WINGS: A pilot protection program

This is the second in a series of articles about the FAA’s WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program. See Part I here.

Did you know that one of the things an FAA or NTSB investigator does when investigating a general aviation accident or incident is look at a pilot’s record with the FAA’s WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program?

It’s true, said Jim Alexander, an FAA Safety Team Representative and WINGSPro with the Washington FSDO, during a webinar on the program.

“I have heard of FAA inspectors who when they hear of a general aviation mishap, one of the first things they do is check the WINGS records of the mishap pilots,” he said. “If they find no WINGS record, that sends a message. If they find a strong WINGS record that also sends a message that you’re demonstrating a commitment to safety.”

The WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program was created in 1996 with that goal in mind: Increasing general aviation safety by addressing the primary factors that cause general aviation accidents.

“It reviews the most common weak areas that have led others to accidents, so you can avoid those same mistakes yourself,” Alexander said. “And the goal is to reduce the number of accidents seen each year from the same old causes.”

According to FAA data, pilots who routinely complete WINGS phases, meaning once or twice a year, are safer aviators.

A study conducted a few years ago by the FAA of Part 91 general aviation accidents found that less than 1% of general aviation accidents were caused by pilots who routinely used the WINGS program.

“That number drops to less than 0.2% for general aviation fatal accidents,” he said. “So that means 99% of general aviation accidents are by pilots who don’t participate in the WINGS program. That’s a pretty strong incentive to play.”

Another strong incentive: If something does happen, your WINGS record could mean the difference between remedial training or verbal counseling and losing your hard-won certificate.

When an inspector sees a pilot with a strong WINGS record, he “might be inclined to say, ‘Okay, everybody makes mistakes. This person is clearly trying. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. And maybe the best course of action here is counseling rather than anything more dramatic,” he said.

In 2015, the FAA put in place a compliance program that works with pilots who have had deviations to correct the underlying factors that led to the problem, rather than just suspending their pilot privileges.

If a pilot is “willing and able” to work with FAA officials after an accident or incident to ensure that something similar doesn’t happen again, they are eligible for the compliance program.

There are many “tools” in the compliance program, according to FAA officials. You might just get verbal counseling or you might be required to go through remedial training.

“But the days of the instant 30-day suspension, that’s out the window unless the pilot is not willing and able to work with us,” Alexander said.

Of course, if a pilot commits a criminal act or is “totally negligent,” any possibility of participating in the compliance program is “out the window,” he said. 

And part of showing that you are “willing and able” is your record with the WINGS program, he said.

“We look at a pilot’s background to see how active they were in WINGS and how serious they take their continuing education,” he noted.

And — bottom line — the continuing education works.

“Proficiency training works,” he said. “Can you imagine the professional athlete who doesn’t practice in between games or who doesn’t stay in shape in the off-season? Can you imagine the medical professional who doesn’t do any proficiency training after they get out of med school or nursing school? We already know that the airlines use proficiency training and it reflects very well in their safety record. The same can be true for general aviation using the same concept.”

How WINGS Works

It starts with data, including the top 10 leading causes of fatal general aviation accidents. That data then informs what kind of courses and training are offered through the WINGS program.

“Loss of control in flight is the number one cause of fatal general aviation accidents. And that is why WINGS has so many courses and activities that address loss of control, such as stall spin awareness, traffic patterns, and stabilized approaches,” Alexander said.

There are WINGS courses and activities that address all 10 of these causes — and more, he added.

For example, take the number three cause: System component failure of the powerplant.

“There are WINGS courses, a lot of them, that cover engine failure on takeoff and the impossible turn,” he said. “You may hear that called the improbable turn occasionally because you can make it back to the runway if you do a lot of prior planning, preparation, and practice. But I wouldn’t want to try it for the first time with a real engine failure on takeoff. So you can take these courses and see the considerations to take into account so you aren’t caught by surprise the first time it might happen to you.”

Preparing pilots — and, ultimately, protecting them — is the mission of the WINGS program.

“How does it do that?” Alexander said. “By increasing your knowledge and skills. 80% of learning is gained after graduation from formal training. And it doesn’t matter what kind of formal training that is, but it’s certainly true of aviation.”

“You’ve always heard that the private pilot certificate is your license to learn or your license to build proficiency and practice. That’s absolutely true. You also know that it only takes a 70% minimum passing score on any FAA airman knowledge test, so that can leave a knowledge gap, even for qualified pilots. WINGS helps pilots build their knowledge and skills, and we can all use that.”