Wings Program

[Louie1975]

Hi Folks:
Has anyone hear participated in the FAAs Wings program? I was looking to get a little bit more info on it. I did take a look at the Advisory Circular, and I have a few questions.
1.) I understand it is 20 phases. Is each phase the same 'one hour airwork, one hour t/offs/landings and one hour IFR work'?

2.) Would you put this on your resume?

3.) Is it worth it, even if you do your own recurrent training?

4.) Do airline pilots pin the wings to their jackets in addition to there airline wings?(just joking on this 4th one)

Thanks

Louie

 

[JJPilot]

I think the main reason (if at all) for it to be on your resume would be to show your potential employers that you are safety concious.

 

[Mongoose]

Couldn't answer about the resume thing, but it's certainly worth doing if you fancy owning at some stage. Insurance companies look favorably at it. In fact, some of the FBOs in my area require you to have completed a wings program recently, or be conducting one.

It's 3 hours of airwork (1hr upper airwork, 1hr pattern, 1hr instrument), and completion of a safety seminar. You can either attend one of the FAA or ASF seminars, or complete some of the ASF online training at www.aopa.org

Send the form with all 4 boxes signed to your local FDSO, and pretty soon you'll have a certificate for your Wings level (you start at one at work up), and a cute little set of wings. Haven't yet found a use for mine. Any suggestions?

I think you can do one level a year.

Somone has told me that it absolves you of the BFR requirement if you complete it every year, but I don't have the rules to hand, can anyone comfirm?

 

[kellwolf]

Yep. One level each year, and when you finish you get a set of wings and a certificate, one for each phase. I combined my instrument x/c with the wings program for my dual received requirements (nothing like doing stalls and slo flight on an IFR flight plan then doing pattern work after a touch & go off the approach). The tower at ORL has a program where you shadow a controller for 4 hours, and that counts towards the wings program. It was a lot more fun than a boring FSDO seminar.

 

[aloft]

I did phase 1 this summer with a certain JC'er who put one into a field recently.

 

[Louie1975]

So wings level 10 is the same as level 1? (airwork, patterns, Instrument)

 

[aloft]

Yup, 'cept it comes 10 years later (at the earliest).

 

[davetheflyer]

1. Unless it has changed, each phase is one hour airwork, one hour landings, one hour instrument work, and one safety meeting.

2. Sure, couldn't hurt.

3. I'd say so. I've heard that it can reduce insurance rates. The whole purpose of the program is to entice people to do more than the minimum recurrent training. If you don't mind buying the extra hours, which most recreational pilots (who fly for fun, not necessarily with a recreational license) need anyway, then it's worth it.

4. You could probably get away with it if you wanted, although most guys wear ALPA pins.

 

[Ophir]

Each checkride you do should suffice for all the flight training elements. I got passed off on all of them when I did my Commercial. At that point I just needed to go to the Safety seminar and i had completed.

[ QUOTE ]
 Phase I wings are plain bronze tone. Phase II wings are silver tone with a star added. Phase III wings are gold tone with a star and wreath. Phase IV wings are gold tone and have a simulated ruby mounted in the shield. Phase V wings are gold tone with a rhinestone mounted in the shield. Phase VI wings are gold tone with a simulated sapphire mounted in the shield. Phases VII, VIII, and IX wings are gold tone with the appropriate Roman numeral displayed within the wreath. Phase X wings are bright gold tone with the Roman numeral X and shield located within a ring of 10 stars. No complimentary wings will be issued. Pilots, regardless of certificate type, ratings, or position, must earn the privilege of wearing the pilot proficiency wings. A pin and certificate will be awarded for Phases I through X. A certificate only will be awarded for Phases XI through XX.

[/ QUOTE ]

What a rip, you don't get any more wing pins after X!

[ QUOTE ]
PARTICIPATION IN THE PILOT PROFICIENCY AWARD PROGRAM IN LIEU OF A FLIGHT REVIEW . A pilot need not accomplish the flight review requirements of 14 CFR part 61, ~ 61.56 if, since the beginning of the 24th calendar month before the month in which that pilot acts as pilot in command, he or she has satisfactorily completed one or more phases of an FAA-sponsored Pilot Proficiency Award Program in an aircraft (reference 61.56(f)).

[/ QUOTE ]