POLL: R U In The FAA Wings Program? Want To Be? Would You Attend Mentone for credit?

POLL: R U In The FAA Wings Program? Want To Be? Would You Attend Mentone for credit?

  • WINGS event Flying Rotorcraft @ Untowered Airports - Strongly Motivate Me To Attend Mentone

    Votes: 4 40.0%
  • WINGS event Flying Rotorcraft @ Untowered Airports - NOT Motivate Me -I would attend anyway

    Votes: 6 60.0%
  • WINGS Radio Communications At Untowered Airports Would Strongly Motivate Me To Attend Mentone 2011

    Votes: 2 20.0%
  • WINGS Radio Communications At Untowered Airports Would NOT Motivate Me ( I would attend anyway)

    Votes: 5 50.0%
  • WINGS event Gyroplane Pre-Flight Check Lists Would Strongly Motivate Me To Attend Mentone 2011

    Votes: 3 30.0%
  • WINGS event Gyroplane Pre-Flight Check Lists Would NOT Motivate Me ( I would attend anyway)

    Votes: 5 50.0%
  • WINGS event Gyroplane Rotor Management Would Strongly Motivate Me To Attend Mentone 2011

    Votes: 3 30.0%
  • WINGS event Gyroplane Rotor Management Would NOT Motivate Me ( I would attend anyway)

    Votes: 5 50.0%

  • Total voters
    10
  • Poll closed .

barnstorm2

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I am running this poll to see how many people here have taken the step to join the FAA Wings / FAASTeam program of pilot continuing education and safety.

I also want to know if getting WINGS credit would be a motivator for you to attend an event such as Mentone, Bensen Days, WRENS, ROTR, KBFF and other events.

I am now in the position to bring official FAA security awareness training to some of these events which I hope will actually raise awareness in both directions. However, doing so is a great deal of work and distracts from other programs that require time and resources.

If you have not done so already, I strongly advise you to join the WINGS / FAASTeam program.

The WINGS program provides continuing education programs for pilots in the form of interactive online training as well as live in-person events.

The WINGS program shows the FAA that you have a concern and interest in safety and keeping your piloting skills sharp and current.

Some say that being part of the WINGS program will make the FAA go easier on you in the event of an infraction but I have no evidence of that and I have never seen that in any of the WINGS/FAASTeam materials. However, when my nose-wheel broke and I damaged my gyro the first question the FAA inspector had for me after name and license was when was the last time I had attended a WINGS safety event.

.
 
I've been in Wings since it 1st started!

I've taken every course they have and I sit waiting for new ones to be created.

I have found it is a great way to refresh my knowledge base and keep my proficiency as high as when I first learned all of this over 35 years ago.

I highly recommend the Wings program!!!!!!!!!!!!


PS:
My voting will not reflect my interest as I'm going no matter what!
I would like to attend the Pre-Flight Check Lists and Rotor Management!!! But I voted I'm going anyway!
 
Last edited:
Confused!

Confused!

Hello Tim,

I am strongly motivated to attend Mentone already.

I participate in the FAA Wings / FAASTeam program and I get a lot out of it.

I have taken courses at Oshkosh and SMX.

It is also a nice way to get to know the local pilots.

I do not know what you are asking in the poll so I did not answer.

I would make every effort to attend an FAA Wings/FAASTeam program at Mentone.

I didn’t know they had one on rotor management.

I would also be strongly motivated to attend any seminar that you put on because I love the way you organize and present them.

I have always found value in it.

Thank you, Vance
 
I do not know what you are asking in the poll so I did not answer.

I am sorry, I should have made it more clear.

I can arrange for a WINGS event at Mentone (or other events) however, it adds a fair amount of additional work.

I want to know if offering WINGS credit would increase attendance at events.

.
 
Tim,

I have been to numerous WINGS events, but am not registered in the program. I've always gone to the ASF free safety seminars, which were of very high quality, but not because I was into collecting the jewelry. I just found them extremely valuable training, and entertaining as well.

The late Dave Wiley used to offer sessions each winter for Chapter 73 members and guests, but otherwise, I'm not aware of any gyroplane-oriented WINGS training being offered, anywhere, ever. The advisory circular for creating WINGS content for rotorcraft was obviously meant exclusively for helicopters, with recommendations for topics such as pinnacle landings and settling with power.

One draw for WINGS used to be that it counted as the ground school half of a flight review, but an hour of ground school close to home is a tiny fraction of the cost of travelling to Mentone. I have a Private ASEL, so I can take my flight reviews in airplanes, saving even more.

I know the program has been changed considerably. Does WINGS even count toward a flight review anymore?

I would, however, find an online WINGS course for PRA members a powerful incentive to join or renew. I guess I agree with Vance - it would have little influence on my decision to travel to a distant event. It might be a different case for those within a day's drive of Mentone.
 
I have regularly attended their seminars. However I'm new to Gyroplanes, and there are no programs or topics for Gyros that I have heard of.

This URL is a link to the site:

http://www.faasafety.gov/WINGS/pub/learn_more.aspx

Antony Thomas
PRA#41741
Commercial/Instrument Helicopter, Advanced Ground Instructor.
 
i have a question about the program. a friend of mine thinks he can get a BFR from the program. i didnt think so. any info on that? thanks.

Ed, a flight review (the FAA prefers we drop 'biennial" from "BFR" and consider getting one annually) requires a minimum of an hour of ground instruction and an hour of flight instruction. A WINGS certificate used to qualify as a substitute for the ground portion.

I'm not sure if it does anymore.
 
Wow. They sure made this program cumbersome since I last looked!

Near as I can tell, having acquired at least the Basic WINGS training within the past 24 months eliminates the requirement for a flight review, but they've added a requirement to demonstrate proficiency to the Practical Test Standards, which would require either flight time or simulator time to earn the Basic WINGS credit.

I'd still consider the online or ground training to be of value for its own sake, but it looks like getting an old-fashioned flight review is the cleaner way to meet that requirement.

I don't want to sound like I'm down on the WINGS program. Pilots who get the training are statistically safer than those who don't. If you have to demonstrate you can still meet the Practical Test Standards, the flight component is actually more rigorous than that of a flight review, which is probably a good thing. And having a program specifically geared toward gyroplane would be awesome!
 
Hi Guys,
I was an FAA safety counselor since the 1970s. I missed the renewal training session due to an ice storm and didn't pursue renewing ... just too darn busy.

I can ask our FSDO FAAST Team leader to reinstate me so I can get us credit for the seminars at Mentone. I'll try e-mailing him today.
 
Hi Guys,
I was an FAA safety counselor since the 1970s. I missed the renewal training session due to an ice storm and didn't pursue renewing ... just too darn busy.

I can ask our FSDO FAAST Team leader to reinstate me so I can get us credit for the seminars at Mentone. I'll try e-mailing him today.

If we can get listed on the FAAST site we will get unique free advertising to the pilot population for the event.

.
 
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