Getting paid to be a better pilot

Ten flight instructors and pilots have won cash prizes ranging from $500 to $1,500 as winners of the 2019 Paul and Fran Burger $10,000 WINGS Sweepstakes.

The 2019 sweepstakes expanded to all pilots and flight instructors after the success of the 2018 campaign, which had been available only to members of the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) and the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI).

The impetus for the campaign came from the simple fact that nearly everyone in general aviation knows someone who has been killed or injured in an accident, according to officials with the WINGS Industry Advisory Committee (WIAC).

“More than 20 years ago I personally experienced a tragedy where four close family friends were killed, including two young adults,” WIAC Founder Paul Burger said. “Since then I have donated a substantial amount of energy, time, and money in support of general aviation safety so that fewer friends and families have this same experience.”

“Over the period between 2014 and 2018 fatal accidents in general aviation aircraft averaged 380 deaths per year,” said Lauretta Godbey, WIAC co-chair and executive director. “That equates to 7.3 deaths every week. While the number of fatalities saw a reduction from the previous five years, it remains an unacceptable number. This is what the WIAC wants to change through our contribution to other outstanding industry efforts with this sweepstakes as an added incentive for aviators to seek proficiency training.”  

WIAC’s sole purpose is to support and increase awareness of and participation in the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program, according to officials. WINGS is a series of training and educational materials based on the causes of accidents that plague the GA community. It is hoped the continuing education for pilots will decrease accidents.

According to Radek Wyzykowski, manager of flight proficiency at the Experimental Aircraft Associaton and founder of the EAA Proficiency365 initiative, “the WINGS sweepstakes is yet another valuable tool in reaching the broader aviation community about the benefits of proficiency training. In recent years, EAA has made proficiency training a significant focus for the association and the WINGS program is an important element of our initiative.”

To see the list of the 2019 winners, click here.