Fri, Apr 22, 2011
FAA Should Notify Flight Training Industry Before Changing Test
Questions
The Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) attended an
annual review meeting hosted by the FAA Airman Testing Standards
Branch (AFS 630) in Oklahoma City. According to the FAA, the
purpose of the meeting was to "update and receive feedback from
aviation industry representatives and education organizations on
the current and future initiatives" of the testing branch.
The FAA recently made numerous changes to its test questions;
subsequently, the test failure rate has risen significantly. In
preparation for the meeting with AFS 630, SAFE conducted a survey
of its members. Ninety-six percent of the 191 respondents were
flight or ground instructors, 37% were Master Instructors, and 14%
were Designated Pilot Examiners. Respondents had collectively
provided more than three-quarters of a million hours of
instruction, conducted nearly 12,000 check rides, and been involved
in aviation education for a combined 3,600 years. By more than a
2-to-1 margin, these educators feel the FAA should notify the
flight training industry before making changes to test
questions.
SAFE issued a full report to the FAA that included eight
recommendations to modernize and improve written testing. According
to SAFE Chair Doug Stewart, "The people at AFS 630 were very
receptive to our recommendations, and we look forward to working in
partnership with the testing branch in the future." A copy of the
report is available
online.
SAFE represents nearly 600 of the industry's top aviation
educators, including the majority of Master Instructors and
numerous local and national General Aviation Award winners in the
flight instruction, aviation maintenance, avionics, and FAA Safety
Team categories. SAFE is also chairing the GA Pilot Training Reform
Symposium in Atlanta on May 4-5, 2011.
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