FAAST ??

[Kritchlow]

Anyone here ever attend? Are they worth the effort? Thoughts??

 

[Unit74]

Depends on what the topic is. I just went to an EFB class and it was utterly worthless. The ADSB class was very informative.

 

[midlifeflyer]

As I recall, there was some stat years ago indicating that people who regularly attended Wings seminars tended to have less accidents and infractions. Something about having an "attitude of safety" that was carried over to their flying. Not sure I completely buy the stat, but there is probably something to be said for the idea that people who attend are at least actively thinking about flying and procedures.

I've been attending (and sometimes speaking) at them since they started in, as I recall, the mid 90's. Very few haven't been worth the few hours of presentation and discussion.

 

[Stewartb]

FAA presentations are as good as the presenter. Some are engaging and entertaining as some are as dynamic as dirt. I do enjoy the FAA Safety Briefing magazine and read it in iBooks. I think it's the best aviation magazine out there and at this time is the only one I read.

 

[MarkZ]

There's going to be a WINGS symposium on June 6 at Lewis University in Romeoville, IL. I heard a rumor it was supposed to be informative. It's got food so at the very least you won't be hungry.

www.chicagoaviationsymposium.com

 

[JOhnH]

I go almost every month. Most of the meetings are interesting.

Several years ago, when our engine had a catastrophic failure at ~1,000 ft with the airport about 4 miles away, we had to put it down on a highway.

The FAA investigator started grilling us about things like our pre-flight and our maintenance schedule. Then he sort of paused a moment, and then asked us if we know about the Wings program and if we go to the FAASTeam meetings. We assured him we do both and the interview immediately became much more pleasant.

 

[frfly172]

Can be very worthwhile ,depends on the topic,and the presenter.

 

[flyingron]

Not around here. IT's a complete farked up empire buidling bureaucracy that's made a shambles of the effective FAA safety program.

 

[NoHeat]

FAA presentations are as good as the presenter. Some are engaging and entertaining as some are as dynamic as dirt.

It would be great if we could learn how good the speaker is before deciding to go. A few are very good, but most aren't. I didn't learn one new thing at the last one I attended so I left at the break.

The online instruction for WINGS credit has some real advantages -- start one, and just quit if you don't like it and then try another. But you miss the social aspect of the seminars.

 

[Ravioli]

I haven't been to a bad FAAST event yet. I usually pick ones that I can fly to, so that means even if it's bad I still got the flying in.