A big boost for pilot participation in the FAA WINGS safety program is the goal of a four-way coalition involving the Aero-News Network (ANN), the Advocates For Air Safety Foundation (AFASF), Master Instructors LLC, and the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam).

"Pilots who attend FAASTeam safety seminars will be more knowledgeable pilots who can help lower the general aviation accident and incident rate," said AFASF founder Paul F. Burger.

In addition to Burger, members of the coalition include Jim Campbell of ANN, Sandy and JoAnn Hill of Master Instructors LLC, and Kevin L. Clover, head of the FAA FAASTeam. Assisting the coalition will be a nationwide network of Master Instructors, certificated flight instructors who have demonstrated superior skill, teaching ability and dedication to aviation safety. Master Instructors are accredited by Master Instructors LLC, www.MasterInstructors.org

The partnership's initial offering is the "Aero-Newsbug," an aviation news feeder created by ANN publisher Campbell. The small program is free for all pilots, and sits in the bottom right corner of computer screens, making it easy to keep up with the latest aviation news. The special AFASF version includes top-line information on all FAA FAASTeam safety seminars within 100 miles of a pilot's zip code. The Aero-Newsbug may be downloaded from the AFASF web page, www.AFASF.org; a click on the AFASF NewsBug tab provides a short tutorial on the Aero-Newsbug.

The coalition's push comes after 30 years of little improvement in the general aviation accident rate. Since about 1980, the yearly GA accident rate has stayed in a narrow range of about 6 to 10 accidents per 100,000 hours flown. "This three decade stagnation is particularly galling," said Burger, "because the preceding 30 years (from just after World War II to the dawn of the 1980s) saw the GA accident rate fall from more than 77 accidents per 100,000 hours flown to about 10 accidents per 100,000 hours flown."

"Most pilots know that three-quarters of GA accidents are due to pilot error," he continued, "but what most pilots don't know is that the vast majority are the same old errors, over and over again. The FAA's WINGS Proficiency Program and attendance at FAASTeam safety seminars are the best, most cost-effective ways to make pilots smart enough to avoid those errors."

The coalition is also encouraging pilots who have not yet signed up for the FAA's e-mail safety seminar notification system to do so quickly. That electronic notification system, called SPANS, http://www.FAASafety.gov/SPANS/ , is rapidly replacing the traditional yellow bulk mail notices of safety events.

Master Instructors nationwide will provide assistance for pilots having trouble registering for SPANS notifications or enrolling in the FAA WINGS safety program. "The vast majority of Master Instructors are FAASTeam representatives, and have themselves taken advantage of the SPANS system," said the Hills. "Master CFIs bring an unmatched level of experience and expertise to the FAA safety program."

The FAA's new WINGS program debuted in mid-2007. It replaced an earlier version of the program that had been running since the mid-1980s, but never gathered critical mass to make a significant contribution to general aviation safety.

"Unlike the old program, which handed out bronze lapel pins, this new FAA WINGS program is a true proficiency program for pilots who care about safety," said Kevin L. Clover, head of the FAA safety program. "It rewards you for demonstrated proficiency, using exactly the same standards you met when you earned your pilot certificate or rating."

"Moreover, you're in control of your own training program with the new WINGS. You can construct a curriculum that suits your own unique flight requirements, secure in the knowledge that the education, review and flight are addressing exactly those factors that cause the most general aviation accidents."

Like the previous program, completing the basic phase of the current WINGS program satisfies the FAA's requirement for a flight review every two years. At least one insurance company, AVEMCO, rewards WINGS participants with a 5% savings in premiums for aviation insurance.

Other coalition safety outreach efforts include a unique social networking site. The site is similar to Facebook but is reserved for pilots as a place to share their amusing or educational aviating recollections for the benefit of other pilots, similar to the four "aviators stories" posted on the AFASF site.

To download the free Aero-Newsbug, go to the AFASF web page, http://www.AFASF.org/ and click on the Newsbug tab.

FMI: www.AFASF.org, www.FAASafety.gov/SPANS/, www.MasterInstructors.org