Greg, John and Todd have a lively conversation triggered by the recent announcement from Delta Airlines that pilots no longer need a college education. Will this impact aviation safety?

“I know a lot of pilots that know aviation but don’t understand aviation,” says Greg. He adds that investigating the results of their poor decisions keeps him busy as a safety investigator.

The question at the center of the debate is what is needed to equip pilots to make the decisions and have the maturity that are needed for success. Is a college education a worthy process to make sure that only the most qualified people wind up in the cockpit?
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Listen to the debate and add your thoughts. Should all airline pilots be required to have a college education?

The event is FREE and will take place on Saturday, Feb. 26 at the Deerfield Golf & Tennis Club in Newark, Delaware.

Speakers include PAMA's own, The Honorable John Goglia, and representatives from Concord Battery, Honeywell, Good Year, Dassault, and the Federal Aviation Administration.

The conference is approved for 8 hours of IA renewal credit. Door prizes, breakfast, lunch, and post-event cocktails will also be provided.

Register to attend at firststatepama.com/.

Exhibit space and sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information contact First State President John Agnew at admin@firststatepama.com or 302-983-0042.

​PAMA, in coordination with its generous industry partners, has made available award opportunities for current and future aviation maintenance professionals. Awards are provided to current or recent aviation maintenance students and may be used toward the purchase of tools, tuition or other education-related expenses.

• Future AMT Professional Award, provided by PistonPower™ by AEPC™ (AeroEngine Protection Corp.)

          Two $1000 awards

• ​JSFirm.com Aviation Mechanic Student Award

         One $1500 award

Award winners will be announced at the Aerospace Maintenance Competition in Dallas in April.

Winter weather and questionable piloting have led to another series of aviation accidents. Greg and John look at the initial information and stress the importance of not flying beyond your skills and knowledge.

One fatal crash took the life of their good friend Charlie Schneider, CEO of MYGOFLIGHT. They share the known details that led to the crash of his Cirrus SR22. They reflect on his dedication to general aviation and general aviation safety.

The NTSB has released the final report of the crash of a Beech B60 Duke. Greg finds that the NTSB investigation was thorough, and the report has good information. Among the findings – no preflight inspection and a homemade gust lock left in place.
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“Bad things happen when you take a sick airplane into the air,” says Greg. John and Greg offer flight safety advice based on years of investigating the aftermath of accidents.

This episode opens with a recap of the recent ceremony where John received the National Aeronautic Association Distinguished Statesman of Aviation Award. The event recognized his many contributions to aviation.

John, Greg and Todd review four recent aircraft accidents – three general aviation and one commercial. They offer initial analysis and the safety questions that should be answered during the investigation process.

A Bonanza crash in California led to four fatalities. Weather appears to be a factor in this crash that happened just 16 seconds after takeoff. Local reports are that weather conditions changed rapidly in the area – could one more weather check before takeoff have led to a different outcome?

A twin engine Piper Navajo Chieftain crashed in Oregon. The recording of the interaction with air traffic control before takeoff indicates the pilot was confused. This fatal crash investigation will need to look at pilot health as well as mechanical issues.

In Nebraska, the pilot lost control and crashed a twin engine Cessna 310. This accident also raises questions about pilot proficiency and currency as well as aircraft mechanical issues.
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Finally, they discuss the recent miraculous emergency landing of a fully loaded DC3 in Alaska. The pilot reported the loss of an engine shortly after takeoff and was able to maneuver to another runway and accomplish a safe landing.

A number of accidents happened Thanksgiving weekend, a trend that needs to be changed. Greg and John offer several flight safety tips for general aviation pilots planning holiday travel.

Listen to make sure you’re planning for the safest trip possible. John and Greg cover the importance of preflight planning, factoring in weather en route, dealing with icing conditions and more.
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The Flight Safety detectives also share listener emails and tease plans for 2022. They invite more listener input to make the show a valuable resource for everyone interested in aviation safety.

Safety training for the aviation community isn’t effective and needs an overhaul. Greg and John drive home this point by talking about the high rate of fatal accidents in November. Particular focus is on the accident that killed Blue Origin crew member Glen de Vries.

“We’re not reaching pilots and the aviation community with effective safety training,” John says. Greg adds that people don’t read manuals or safety material available from the FAA and NTSB.

Recent accidents involve a range of general aviation planes. Most wreckage is removed and stored for later evaluation, adding concerns that volatile evidence is being lost.
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Recommendations to improve safety are slow coming in recent years. When safety findings are issued, the format isn’t effectively sharing the information.

On Saturday March 12, 2022 C&W Aero Services will be hosting a FREE seminar series that meets the requirements of FAR 65.93(a)(4) for IA renewal. While the seminar is structured for mechanic's with IA's, it is open to any interested mechanic. Seating is limited and on a first come, first served basis. The seminar begins at 8:00 am and includes a complimentary continental breakfast and door prizes. Registration is required, please fill out the attached registration form below.

Event is sponsored by Teterboro FSDO and PAMA - Teterboro Chapter. Additional sponsorship opportunities available. If you're interested, contact Neil at nned@cwaero.com. 

The conversation continues with Hoot Gibson. Gibson’s life in aviation started growing up and took him to the cockpit of Navy fighters, NASA space shuttles and many test and race aircraft.

Hoot, John, Greg and Todd cover the many unique experiences of Gibson’s career. His experiences and lessons learned offer every pilot key takeaways.
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Hear Hoot narrate the experience of his five shuttle missions, including the handshake that ended the Cold War. Gibson is also known as the ambassador of model aviation and talks about the benefits of working with model aircraft.