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Flight instructors beware. A new scam uses email to contact flight instructors saying that a group of foreign students wants to train with them in the United States this summer.

It requests the instructor to submit a proposal of what the training program would entail. After that, a second email is sent requesting banking information to make a direct deposit for the program. In another case, an email correspondence offered to pay more than the program would cost if the balance could be forwarded to another individual.

The Transportation Security Administration is aware of the scam and believes that there is no connection to terrorism. However, instructors should report any such scam notices. CFIs can alert AOPA at 800-USA-AOPA or file a complaint through the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Instructors are encouraged to research any questionable requests they receive to prevent time wasted in creating a training proposal. Banking information should never be shared based on these types of requests.

Recommendations target effective pilot training

SAFE releases final conference report

The Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) is recommending six projects for action to reduce fatal aircraft accidents, increase student pilot starts, and keep those trainees flying until their goals have been achieved.

The recommendations—mostly achievable without regulatory revision—headline the preliminary report that has emerged from the 2011 Pilot Training Reform Symposium SAFE hosted on May 4 and 5 in Atlanta, Georgia.

SAFE Chair Doug Stewart presented an advance copy of the report to AOPA President and CEO Craig Fuller, Chief Operating Officer Rob Moran, and Director of Flight Training Initiatives Jennifer Storm on June 2.The group discussed ways in which AOPA and SAFE could work together to encourage improvements in the flight training industry.

During the symposium in May, six working groups assembled to discuss key areas of pilot training reform. Each group reported out its five top reform recommendations. SAFE then consolidated them into six “actionable and specific projects.”

“The changes that may result from the proposed work require no lengthy regulatory change,” said the report. “Rather, they may be implemented via changes in policy, publications, and procedures.” The selected projects “do not constitute the whole of flight training reform, but “represent the beginning of a multi-year process that likely will branch off into other projects necessary to effect reform.”

SAFE noted that “ultimate outcomes” can only be measured over the long term, and “will likely require a cultural change in the community with regard to safety and especially attitudes toward risk management.”

These are the preliminary report’s six consolidated projects:

1. Conduct a thorough general aviation fatal accident root cause analysis to pinpoint underlying accident causality as a means to create effective remedial actions.

2. Create a new flight review option that can be enabled as an FAA-sponsored pilot proficiency award program.

3. Revise FAA doctrine and standards to implement scenario-based testing, risk management, and other higher-order pilot skills.

4. Modify flight instructor doctrine, initial testing, and renewal procedures to include the teaching of higher-order pilot skills.

5. Implement voluntary flight instructor professional accreditation programs and continuing education that emphasize higher-order pilot skills, scenario training, and interpersonal relationship skills.

6. Create and implement model curricula that incorporate higher-order pilot skills, scenario-based training, and integration of simulation and other teaching methods to include interpersonal relationship skills.

AOPA and other industry groups will be reviewing the recommendations and submitting responses to SAFE by September 30.

SIUC takes NIFA championship

Underdog beat out many past champions

The flight team at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC) took home top honors at the National Intercollegiate Flying Association’s championship in May. The Flying Salukis beat out the University of North Dakota by nine points. Rounding out the top five colleges were Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott, Western Michigan University, and The Ohio State University, which hosted the event.