accident causes. A system safety approach will be used
to accurately identify hazards and develop strategies to mitigate
them. This work will be carried out by our FAASTeam managers in the
field in coordination with industry partners. Watch for these
exciting changes in 2006.
I was privileged to meet with FAAST program managers at
AirVenture. Although details are not finalized, they tell me:
- A new Advisory Circular will soon be released, describing the
change from Aviation Safety Program to FAASTeam.
- The current, successful WINGS program will live on, although
there will be changes… perhaps, for instance, Basic,
Advanced and Master-level WINGS based on the amount of time and
effort required to complete certain programs.
- The new program will incorporate new data-driven accident
prevention studies. Current programs identify mishap causes and
develop nationwide programs aimed at avoidance. FAASTeam programs
will look more at regional mishaps and, intriguingly, mishaps
common among pilots of geographic regions who fly into other areas.
For example, mishap records may show that pilots from the Midwest
are the ones most likely to have accidents when they take trips to
the mountains. Mountain-flying courses, then, would be emphasized
not only in mountain states, but (if this is true) in the Midwest
as well.
Someone once said that all change, even change for the better,
comes only with difficulty. Let's help our FAA friends make those
the changes for what we hope will be an even more effective FAA
safety program.
Aero-tip of the day: Watch for updates on the
new FAA Safety Team.
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