Topic: For most pilots, we are used to operating at paved, asphalt runways. But what happens if we land somewhere without one?
On Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at 19:00 Pacific Standard Time (20:00 MST, 21:00 CST, 22:00 EST, 17:00 HST, 18:00 AKST, 20:00 Arizona, 03:00 GMT)

Select Number:
WP15102993

Description:
There was a time when all airports didn’t have asphalt, pavement, or concrete. Nowadays it’s hard to think about operating at an airport without paved ramps, taxiways, and runways. But if you come across one, will you know how to operate safely?.

San Carlos Flight Center invites Chief Pilot Herb Patten to discuss operations at unpaved airports. Sure you were taught soft field takeoff and landing during your private pilot training, but how does that compare to operating on a real soft field like a grass runway. Learn effective techniques for approaching an unpaved runway including what to expect on landing, rollout and taxing along with what hazards exist on unpaved runways. We will also discuss the details of airports with unpaved runways that are in close proximity to San Carlos.

If you are ever interested in what it takes to safely operate at unpaved airports, join us for this seminar.

Herb Patten is the Chief Pilot at the San Carlos Flight Center, a CFI and an FAA certificated advanced and instrument ground instructor who teaches private pilot ground school at San Carlos Flight Center. He is a commercial pilot with an instrument rating, has flown over 2,000 hours into at least 130 different California airports. He is the current Executive Director of the Upwind Foundation, famous for its Upwind Summer Scholarship Program. In 2015, Herb was named a Master Instructor by the National Association of Flight Instructors.

To view further details and registration information for this webinar, click here.

Our monthly IMC club meeting will be from 7 to 8 pm on Wednesday, December 2. Our special topic will be “CFII Q&A” with Scott Thompson. Scott will provide some additional info on flying Victor airways that came up as questions at last month’s meeting, and there will be an open mic session for Q&A with our resident CFII. There will also be a cold weather ‘What would you do?’ video problem solving scenario.

The link to join the meeting is provided below; all are invited to participate.

Topic: December IMC club
Time: Dec 2, 2020 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
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Meeting ID: 874 9077 0753
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If you would like to get Wings program credit for this week’s IMC club meeting, you can register here.

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It’s with great excitement that we announce our Ray Scholar, Hannah Treehan, completed her First Solo this morning!!

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Topic: IFR pilots usually do not expect a WAAS or GPS failure while flying IFR let alone on an RNAV APP, what happens next?
On Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at 19:00 Pacific Standard Time (20:00 MST, 21:00 CST, 22:00 EST, 17:00 HST, 18:00 AKST, 20:00 Arizona, 03:00 GMT)

Select Number:
WP15102680

Description:
Instrument approaches have evolved greatly over the years. From the old VOR/DME approaches to ILS, and RNAV GPS approaches. With each new type of approach came more precision. GPS and WAAS-based instrument approaches have changed the way we fly. These approaches are very precise and have decreased our reliance on ground-based navigation facilities. But what happens if they fail?

San Carlos Flight Center invites Assistant Chief Pilot Brian Eliot to discuss what to do when you are flying an RNAV approach, and encounter an RNAV or WAAS failure. These RNAV approaches are easier to fly and more precise than the traditional approaches. With WAAS and GPS services available 99.99% of the time, it is hard to think about what to do if they were to fail. Sometimes failures do happen, and it is crucial that we know how to handle them.

Join us, as Brian discusses what to do and how to train for these rare occurrences. You will then be prepared to handle this outage like a pro.

Brian Eliot is San Carlos Flight Center’s Assistant Chief Pilot and resident expert for IFR training and Garmin G1000 avionics. He has been flying since 1995 and received all his training in the Bay Area. Brian previously worked as a broadcast engineer, a software developer, and taught computer science at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. He regularly presents at San Carlos Flight Center safety seminars and has a reputation for making complex concepts easy to learn and understand.

To view further details and registration information for this webinar, click here.

Topic: IMC Topics Are Taken From Real Life Events and Discussed to Aid the Decision Making Process for Pilots.
On Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at 19:00 Pacific Standard Time

Location:
online
Lincoln, CA 95648

Select Number:
WP25102675

Description:
This is an audience participation event. After a brief Audio/Video presentation we ask “What Would You Do”? Everyone is encouraged to join in the discussion. Videos depicting actual flights that encountered challenges are chosen from a library provided by EAA . Pilots of all skill levels are encouraged to attend. Click the link below for more information and to register TODAY.

To view further details and registration information for this seminar, click here.

Topic: Safety lessons from insurance company accident claim files.
On Tuesday, December 1, 2020 at 19:00 Eastern Standard Time (16:00 PST, 17:00 MST, 18:00 CST, 14:00 HST, 15:00 AKST, 17:00 Arizona, 00:00 GMT)

Select Number:
EA23102480

Description:
This lively webinar will feature a series of photos, culled from actual Avemco claim files, along with claim data specific to Avemco records. The pictures and data will focus on weather and in-motion awareness. There will also be a review of some odd-ball pilot incidents, that hopefully provide education for encounters that occur not only in the air but on the ground.

Host: Gene Benson. Presenter: Bryon Schwartz, Avemco Senior Aviation Underwriter

To view further details and registration information for this webinar, click here.

Topic: Having an understanding of in-flight illusions can help a pilot maintain positive control of their aircraft at all times.
On Saturday, November 28, 2020 at 12:00 Pacific Standard Time (13:00 MST, 14:00 CST, 15:00 EST, 10:00 HST, 11:00 AKST, 13:00 Arizona, 20:00 GMT)

Select Number:
WP15102587

Description:
In primary training, pilots learn that visual and vestibular sensations do not necessarily reflect the actual position, speed and attitude of the aircraft they fly. If not recognized and remediated promptly, the discrepancy between sensation interpretation and aircraft circumstances can lead to loss of situational awareness, with possible catastrophic consequences.

San Carlos Flight Center invites Michel Vidal-Naquet, an FAA Advanced Ground Instructor, to explain common sensory illusions such as the graveyard spin, the graveyard spiral, the leans and much more. During this seminar he will describe how these illusions lead to specific accident trajectories, and discuss how they may be recognized. Learn how to positively control your aircraft during all phases of flight, to prevent from these unexpected illusions from happening.

This exploration will help pilots intimately understand the nature of common illusions experienced during different phases of flight, how these illusions relate to specific accidents, and how they can be recognized and overcome in the future. With this knowledge, attendees can become safer pilots with a reinforced understanding of the danger of sensory illusions.

Michel Vidal-Naquet is an advanced and instrument ground instructor, and an instrument rated, commercial pilot with over 700 flight hours. He started flying in 2013 after settling in the Bay area to work as a computer scientist and engineer. His passion for aviation began during his early childhood when his family first took him on international flights. He brings a scientific point of view to his flying, and is always learning.

To view further details and registration information for this webinar, click here.

Our online monthly chapter meeting will begin at 7 pm on Wednesday, November 18th. We are going to make our November Zoom meeting a bit more of an aviation family gathering. We’ll invite everyone who can to turn on their video camera and to put Zoom into Gallery mode so they can see each other in “Hollywood Squares”. Think of a recent aviation experience you’ve had, and share it in our “Hangar Talk” time.

Our program will be a set of short aviation videos that will make you smile, laugh, and be thankful during this most unusual Thanksgiving season.

To join our Zoom Meeting, click here at 7 pm Wednesday, click here.

Meeting ID: 869 3463 4615

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Topic: Analyze the weather on your route to make safe decisions—and in only 10-15 minutes!
On Monday, November 30, 2020 at 20:00 Pacific Standard Time (21:00 MST, 22:00 CST, 23:00 EST, 18:00 HST, 19:00 AKST, 21:00 Arizona, 04:00 GMT)

Select Number:
WP01102425

Description:
Weather is the most lethal of all major causes of aviation accidents.

In this 90 minute webinar, Delia will show you how to meet the FAA briefing requirements while ALSO developing skills that will allow you to make better decisions regarding flight.

• Learn the 6 elements you MUST CHECK in any brief
• How to significantly reduce the mountain of needless data
• How to use (and the value of) the new graphical forecast for aviation
• When severe weather doesn’t qualify as an adverse condition

Plus we’ll walk through a standard weather brief, followed by Q&A

To view further details and registration information for this webinar, click here.