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| Can you help less experienced pilots? |
The AOPA VFR Mentoring Scheme aims to stem the drift of pilots away from general aviation, encourage them to take on new challenges and help them progress up the skills ladder.
Some 75% of PPLs fail to renew their licences after five years, and one cause is the perceived difficulty of moving from being a newly-qualified, low-hours PPL to being a confident and capable flyer.
Exemplifying the problem is the low-hours pilot who rarely ventures beyond the local area for fear of complex and unknown airspace, mistrusts his own ability to evaluate the weather, isn’t very good on the radio, can’t confidently operate all the kit in the aircraft or unravel the NOTAMs, or sticks to familiar territory for other reasons. For him or her flying will soon pall, and there is a high risk that they will be lost to general aviation.
The AOPA Members Working Group recognises that the pilot’s response is generally not to seek help, but to turn to other pursuits.
The Mentoring Scheme would put them in touch with more experienced pilots on whom they can call informally for advice and assistance – a sort of ‘buddy system’ which would give the uncertain pilot the confidence to tackle a flight they would not otherwise attempt. At its most basic, this might be a matter of being accompanied on a land-away by someone who’s been there before.
AOPA would act as a clearing-house between pilots who need a comforting presence in the cockpit and more experienced pilots who are willing to help them. Formalising this contact system makes it easier to ask for help.
This scheme addresses a ‘sub-instruction’ dimension which is not adequately provided for. AOPA Mentors would never replace instructors – indeed, on first contact they would be required to evaluate whether a pilot was really asking for instruction, and would refer him or her to an instructor immediately should there be any suggestion that this was the case. The less-experienced pilot would remain PIC and would handle the controls. The more experienced pilot would neither log the time nor charge for it. The situation would be no different from having two friends, both qualified pilots, in the aircraft at the same time.
It’s a simple sounding concept but much work has gone into establishing the basics, not least in terms of liability and limits of responsibility. It has been decided to launch the scheme for VFR flights only, and to look to extend it to IFR after a shakedown period.
All responsibility for the safety and legality of any flight will lie with the PIC, who will be the person being Mentored, i.e the Mentee. In order to be part of the AOPA scheme, both Mentors and Mentees must be current AOPA members and also meet the following minimum requirements:
Mentors – current PPL/CPL, current medical and current class rating, plus AOPA Silver Wings and a minimum of 200 hours P1.
Mentee – current PPL, current medical and current class rating, and AOPA Bronze Wings.
Both Mentors and Mentees must register with AOPA, providing documentary evidence of these qualifications. This will be done via AOPA airfield representatives where available, otherwise through head office. Mentors and Mentees indemnify AOPA from responsibility for the outcome of the Mentorship. However, AOPA will have liability insurance in case the indemnity is found to be inadequate. Additionally, both Mentor and mentee must take responsibility for checking each other’s qualifications before flight. In particular the Mentor must check the legality of the flight.
In order to be a registered Mentor, members must familiarise themselves with the guidance notes and attend an Induction Workshop.
The guidance notes set out how it must be made clear before the flight who is the Commander for the whole flight. They are very comprehensive and leave no room for doubt about who does what and when.
A typical example of a VFR Mentoring flight could be a trip from a Midlands airfield to an airfield in France for lunch. This would require the mentee to plan and execute the flight with appropriate guidance from the Mentor. This type of flight would give the mentee an opportunity to prepare for subsequent AOPA Wings Scheme achievements and would certainly build confidence and keep the fun in his flying.
The Mentor might be required to provide advice on everything from document review to Customs and Special Branch clearances, weight and balance, weather, NOTAMs, flight planning, correct RT, fuel drawbacks, range and endurance, lost procedures – anything that helps keep a pilot from infringing controlled airspace is especially vital at this time.
Depending on the Mentor’s skills and strengths he or she might provide help with farm strip flying, noise reduction, flying into major airports, or a hundred other issues.
AOPA must be satisfied that Mentors meet an acceptable standard of knowledge and experience, and are in concordance with the ethos of the scheme. AOPA will arrange workshops to explain the scheme. There will be no formal flight or ground instruction, but applicants will be expected to show a good understanding of their role, responsibilities and duties to themselves, the Mentees and AOPA. There will be recurrency requirements and peer reviews.
Are you up for it? The purpose is to help staunch the flow of pilots out of general aviation, something that all of us have an interest in. The scheme will be rewarding for both Mentors and Mentees, and may just prove equally invigorating for both parties.
HOW TO APPLY TO BECOME A MENTOR
- Download Guidance Notes
- Download Mentoring Scheme Registration Form (This is an Excel Spreadsheet. Please complete and email back to mandy@aopa.co.uk. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )
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