The flight club that I learned to fly at had a great asset on our team, Max Gurgew, our head flight instructor. He was also the local FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) Representative. Training SAFE pilots was one of his major goals. He has since moved on to become a FAA Examiner and now a Lead Representative for the FAASTeam. From my first flight at the club, the WINGS program was mentioned. I signed up right way and started watching the videos and attending the seminars. I actually started working with the FAASTeam a few years ago to put on a WINGS Proficiency Weekend and then signed up as FAASTeam Rep myself.
As I talk to new pilots, I always mention the FAA WINGS program. Some have heard of it and some haven’t. Some that has heard about it of has signed up at www.FAASafety.gov, but quite a few haven’t for some reason. I thought it would be good to discuss some of the benefits of using the WINGS program today.
First, let’s explain what it is. I’ve taken the following directly from the FAASafety.gov website:
The WINGS - Pilot Proficiency Program is designed to help you build an educational curriculum suitable for your unique flight requirements. The program encourages you to continue your aviation educational pursuits and requires training, review, and flight proficiency in the Areas of Operation (found in current Practical Test Standards (PTS)) that correspond with the leading accident causal factors.
That’s sounds great, right? Huh? Many new pilots read this and think, “Great, just what I want to do, build an educational curriculum suitable for my unique flight requirements. I still have trouble working that stupid GPS and now you want me to build an educational curriculum for myself? You’ve got to be kidding me.“
What the FAA is trying to say is that their website has many online courses along with information on seminars in your area that will help you become a better safer pilot. You, as the pilot, can choose which flight safety area you want to concentrate on and what YOU need more training on. The FAASafety works with the AOPA Safety Institute and many others to bring online courses to one easy place. You can even easily track which courses you have taken. Most of the courses are completely free (which is always nice since we are all trying to come up with a way to afford to fly more.)
One of the benefits of using the WINGS program is when you participate in the program throughout the year to maintain a current phase at the WINGS Base Level; you will always have a current flight review. No more bi-annual. Sounds great, but it’s not as easy as just watching some videos and going to a seminar or two. They do require you to complete Flight Activities along with online courses or seminars. When you do a Flight Activity with an instructor, the instructor will logon to the FAASafety website and log your flight for you for the flight credit. This is an easy way to say a more proficient and safer pilot.
So whether you are a student pilot, new pilot, old…um, experienced pilot or even a non-current pilot that is thinking about getting back into the air, go to FAASafety.gov today and check it out. If you have any questions, contact your local FAASTeam Representative at https://www.faasafety.gov/FAASTApp/directory and they will happily help you down the WINGS path.
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