49

BalloonLife,April 1999

Proficiency andyour
WINGS

by Tom Hamilton

The balloon “seminar season” is drawing
toa close. Thousandsof pilots and crew
have attended one or more weekend pro-
grams. These programsserve as bothan
opportunitytolearnaswellasrefresh
knowledge.Formanypilotsthewinter
seasonhasbeenatimeawayfrombal-
looning.
Theweatherisimprovingandthe
“rallyseason” will soon be in full swing.
Nowisagoodtimetoconsidersome
additionalflighttraining.Lastmonth’s
specialreport,Spring Training Tune-up,
discussedthattheprocessofforgetting

can begin almost the moment we walk off
thelandingsitewithanewlyacquired
certificate orratingin hand. Likewise, a
longlayoff duringthewinter will surely
have animpacton flyingskills.
Inthe1970stheFederalAviation
Administration conducted a series of stud-
iestotrackthe retentionor lossof pilot
skillsover aperiodoftime.Partlyasa
result of these studies the FAAdeveloped
thePilot Proficiency Award Program,
also knownasWINGS.
Regularproficiencytrainingises-
sential to the safety of all pilotsand their

passengers. The Wingsprogramwases-
tablished to encourage pilots toestablish
andparticipate inacontinuouspersonal
recurrent training program.All pilots hold-
ingat least a recreational pilot certificate
mayparticipate.Fulldetailsofthepro-
gramare containedin AdvisoryCircular
61-91H,PilotProficiencyAwardPro-
gram, dated April 26, 1996. Copies of the
AC are available at local Flight Standard
District Offices of the FAA. The require-
mentsandendorsementsforballooning
are containedina box nearby.
TheWingsprogramisa20-phase

Phases 1through 20. Minimum requirements:
Specific subjectsand flightmaneuvers,have beenes-
tablishedforairplanes,seaplanesandamphibians,rotor-
craft,gliders,lighter-than-airaircraftandultralight.The
requiredtrainingprofiles representthose phasesof opera-
tion that have been identified by accident reports, as phases
most likely to produce accidents. These training profiles are
establishedfor each categoryof aircraft. Pilotsmayselect
the categoryand class of aircraft or ultralight in which they
wishtoreceive their flight training. All training must place
special emphasis on safety of flight operations. All training
requirementsfor eachphaseof the programmustbe com-
pletedwithin12months.After completinga phaseof the
program, pilots maybegin working onthe requirements of
the succeeding phase at any time; however, 12 months must
passbetweenthedateofcompletionofonephaseand
applicationfor the award for the next phase.

Lighter-Than-Air.
(1) One hour of ground training to include fuel manage-
ment, refueling, proper inflation procedures, review of the
flight manual, and proper weather check.
(2) One hour of flighttrainingtoinclude approaches,
touch-and-go, level flight, rapiddescent and level out, and
simulatedlanding ina congested area.
(3) One hour of flight training to include relighting the
pilotlight,simulatedhighwind/shortfieldlandings,and
other simulated emergencysituations.

SafetyMeetings.
(1) Allapplicantsmustattendatleastone FAA-spon-
soredor FAA-sanctionedaviation safetyseminar or indus-
try-conductedrecurrent trainingprogram.
(2) Attendance at an Aviation Safety Program aviation
safetyseminarmustbeverifiedinthepilot’slogbookor
other proficiency record. This verification must be signed by
an FAA SPM, other FAA inspector, or an ASC involvedin
conducting the seminar.

TrainingRequirements

BalloonLife,April1999

50

Awards

The Pilot Proficiency Award Program is currently a 20-
phaseprogram.Uponcompletionofeachofthefirst10
phases, pilots become eligible to wear and are presented with
adistinctivelapelortiepin(wings)andacertificateof
completion.
Phase I wings are plain bronze tone. Phase II wings are
silver tone with a star added. Phase III wings are gold tone
withastar andwreath.Phase IVwingsaregoldtone 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 goldtone witha simulated sapphire mounted
inthe shield. Phases VII,VIII, andIX wings are gold tone
withtheappropriate Romannumeraldisplayedwithinthe
wreath. Phase X wings are bright gold tone with the Roman
numeral X andshield locatedwithin a ring of 10stars. No
complimentarywingswillbeissued.Pilots, regardlessof
certificate type, ratings, or position, must earn the privilege
of wearing the pilot proficiency wings. A pin and certificate
willbe awardedfor PhasesI throughX. A certificate only
willbe awardedfor PhasesXI throughXX.

program. Upon completion of each of the
first ten phases, pilots become eligible to
wear and are presented with a distinctive
lapel or tie pin (wings) and a certificate of
completion.
Anotherbenefittoparticipatingin
theWingsprogramisthateachphase
completedsatisfiesthe flight review, bi-
ennial, requirements of FederalAviation
Regulation61.56.
Perhaps the best reason to participate
isthatstatistics show that pilotswhodo
recurrent training programshave a much
bettersafetyrecordwhencomparedto
thosethatdon’t.Thisprogramprovides
youwithanopportunitytodemonstrate
your flightproficiencyandknowledge.
Youcanparticip atebybeginning
training at any time, and the hours of dual
flight instruction may be in any order. It is
notnecessary to completethe ground train-
ing before flying.The program consists of
onehour of ground training and two hours
of dual flight training.
Asyoucompleteeachpartofthe
training, besure itisrecorded.At many
FAA and Balloon Federation of America

In Lieuof a FlightReview

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)).

Endorsements

Endorsement Verification. As pilots complete each step of
training outlined, their logbooks orotherproficiency records
must be endorsed by the persons who gave the instruction.
That endorsement should read substantively as follows:

Mr./Ms._________________ ,holderofp ilotcertificate
no.___________,hassatisfactorilycompletedthe training
requirementsoutlinedinAdvisoryCircular 61-91H, para-
graphs7a,b, c, d, e, f,or g(state which,lighter thanair is
paragraph e)
/s/ (date)name,certificate number
Note:Inthecaseofultralights,nocertificatenumberis
required.

safetyseminarsyouwillreceive acard,
PilotProficiency Award Record. This card
will document the ground training part. It
willalsohavespacetorecordthedual
flighttrainingtime.Allflighttraining
mustalsoberecordedinyour pilot log-
book bythe instructoradministering the
flighttraining. Seethe boxfor endorse-
ments.
Onceyouhavecompletedthere-
quirementsforaphaseoftheprogram,
submitthedocumentationtoyourlocal
SafetyProgramManagerattheFSDO.
Oncetherecordsareverifiedyouwill
receive yourWingsandcertificate. You
will also receive a record to place in your
logbookshowing that youhave success-
fullycompletedtherequirementsfora
biennial flightreview.
One idea for recurrent flight training
isfor a group of pilots to get together for
a weekend of flying. Different pilots can
flywithoneanotheronSaturdayand
Sunday, weather permitting. Such aweek-
endwouldenablemore pilotstopartici-
pateandmaketheschedulingofflight
instructioneasier.

NO
SHOULDERS

This sign takes on a whole new
meaning at 3,000 feet.