AOPA Flight Training Excellence Awards launches poll of pilot experiences

Wednesday at SUN ’n FUN, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) launched an online poll that will be the basis for its 2013 Flight Training Excellence Awards.

“Our awards program, and this unique pilot poll, will give people a great opportunity to share feedback on their flight training experiences,” said Shannon Yeager, vice president of AOPA’s Center to Advance the Pilot Community. “The awards shine a spotlight on the best practices among flight instructors and flight training centers, encouraging new students to enter flight training and experienced pilots to pursue advanced ratings and improved proficiency.”

Anyone who has had a flight training experience within the last two years is encouraged to go online and complete the poll. Participants will be able to share feedback about a flight school and individual flight instructors. The new poll can be found at: FlightTraining.AOPA.org/Poll.

Apart from asking participants to nominate a flight school and instructor, the poll asks students to rate their learning experience. Questions range from the condition of the rental aircraft to ground and flight instruction, the attitudes of the instructors and schools and the methods used to set goals and mark progress.

The poll deadline is Aug. 9. Participants do not have to be AOPA members.

AOPA first launched its flight training excellence awards in 2012, and winners were announced at last year’s AOPA Summit in Palm Springs, CA. The 2013 winners will be recognized at the AOPA Summit Oct. 10-12 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Last year, the awards competition drew more than 2,400 nominations and resulted in 11 awards to individual flight instructors, flight schools and manufacturers. In addition, 50 more made a “Flight Training Honor Roll.”