NAFI advocates for efficiency in flight instructors
November 12, 2012, 04:27 pm
The National Association of Flight Instructors recently issued a proposal to the Federal Aviation Administration Safety Team to join forces in promoting and streamlining flight instructor proficiency. The association wants to create a NAFI/FAA Safety Team Standardized Instructor Proficiency Recognition program.
“This proposal represents a non-regulatory, industry best-practices approach to enhancing proficiency in the flight instructor community," said Jason Blair, NAFI’s executive director. "NAFI developed this proposal as an effort to help promote proficiency in active flight instructors through currency in both in-flight activity and for up-to-date ground knowledge."
NAFI is also hosting a Teamwork in Training dinner on December 8 at its new headquarters, located at Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Upon moving to the new facilitating the association was looking to increase seminars, events and further offerings with the additional space. The upcoming event makes good on that promise and represents just one other way the group is looking to improve pilot training in the United States.
Al Haynes, a pilot who crash landed United Airline's flight 232, will be giving a presentation, Teamwork in Crisis, at the dinner. Through Haynes' quick thinking, use of training and successful communication with his crew and the ground, he was able to crash land flight 232 and save the live of 184 people {when? where?}. NAFI advocates for further improvements to flight training, using flight 232 as a model of success.
With the latest collaboration between the FAA and NAFI, certified flight instructors can now keep their certificates current through a variety of methods that do not make flight and ground knowledge to be evident.
“NAFI’s intent is not to require an additional hurdle for instructors to keep their certificate active, rather to allow active instructors to have a method to demonstrate their dedication to excellence and proficiency that goes beyond the minimum requirements,” Blair added. “I personally believe it is important for instructors to not only be proficient in their ground knowledge or their flight skills independently, but to actively remain proficient in both areas. To provide proper instruction to customers, both areas must be strong.”
NAFI board member Robert Meder said he hopes the industry embraces the approach as it focuses on efficiency for instructors and represents a good opportunity for NAFI to work with the FAASTeam. NAFI officials said that the FAASTeam is currently evaluating the proposal and is considering how best to implement it.
For those in the general aviation community, flight training efficiency is sure to keep pilots safe and efficient while in the air.Pilot insurance enures finances are safe no matter what circumstance.
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