FAA Safety July/August 2011 BRIEG FIN Your source for general aviation news and information Above and Beyond Professionalism and Mentoring in GA Federal Aviation Administration www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/ The July/August 2011 issue of FAA Safety Briefing presents ideas for enhancing mentoring and professionalism in general aviation. Articles highlight the importance of the attitudes, skills, and knowledge needed to take you to the top of your flying game. Photo by James Williams Features BEYOND THE AIR SHOW U.S. Department Expanding Your Aeronautical Knowledge ..........................................4 of Transportation BY JAMES WILLIAMS Federal Aviation TEAMWORK AT ITS BEST Administration The Aviation Community Spirit Shines Through Adversity ...............6 BY KIERAN O’FARRELL ABOVE AND BEYOND ISSN: 1057-9648 Attitude Determines Your Altitude ....................................................10 FAA Safety Briefing BY RANDY BABBITT July/August 2011 Volume 50/Number 4 FLY LIKE A PRO Raymond H. LaHood Secretary of Transportation Professionalism and Flight Discipline in GA .....................................14 J. Randolph Babbitt Administrator BY EVERETTE ROCHON Margaret Gilligan Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety John M. Allen Director, Flight Standards Service IT TAKES A PRO TO MAKE A PRO Mel O. Cintron Manager, General Aviation and Commercial Division Susan Parson Editor Professionalism in Flight Training .....................................................16 Anna Allen Contributing Editor BY BRYAN NEVILLE Tom Hoffmann Associate Editor James R. Williams Assistant Editor / Photo Editor WHAT DO I DO NOW? Emanuel Cruz Assistant Copy Editor The Magic of Mentoring .......................................................................20 John Mitrione Art Director BY SUSAN PARSON Published six times a year, FAA Safety Briefing, formerly FAA Aviation News, promotes aviation safety by discussing current technical, regulatory, and procedural aspects affecting the safe operation and maintenance of aircraft. MENTORING THE MENTORS Although based on current FAA policy and rule interpretations, all material New Program Supports Aviation Educators .....................................24 is advisory or informational in nature and should not be construed to have Arlynn MCMahon regulatory effect. Certain details of accidents described herein may have been altered to protect the privacy of those involved. The FAA does not officially endorse any goods, services, materials, or prod- GENERAL AVIATION’S TRUE PROFESSIONALS ucts of manufacturers that may be referred to in an article. All brands, product The 2011 National GA Awards Winners ............................................28 names, company names, trademarks, and service marks are the properties of BY ANNA ALLEN their respective owners. All rights reserved. The Office of Management and Budget has approved the use of public funds for printing FAA Safety Briefing. CONTACT INFORMATION The magazine is available on the Internet at: Departments http://www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/ Comments or questions should be directed to the staff by: Jumpseat .................................................................................................1 • E-mailing: [email protected] ATIS—Aviation News Roundup ...........................................................2 • Writing: Editor, FAA Safety Briefing, Federal Aviation Administration, AFS-805, 55 M Street, SE, Washington, DC 20033-3522 Aeromedical Advisory ...........................................................................7 • Calling: (202) 385-9600 Ask Medical Certification ......................................................................9 SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Checklist ................................................................................................25 The Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, sells Angle of Attack .....................................................................................26 FAA Safety Briefing on subscription and mails up to four renewal notices. 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You can also call (202) 512-1800 or 1-866-512-1800 and ask for Customer Service, or fax FAA Faces ..................................................................Inside Back Cover your information to (202) 512-2104. JOHN ALLEN DIRECTOR, FLIGHT STANDARDS SERVICE Building for the Future I am passionate about flying. If you’re reading which the pay potential cannot offset the enormous this magazine, it’s probably because you share that cost of education and certification. view of aviation. I’d like to think that you would thus A Vision for Creating Future Flyers approve of the mission statement I have established for the FAA’s Flight Standards Service: General aviation (GA) is the heart and soul of aviation. It encompasses each of the elements in the To assure the safety, while enabling the mission statement: safety, adventure, commerce, adventure, commerce and service of aviation. and service. And, given the situation described above, I believe that the long-term health and Each element conveys a message. First, the FAA’s success of aviation primary mission is to assure aviation safety through increasingly depends setting standards, issuing certification on the basis on what happens We must improve the sophistication of pilot of those standards, and conducting oversight for in GA. That’s one of training and qualification, and entice younger continued operational safety. Please remember that the reasons we’re generations to choose aviation for a career. it is the responsibility of those who fly, fix, train, and focusing this issue of manage in aviation to ensure safety. FAA Safety Briefing on instilling professionalism right The second—very important to me—is to from the beginning, and at every level of aviation communicate the fun and excitement aviation education and training. Mentoring—another focus offers, especially at events like the upcoming area—contributes to developing proficient and AirVenture® celebration in Oshkosh. And, finally, it is professionally-minded pilots, as well as to the goal of no exaggeration to say that the modern world could pilot retention. not exist without the role aviation plays in enabling But we can do more. We must improve the business and service to the community. sophistication of pilot training and qualification. We Everyone wants this … right? must entice younger generations to study math and For those with a passion for aviation, it’s hard science … and to choose aviation for a career. We to comprehend that not everyone shares that view. must assure those worthy of the field an affordable After all, what’s not to like? We tend to be like a way to do so. movie character played by Meryl Streep, who airily An idea I want to explore is to partner with other assures her doubtful subordinate that “Everyone government agencies and the aviation community wants to be like us. Everyone wants this life.” on the creation of a U.S. National Aviation Academy There was a time when that statement was true (USNAA). Pilot graduates would earn a bachelor’s for aviation, but not any longer. Within the next five degree along with the pilot certificates and ratings years, the aviation industry will suffer a shortage needed for an aviation career. Mechanic graduates of pilots and mechanics. Airlines can no longer would earn an associate’s degree, plus an A&P rely on the military to provide well-trained airmen, certificate. Funding would be provided through the in part because the advent of Unmanned Aircraft combined efforts of industry, labor, government, Systems (UAS) is changing the face of military private donors, and academia. Much like the U.S. aviation. New rules enacted by Congress will require military service academies, standards for admittance anyone seeking a career in aviation to acquire more and completion would be rigorous. flight time and, in some cases, the analytic training Difficult? Definitely. Impossible? Perhaps. and communication education provided by an Ideas? Bring ‘em on! accredited college degree program. It is no surprise that many are now deterred from an industry in July/August 2011 FAA Safety Briefing 1 ATIS Aviation News Roundup Administrator Be a Fan and Follower of the FAA Babbitt speaks Last May, the FAA expanded its foray into at GA pilot the world of social media by unveiling its official training reform Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FAA. Together symposium in with a Twitter account set up under @FAANews, FAA Atlanta. is well positioned to allow new opportunities for information sharing. According to Karen Snyder, FAA’s Senior Social Media Analyst,