Online Refresher Course

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GAHorn
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Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2002 8:45 pm

Online Refresher Course

Post by GAHorn »

I’m in the middle of my biennial CFI “refresher course” to renew my CFI certificate.

There are a number of such courses available for purchase and they all meet the FAA requirements but I have used the King Schools course in the past and found it attractive because of the simplicity of the process…. The King Schools will take care of all the “paperwork” with FAA and I don’t have to do anything further to receive the actual new certificate in the mail …(as opposed to some other courses which require me to submit my proof-of-recurrent-training to FAA…or submit additional fees.)

Anyway..this is not a “plug” for King Schools…it’s only an explanation for the reason I’m making this post…

I actually don’t have much affinity for the King Schools presentation…it has a bit of what I call a “circus-barker” presentation… And I’m frankly surprised the Kings have survived some of the escapades to which they admit in their personal aviation careers. But it’s also courageous of them to use their own errors to illustrate what is a sincere effort on their part to teach. I applaud their courage and appreciate their product.

I’m making this particular post because there exists an excellent example of how they evaluate teaching technique and adapt their presentation to relate it to how a large bureaucratic agency might. Here’s how the King Schools offers an alternative viewpoint of a particular definition. (Good job!)

The Topic is “Loss of Control”:

“You should know the FAA definition for loss of control. It is formal and complicated. It goes as follows: “Loss of control refers to aircraft accidents that result from situations in which a pilot should have maintained (or should have regained) aircraft control but failed to do so.”

For teaching purposes you may find our simpler definition provided below more useful. It may be easier for your clients to remember and use.

There are many characteristics of a good definition depending on its purpose, but for teaching purposes you may find definitions that are straight to the point, simple, and memorable to be more effective. The FAA definition also suffers from circularity in that part of the term being defined is included in its own definition.

Loss of control has occurred anytime the aircraft does something you don’t want it to do. “

(This ^^^ last sentence is King Schools’ definition of LOC.)

Good job!

(Unfortunately, during the “pre-lesson-assessement-quiz” leading into the lesson (a True/False Quiz)…. When I selected “T” as my answer for THEIR definition of “Loss of Control”…. my answer was graded “Incorrect!”

:?
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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Bruce Fenstermacher
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Re: Online Refresher Course

Post by Bruce Fenstermacher »

My favorite activity, CFI renewal. :( I've used American Flyers as I bought into their FIRC for life deal. I am not looking for a learning experience and surely isn't. But as online computer training/recertification goes I couldn't imagine it could be less painless. Well, except maybe for the dream I didn't have to do it at all to maintain a CFI. :x
CAUTION - My forum posts may be worth what you paid for them!

Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
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GAHorn
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Re: Online Refresher Course

Post by GAHorn »

Only Just Last Night…while taking this course… one of the subjects was the “Impossible Turn” in which the Lesson focused upon the Return to the runway in the event of an engine failure on TakeOff.

The Lesson directed me to a Video by Richard McSpadden, former USAF Thunderbird as well as AOPA Air Safety Institute Senior Vice-president, in which McSpadden presents a YouTube video of how to accomplish this very maneuver safely. The King CFIR course points out that FAA now Encourages CFIs to teach this. I watched the video and answered the test questions on the subject successfully. Here’s the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFVFKq3QqXo

Unfortunately, Tragically, and Ironically,….only a few minutes ago tonight…I checked my emails…to discover that Richard McSpadden has died in an accident in which engine failure after takeoff with an attempted return to the airport is the likely scenario. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/air ... -in-crash/

The Lake Placid News paper has published the story: https://www.lakeplacidnews.com/news/loc ... dentified/

Here is the AOPA video produced at AirVenture in which the manuever is presented: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k_6DOC-z8o
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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GAHorn
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Re: Online Refresher Course

Post by GAHorn »

And here is what I consider a better discussion regarding the subject of the “impossible turn”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DUE8Eh5IUY&t=1287s

No one (that I know of) has mentioned the likelihood that..
1-A return will violate basic airport procedure …in that it countermands the active runway in-use…
2-Ignores the common situation of another aircraft having taxied into position for take-off immediately after your departure… or…
3- …the possibility that another aircraft may be on short-final expecting to land subsequent to your departure.

I’m of the opinion that unless one is at or above the usual traffic-pattern altitude…that a return to the airport is to be avoided as a “last resort”.

YMMV
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
voorheesh
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Re: Online Refresher Course

Post by voorheesh »

Very sad news about the loss of Richard McSpadden and Russ Francis yesterday. Richard was a passionate aviation safety advocate who spread good advice and was always nonjudgmental in his analysis of accidents. Only last week, he put out a video on the Reno tragedy with advice to GA pilots on collision avoidance at non towered airports. His analysis of last year’s midair’s at North Las Vegas and Watsonville were very helpful and used at our flight school both to educate and reassure new pilots that safety is attainable.

The FAA does not expect flight instructors to teach the “impossible turn”. Rather they ask us to teach safety procedures to use in the event of low level engine failure that will reduce the potential of fatal accidents. Included would be information on the ability of the airplane to actually complete such a turn. Most agree that a rushed turning maneuver at low altitude is dangerous. A better choice is to proceed to the safest forced landing location in front of and visible to the pilot. The objective is to protect innocent people on the surface and the aircraft occupants to the extent possible. Also to resist any impulse to prevent damage to the aircraft that might override better judgment.

Most of the instructors I work with teach a before takeoff safety briefing intended to focus attention and to be prepared during that flight segment. We also advocate knowing the terrain and availability of emergency landing spots before takeoff. When discussing (discouraging) the risks of turning back, we include the potential of traffic conflicts, adverse wind, obstacles, and other factors as reasons not to attempt the maneuver. These in addition to the dangers of losing control. I cannot think of a single instructor in my group of friends who doesn’t take this subject seriously and believes we owe our students full awareness in the interest of safety.

This has been a rough week for general aviation and I appreciate George for raising subjects like CFI training because these discussions are helpful and hopefully we will all learn. RIP to those lost.
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c170b53
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Re: Online Refresher Course

Post by c170b53 »

I’ve never landed at this airport, wanted to but flew past it to our Vermont convention. Many of the hills in that area were heavily wooded, so that might have been a factor and from the accident photo, just tragic luck the little gully the airplane found would have led to rapid deceleration. Very sad for the families and the aviation community.
Jim McIntosh..
1953 C170B S/N 25656
02 K1200RS
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c170b53
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Re: Online Refresher Course

Post by c170b53 »

Looking at Foreflight aerial view looks like there’s a golf course nearby and a few farmers fields so there’s more the FAA has to sort out.
Jim McIntosh..
1953 C170B S/N 25656
02 K1200RS
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