What is 'Wings' credit?

[Mcstealth]

And what does it do for you? I have seen and heard it mentioned and I am ignorant to the term.

 

David

[carusoam]

Class credits given by the FAA for safety presentations that you can attend. You can use the credits to add up towards your BFR, biennial flight review...( I have forgotten the details, someone please help?)

[1964-M20E]

It's a safety program by the FAA to enhance GA safety. I'm not sure of all the details. I'm registered and have completes some things but not enough to qualify for any of the Wings award levels. I think it also helps on you insurance as well. Overall a good program the only thing I do not like is it erasses credits after a while. However, I agree that some things need to be reviewed every so often.

[carusoam]

They passed out pins, "wings", on an annual basis, based on the leve that you personally achieved. Each level got slightly more ornate. I believe I achieved two levels, they were the equivalent of stars on your forehead in grammar school. Not very memorable... Nice idea, just couldn't generate the interest level it was trying to accomplish.

[Jeff_S]

The Wings program is the FAA's attempt to address pilot education and safety. I've done many of their online programs (for example, if you're going to fly around Washington DC you MUST complete their online program for the SFRA) and they are generally good, and getting better. The website in its initial incarnation looked like a government committee project, but they've gradually improved that. And I've gone to several of their in-person conferences and met with the FAA Safety Team (FAAST) folks, and they are all very nice and serious about their attempts to improve the GA safety rate.

 

There are only two problems that I see with this program. As has been noted above, it's still too cumbersome to effectively replace a BFR...in fact, in order to use these credits as a BFR you still have to go flying with an instructor...so it sort of defeats that purpose. But the other big problem they have in achieving their stated goal is that the only people who tend to participate in these programs are the folks who ARE interested in safety and are LEAST LIKELY to become the statistics they are trying to avoid.

 

But all in all, if you haven't checked it out yet, go to www.faasafety.gov and sign up for an account. As noted, some of the educational programs are quite good, even if you don't care about getting the credit.

[OR75]

my understanding is that it does 2 things:

 

1) gets you brownie points with the FAA. In case something happen to you, your file will show that you care about safety.

 

2) if you have enough credits, you can replace the BFR by 3 hours of flight instructions.  The nuance here is that you cannot fail: you are getting 3 hours of instructions, you are not being tested.  Personally, I believe this is a very weak incentive.

 

 

I go to those seminars when the topic interests me.

[201er]

I looked into the requirements for Wings to count as BFR and it's totally pointless. It does NOT replace the BFR entirely. It just replaces the mandatory ground portion. You still have to go fly with an instructor (which makes sense). At that point, what it saves you is pretty meaningless since you still have to take the time to schedule instruction. Still, some of the courses are very interesting and informative so I still go to them but don't even bother worrying about the credit. I think it's a good program if you ignore the credit parts.

[jlunseth]

No, that is not correct. Achieving one Wings level means no BFR. there is no need to do a flight with an instructor. However, a Wings level is about one half ground credits and one half flight credits. It is a good program if you are serious about continuing Ed. We have one regular series of seminars at KFCM taught by Inflight, a local flight school. About 100 pilots every Sat. A.m. Of all stripes. With some carriers, participation reduces your premium. Any new rating gives you a bundle of credits, also the Mooney PPP's. Www.faasafety.gov

[201er]

Ok, thanks for the clarification. But the fact is you still have to spend the money doing the "flight credits" so it's no savings of time/money compared to just getting a BFR. I don't think it's a bad program but it serves no advantage over just getting a BFR.

[OR75]

No, that is not correct. Achieving one Wings level means no BFR. there is no need to do a flight with an instructor. However, a Wings level is about one half ground credits and one half flight credits. It is a good program if you are serious about continuing Ed. We have one regular series of seminars at KFCM taught by Inflight, a local flight school. About 100 pilots every Sat. A.m. Of all stripes. With some carriers, participation reduces your premium. Any new rating gives you a bundle of credits, also the Mooney PPP's. Www.faasafety.gov

 

 

it means no BFR but you still have to fly with an instructor for 3 hours. It is instruction instead of a review

[kortopates]

^{There is no hours requirement for the flight portion of wings credit. You pick 3 activities. A current pilot can demonstrate all of the required procedures from the 3 activities in one hours if you are both organized and current.}

^{Its an excellent way to satisfy the BFR requirements - and the only way I've been doing them for sometime. Also both cheaper (no ground instruction by instructor) and better for the candidate (more options for you).}

[Jeff_S]

OK.  Very helpful guys.  I appreciate the distinction now.  So, if I wanted to go and get three hours of instruction in a tail dragger towards a tailwheel endorsement, for instance, those three hours combined with my Wings classroom credits could count as a flight review?  Is that correct?

 

Jim  

 

Jim, the instructor can sign you off on a BFR as a result of the tailwheel endorsement training without ever involving your WINGS credits.  CFIs have pretty good latitude to consider what they will decide as proficiency for a BFR, and having gone through a tailwheel program I can say that all the things I did there were the same as I would have done with a BFR.

[DrBill]

As a Wings participant and one who has used it for the equivalent of 2 BFRs I think the biggest difference is that it allows you to spread out your BFR over several flight sessions and several ground sessions that are not as intimidating to some as a formal BFR. This year I actually used some of the BFR excercises for Wings credit.  One more flight and I qualify for the next level.

I really like the seminars they provide as well as the comraderie with other pilots at these events, even the ones online like the one last night on Maintaining Control.  if you don't complete enough points for a level, you still got a good education and perhaps actually learned something new.

BILL