Event Details and Registration

Southern California and the Southwest  are popular destinations due the appeal of the scenery along the way as well as the attractions and dining once you reach the destination. A number of pilot bucket list destinations can be found in this part of the country including Catalina, San Diego, Sedona, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas among others. Every summer, the San Carlos Flight Center plans a multi-day journey to seek out new destinations, spectacular scenery and challenging airports that represent unique aeronautical challenges such as navigating in complex airspace and operating at high elevation airports. 

Join SCFC Chief Pilot Herb Patten as he discusses details of this flight training experience trip. All long cross-country trips involve lots of thorough and thoughtful planning; so in this seminar, Herb will preview planning and selecting routes, airport destination considerations, airplane performance at the higher elevation airports, and insight into how to operate safely based on insight from previous experience in this region. 

Whether you are considering joining this training adventure to the Southwest or are just curious about what it is like to plan a sophisticated long-cross country trip, you will enjoy this seminar’s comprehensive approach to FAR 91.103.

Prior to attending a safety seminar, please review and abide by current CDC, State, and Local health guidelines.

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 with over 3,000 hours experience in flying all over California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Montana and Idaho.  He is the current chairman of the Upwind Foundation, famous for its Upwind Summer Scholarship Program. In 2023, Herb was named a Distinguished Flight Instructor by AOPA.

Welcome to San Carlos Flight Center and our Safety Seminar Program.

San Carlos Flight Center believes in the philosophy that a good pilot is always learning. We are proud to have the most active Safety Seminar Program in the country where pilots of all abilities and skill levels can come to learn something new. We host seminars twice a week, on Wednesdays at 7 PM, and on Saturdays at 12 PM. Join us to master challenging ground topics, discover new flying destinations, fine-tune radio skills, and learn from industry professionals. With an active in-house speaker bureau and a growing guest-speaker base, we continue to schedule a wide variety of presentations, equipping you with the knowledge to operate more safely.

Join us to view our seminars in person at our facility in San Carlos, located at 795 Skyway Road, Suite A San Carlos, 94070. Seminars will be available to view in person at our facility in San Carlos for free. To register and secure your seat for this event, create a free account on our website by clicking here, find this seminar on our upcoming events page by clicking here, scroll down, and click "register". 

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2022 as a Distinguished Flight School.

SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Seminars are available to watch for free when attended in person at our facility in San Carlos, however, to livestream our seminars online from any location a SCFC Membership is required. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online viewing and to access our growing library of over 500 recorded safety seminars.