General Aviation Awards program recognizes flight instructors

The 2010 CFI of the year is Jeffrey Moss of Los Angeles, California. He offers Cessna Corvalis and Cirrus training, and is an independent instructor and mentor pilot on the Cessna Citation Mustang and CJ series, Eclipse 500, Embraer Phenom 100/300, and Hawker Beechcraft Premier IA. A Master CFI, he specializes in training piston pilots for their initial single-pilot jet type rating. The awards will be presented in July during a “Theater in the Woods” program during EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

NTSB studies glass cockpits and safety

Change is in the air

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) met March 9 to discuss a new study that looks at the effect of glass cockpits on safety in single-engine piston aircraft. While the staff study found no current safety benefit, comments by board members suggested that as more glass cockpit aircraft enter the fleet and pilots get more experience, that may change.

The NTSB study looked at a particular subset of GA aircraft manufactured between 2002 and 2006—a period in which newly manufactured aircraft were transitioning from analog instruments to glass. The study found that there is little in the way of added safety benefit—yet. It said that glass-cockpit aircraft were involved in fewer total accidents than their proportion of the test group would predict, but a higher number of fatal accidents than would be predicted. The study echoed earlier AOPA Air Safety Foundation reports, saying that pilot training and proficiency with the avionics suite are crucial to deriving safety benefits from glass cockpits. NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman noted that glass cockpits may eventually yield a measurable safety benefit as more of them enter the fleet and more pilots gain experience with the systems. The staff study concluded with six recommendations from the NTSB to the FAA—five of which involved pilot training.

FAA says student pilot numbers down

Agency forecast released

The FAA’s 20-year forecast issued in March predicts a decreasing number of student pilots in the short term, followed by very slow growth in the mid- and long term. It is estimated that slightly more than 72,000 student pilots were registered with the FAA in 2009, down from almost 81,000 a year before. According to the forecast, the number won’t again reach 2009 levels until 2013; next year is expected to be the worst with the forecast bottoming out at roughly 69,000 student certificates. The flight training industry has been struggling since September 11, 2001. In fact, student certificates aren’t expected to reach the year 2000’s historical high of more than 93,000 for the entire forecast period. The FAA expects light sport to increase at a rate of more than 7 percent for the forecast period, and more than 25 percent over the short term.

AOPA presents student pilot scholarship at WAI

Helo student a winner

By Jill W. Tallman

A student pilot from Fairbanks, Alaska, has received AOPA’s first Student Pilot Scholarship. Camila Roy plans to use the money to complete helicopter training so that she can provide firefighting and other emergency services in Alaska. Roy was one of dozens of applicants for the $3,000 scholarship, which was awarded in February at the twenty-first annual International Women in Aviation Conference in Orlando, Florida.

As part of its commitment to growing the pilot population, AOPA established the scholarship program for a woman pursuing a private, recreational, or sport pilot certificate who has obtained a student pilot certificate.

Aviation Career Fairs to launch in Orlando

Career resources under one roof

A new series of aviation career fairs is planned to launch May 22 in Orlando. The events are intended to provide timely and accurate information to anyone considering training for a career in aviation, be that on the flight deck, in the control tower, or in the management offices. There will be a full seminar program running throughout the day that will include presentations on job prospects, financing your training, how to choose the best career, and how to choose the right training provider. Exhibitors will be present, representing both universities and flight training providers.

Further events are planned for late 2010 and early 2011 in New York and Los Angeles with other venues planned for the fall of 2011. 

The Orlando event is at the Marriott World Center Orlando, and it begins at 9:30 a.m. Entry is $10 and tickets are available through Sporty’s Pilot Shop online.