Major GA Stakeholders To Convene In 2011

The Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) recently announced that it will chair the national symposium, Securing the Future of General Aviation through Pilot Training Reform. Scheduled for 2011, the symposium will feature break out sessions, an industry leadership panel, and a keynote address on the importance of training on safety, product success, and industry growth.

The event will also include the following moderated panel discussions:

• Meeting Safety Challenges through Pilot Training Reform.
• Growing General Aviation through Pilot Training Reform.
• Flight Training Doctrine: The Foundation of Pilot Training Reform.
• Flight Training Standards: Raising the Bar with Modernized Pilot Training.
• Flight Training Curricula: Opportunities to Reshape the Delivery System.
• Aviation and Flight Educators: Perspectives from Master Instructors and CFIs of the Year.

The SAFE symposium complements AOPA's Flight Training Student Retention Initiative as well as other industry efforts to revitalize general aviation. According to Symposium Committee Chair, Bob Wright, "Securing a more robust future for general aviation will require a collaborative effort among original equipment manufacturers, courseware providers, organizations and trade associations, university aviation programs and fixed- base operators, insurance providers, and regulatory agencies." Wright added, "We envision this process being driven from the flight line upward based on current industry programs and guided by a three-to-five year plan jointly developed by all stakeholders, including the Federal Aviation Administration."

Major stakeholders such as Cessna Aircraft Company, King Schools, Lightspeed Aviation, Redbird Flight Simulations, and Sporty's Academy have already agreed to collaborate with SAFE on pilot training reform. Other key stakeholders are currently being invited to participate in this defining event.

FMI: www.PilotTrainingReform.org