The WINGS Industry Advisory Committee (WIAC) today announced the winners of the 2018 Paul and Fran Burger $10,000 WINGS Sweepstakes. Ten flight instructors were selected to win cash prizes ranging from $500 to $1,500. The 2018 sweepstakes was made available exclusively to members of the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) and the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI) to test the concept of offering a cash incentive to develop increased awareness and participation in the FAASTeam WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program. Last year’s sweepstakes received support from 40 industry organizations and individuals endorsing this campaign, including adding Hartzell Propeller as the WIAC National Sponsor.
The sweepstakes is the result of a coalition of four key national aviation organizations, the AOPA Air Safety Institute, the FAA Safety Team, NAFI and SAFE. All agreed to use this opportunity to reinforce each organization’s goals to increase aviation safety by creating a culture of lifelong proficiency training. Given the WINGS program offers a broad choice of educational and training options, that include ASI, NAFI and SAFE seminars, webinars and live broadcasts accessible for completion every year, this would be the right path for the sweepstakes.
The impetus for the campaign came from the simple fact that nearly everyone in general aviation knows someone who was killed or injured in an accident. And often the worst accidents could have been avoided except for one bad decision or an avoidable situation. Paul Burger, the founder of WIAC and funder of the sweepstakes said, “More than 20 years ago I personally witnessed a tragedy where the pilot, his nephew and niece and a family friend were killed.” He added “Since then I have donated a substantial amount energy, time and money for GA safety so that fewer friends and family have to have this same experience.”
David St. George, SAFE Executive Director, said “the support of our dedicated CFI community in growing the 2018 WINGS sweepstakes is very exciting and encouraging. One sure fact of aviation safety is that continuous focused learning (supplied by the FAA WINGS program) makes safer pilots.” Echoing this sentiment, Joe Brown, president of Hartzell Propeller, remarked, “This sweepstakes is a clever, creative and timely way to bring pilots to an attitude of lifelong learning in their general aviation flying. Combining the vision of these proficiency-driven organizations, and those that support them, will brighten the path to safety. The WINGS program is the foundation of that path and the Focused Flight Review is a complementary way to keep people on it.”
Richard McSpadden, AOPA ASI Executive Director added, “this sweepstakes is an innovative way in driving pilots toward engaging safety content. For change we must first reach pilots, then make an impact with the ultimate goal to change the thought process for proficiency training then see a change in behavior.” Along these same lines, Bob Meder, NAFI Chairman said, “now is the time to support programs like this sweepstakes, the ASI Focused Flight Review, the EAA Pilot Proficiency Center, and NAFI and SAFE professional development for CFIs with the likeminded goal of developing a safety culture facilitated by proficiency training.”
Because of the tremendous success of this initiative, WIAC will offer chances to win the annual $10,000 sweepstakes to both CFIs who validate WINGS phases and airmen who complete phases beginning in 2019 and continuing through 2022. Access to entering for chances to win will be available through the WINGS sections of faasafety.gov or directly at the WIAC website, www.mywingsinitiative.org, also where the sweepstakes winners are listed.
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The WIAC is a volunteer coalition of industry experts, experienced pilots and flight instructors, professionals such as attorneys, business owners, entrepreneurs, and interested private citizens dedicated to GA safety. The WIAC’s sole purpose is to support and increase awareness of and participation in the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program, a coordinated series of training and educational material based on primary accident causal factors that plague the GA community designed to facilitate reduction of accidents in these areas.
For more information, contact:
Lauretta Godbey, Co-Chair
WINGS Industry Advisory Committee
www.mywingsinitiative.org/contact
