The Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) is a professional organization open to all aviation educators, including flight instructors, ground instructors, academicians, and others who have an interest in aviation education. Founded in Connecticut in early 2009, SAFE "facilitates the professional development of aviation educators [and] seeks to create a safer aviation environment through enhanced education." [1] SAFE is governed by a board of directors composed of nine members, all of whom are elected by the SAFE membership in a rotating three-year cycle.
In 2011 SAFE transformed the flight training system in the United States with the GA Pilot Training Reform Symposium. This meeting attracted users, partners and major FAA officials including FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt and led to extensive changes in FAA guidance and policy. One significant outcome of this symposium was the introduction of the Airman Testing Standards (ACS) in June 2016. This revolutionary change introduced the third pillar of flight safety, risk management, into the previous skill and knowledge test requirements of the Practical Test Standards (PTS). The ACS also integrated the knowledge and flight testing components into a more efficient and valid evaluation formatted into a real-life scenario structure.
SAFE has signed letters of understanding with a number of organizations, including Cessna Aircraft Company [2] and the FAA Safety Team. [3] SAFE is also a sponsor of the General Aviation Awards Program. [4] The organization is proactive on issues that affect aviation educators [5] [6] and has partnered with others to develop a mentoring program for aviation educators. [7] In July 2010, SAFE launched a flight instructor liability insurance program [8] developed for its member-instructors. In November 2010, SAFE announced plans to chair the GA Pilot Training Reform Symposium. [9]
Since 2021, SAFE is the home for the Master Instructor Program [10] , which is a family of accreditations available to qualified aviation educators based on a system of advanced professional standards and rigorous peer review.
The Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) are rules prescribed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) governing all aviation activities in the United States. The FARs comprise Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations. A wide variety of activities are regulated, such as aircraft design and maintenance, typical airline flights, pilot training activities, hot-air ballooning, lighter-than-air aircraft, human-made structure heights, obstruction lighting and marking, model rocket launches, commercial space operations, model aircraft operations, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and kite flying. The rules are designed to promote safe aviation, protecting pilots, flight attendants, passengers and the general public from unnecessary risk.
The Cessna 208 Caravan is a utility aircraft produced by Cessna. The project was commenced on November 20, 1981, and the prototype first flew on December 9, 1982. The production model was certified by the FAA in October 1984 and its Cargomaster freighter variant was developed for FedEx. The 4 ft (1.2 m) longer 208B Super Cargomaster first flew in 1986 and was developed into the passenger 208B Grand Caravan.
The Cirrus SR20 is an American piston-engined, four- or five-seat composite monoplane built since 1999 by Cirrus Aircraft of Duluth, Minnesota. The aircraft is the company's earliest type-certified model, earning certification in 1998.
Pilot licensing or certification refers to permits for operating aircraft. Flight crew licences are issued by the civil aviation authority of each country, which must establish that the holder has met minimum knowledge and experience before issuing licences. The licence, along with the required class or type rating, allows a pilot to fly aircraft registered in the licence issuing state.
Pilot certification in the United States is typically required for an individual to act as a pilot-in-command of an aircraft. It is regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a branch of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). A pilot may be certified under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 61 or 14 CFR Part 141. Pilots may also be certified under 14 CFR Part 107 for commercial drone operations.
The Cessna Citation Mustang is a very light jet that was built by Cessna. Launched at the 2002 NBAA convention, the Model 510 first flew on April 23, 2005. It received its FAA type certification on September 8, 2006, and was first delivered on November 22. Production ended in 2017 after 479 aircraft were built. The 8,645 lb (3,921 kg) maximum take-off weight jet is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW615F 1,460 lbf (6.5 kN) turbofans, can reach 340 kn (630 km/h), and has a range of 1,167 nmi (2,161 km).
Taunton Municipal Airport, also known as King Field, is a public use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) east of the central business district of Taunton, a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts. It is located in the East Taunton neighborhood of the city. The city-owned airport is maintained and operated by the Taunton Airport Commission. According to the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2009–2013, it is categorized as a general aviation airport.
The GippsAero GA8 Airvan 8 is a single-engined utility aircraft manufactured by GippsAero of Victoria, Australia. It can seat up to eight people, including the pilot.
A flight instructor is a person who teaches others to operate aircraft. Specific privileges granted to holders of a flight instructor qualification vary from country to country, but very generally, a flight instructor serves to enhance or evaluate the knowledge and skill level of an aviator in pursuit of a higher pilot's license, certificate or rating.
Ohio University Airport or Gordon K. Bush Airport, also known as Snyder Field, is a public-use airport located on State Route 32/U.S. 50 in the village of Albany, about ten miles (16 km) southwest of the city of Athens, in Athens County, Ohio, United States.
The John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences is a multidisciplinary college within the University of North Dakota (UND) in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The school was formed in 1968. The majority of the school's fleet of over 120 aircraft is based at nearby Grand Forks International Airport and is the largest fleet of civilian flight training aircraft in North America. UND Aerospace also operates a flight training center at Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport in Mesa, Arizona. Today, the school has many aerospace-related programs including commercial aviation, Unmanned aircraft systems operations, air traffic control, airport management, Space Studies, Computer Science, Atmospheric Sciences, and Earth System Science & Policy. Currently, the school has over 500 faculty and 2,000 students making it the second largest of UND's degree-granting colleges. The present dean of the school is Robert Kraus.
The National Test Pilot School (NTPS) is the only civilian test-pilot school in the United States, located in Mojave, California. It is organized as a not-for-profit educational institute under California state law and is governed by a board of trustees. NTPS is one of the seven test-pilot schools worldwide recognized by the international Society of Experimental Test Pilots, giving pilot graduates of NTPS instant initial acceptance into their society. In 2016, NTPS became the first test-pilot school in the world to be certified as a Flight Test Authorised Training Organisation by the European Aviation Safety Organization.
The Aviators Code Initiative (ACI), formerly the Aviators Model Code of Conduct, is a set of model recommended practices designed to improve general aviation safety and airmanship.
The North American Institute of Aviation (NAIA) was a private, FAA Part-141 flight school located in Conway, South Carolina, in the United States. Founded on July 7, 1972 in Hammonton, New Jersey, then later moved to South Carolina in 1978, NAIA specialized in flight and aircraft maintenance training. It has also had a campus in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The school had close connections to North European Aviation Resources (NEAR) of Vigra, Norway, and was for a period of time the ab-initio school of Scandinavian Airlines. The school subsequently commanded an excellent reputation in Northern Europe. NAIA boasted an international student population and graduates work for airlines worldwide. The school concentrated its efforts on FAA Part-141 operations and their European JAR-FCL approved program in cooperation with NEAR, which maintained a representative at the school. NAIA operated out of the Conway-Horry County Airport where it was also the fixed-base operator (FBO).
In aviation, V-speeds are standard terms used to define airspeeds important or useful to the operation of all aircraft. These speeds are derived from data obtained by aircraft designers and manufacturers during flight testing for aircraft type-certification. Using them is considered a best practice to maximize aviation safety, aircraft performance, or both.
In the United States, a Designated Pilot Evaluator (DPE) is a senior pilot who examines applicants for a Pilot Certificate on behalf of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The DPE must check applicants’ qualifications, conduct an oral test of their mental skills and judgment, and perform a practical test in flight.
King Schools, Inc. is an American computer software company headquartered in San Diego, California. The company focuses on the creation of Computer Based Training (CBT) or E-learning to assist individuals in obtaining all levels of Pilot certification in the United States. Over the years, the company has expanded its training courses to cover the various pilot certificates, ratings and educational requirements, along with many aeronautical elective studies. More recently, it has begun offering all of its courses in Web-based training (WBT) and mobile device formats.
ATP Flight School is the largest flight training company in the United States. The curriculum focuses on airline-oriented pilot programs at locations across the country. ATP is the leading supplier of professionally trained pilots to the nation's regional airlines.
The Master Instructor Continuing Education Program (MICEP) is the world's largest voluntary accreditation program for aviation educators and is based on advanced professional standards and peer review. The program is administered by Master Instructors LLC of Longmont, Colorado, and is open to all qualified aviation educators regardless of their other affiliations. MICEP designations identify and recognize educators who have demonstrated an ongoing commitment to excellence and professional growth in, as well as service to, the aviation community.
Jason Schappert is an American pilot and entrepreneur. Schappert is a CFII and ATP rated pilot, founder of MzeroA.com, and author of eight aviation flight training books. Schappert was named AOPA's Top Collegiate Flight Instructor in 2008, Outstanding Flight Instructor of 2014 and 2015, has amassed over 8000 hours of in-flight instruction since learning how to fly, and produces MzeroA.com's Online Ground School.