San Carlos Flight Center

So You Want to Buy a Turbine?
2021-02-24 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | San Carlos Flight Center, Select a Country:
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

So you think you want to own a turbine aircraft? With owning a turbine comes many advantages including speed, endurance, safety, and reliability.
San Carlos Flight Center invites TBM pilot and owner Tom McGrath to highlight his experience as an owner of one of the most popular single-engine turbines on the market. In this discussion, he’ll cover the performance and costs of ownership, focusing mainly on Turboprop aircraft, but also light jets. Tom will emphasize the increased performance he experienced in turbines as he was flying across the world, along with some of the expected maintenance associated with the airplane. He’ll also provide a high-level overview of what to expect while operating a turbine aircraft including performance characteristics in all critical phases of flight, and additional training all pilots should consider.
Come hear and discuss the pros and cons of stepping into the “I love the smell of Jet fuel in the morning” crowd.

Tom McGrath is a 7000 hour pilot with 2700 in TBM aircraft over the last 9 years. Tom stepped from Beech Bonanza’s to the TBM in 2012. Tom will use the experience of owning the TBM’s and buying knowledge of competitors to bring the discussion to the prospective owner or dreamer.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

Radio Communications 1: Radio Basics
2021-02-27 12:00 - 13:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

Flying through SF Bay Area airspace requires a high degree of situational awareness and sophisticated radio skills. And yet, radio communication is rarely taught as a specific subject during private pilot training. Usually, new pilots just absorb what they hear on the frequency around them, both good and bad. Although some radio techniques are covered in ground school, rarely do student pilots get the time devoted to demystifying this often-confusing subject.
San Carlos Flight Center invites Chief Pilot Herb Patten and pilot Dan Dyer to bridge the communication gap, help newer pilots understand the structure of radio and how to improve their own. The presentation will begin with a review of radio communication phraseology and use. What part is structured? What part is unstructured? What words are good official phraseology, and what words are considered jargon, slang, or poor grammar?
If you are new to radio communication, or just want a great review to fill gaps in your pilot education, please join us for this unique opportunity.

Herb Patten is the Chief Pilot at the San Carlos Flight Center, a CFI and an FAA certificated advanced and instrument ground instructor who teaches private pilot ground school at San Carlos Flight Center. He is a commercial pilot with an instrument rating, has flown over 1,500 hours into at least 120 different California airports. He is the current chairman of the Upwind Foundation, famous for its Upwind Summer Scholarship Program. In 2015, Herb was named a Master Instructor by the National Association of Flight Instructors.
Dan Dyer is the founder of the San Carlos Flight Center, and has built the motto of Safety, Community, and Adventure for over 8 years. Dan was an instructor for 15 years, accumulated over 4,000 flight hours, and is the Bay Area’s local expert in crosswind landing instruction. He is known for finding simple and innovative ways to explain complex topics and regularly speaks on advanced ground school topics. Find out more about Dan at www.sancarlosflight.com or contact him at dan@sancarlosflight.com

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

GSR: VFR Charts
2021-03-03 19:00 - 20:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

Do you know how to identify where certain VFR reporting waypoints are on a chart? Do you know how to determine if the airport you are landing at has an operating beacon? Do you know if the airport you are landing at has pilot controlled lighting, or lighting at all? Maybe you know those basics but are interested in a VFR chart refresher, then this is the place for you.
VFR charts pack an extraordinary amount of material and represent a 3-dimensional world of terrain and airspaces in 2 dimensions. They describe graphically the earth as it looks to us pilots from the air. And no matter how much we study them and how good we get at interpreting them there is always something new or some little nuance that we didn’t realize. Lastly, they are fun. Who doesn’t enjoy looking at a map, especially an aviation one?
Join San Carlos Flight Center CFI Mari Baratto as she gives a ground school refresher on VFR charts. She will entertain you while educating you about common as well as uncommon VFR charts symbology. After this seminar you will have knowledge of interesting facts that you use to impress your friends.

Mari May Baratto is a Certified Flight Instructor and an FAA Instrument Ground Instructor with experience teaching both Private and Commercial Pilot students. A commercial rated pilot both in Brazil and in the United States, Mari has a diverse background flying through different airspaces, especially through one of the country’s most intimidating areas, the Washington DC SFRA. Mari has been recognized as a 2018 Distinguished Flight Instructor by AOPA.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

4 Things You Should Have Learned in Your First 10 Hours
2021-03-06 12:00 - 13:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

What we learn first, we learn best. The Law of Primacy says it is critical that some things should be learned early in flight training giving you the best chance of learning them well, and retaining those skills.
Dan Dyer is a nationally-recognized flight instructor that has spent years thinking deeply about pilot training and how best to sequence the transfer of ground knowledge and in-flight skills to student pilots. He has a degree in Cognitive Science and that gives him interesting insights into the ways humans think and learn. At SCFC, he brought that background to the development of the SCFC private pilot training syllabus, which has become known for its structure and effectiveness.
In this seminar, Dyer reveals the four most important skill areas that all early student pilots should learn, and sadly, why they are often overlooked. If your pilot training didn’t provide you with solid ability in these four skill areas, you may have real difficulty learning and perfecting them later in training. Primary skills must be presented in a logical order, step by step, making sure the students have learned the preceding step before moving to the next step. In his work helping experienced pilots perfect basic skills, Dyer has seen that the process for re-learning primary skills late can be confusing and time consuming. Note: If you think the four are climbs, descents, turns, and straight-and-level flight, you aren’t thinking deeply enough about what makes you a safe and competent pilot.
Join us for one flight instructor’s opinion on what skills you should challenge yourself to learn in your first 10 hours of training, or relearn as soon as you can.

Dan Dyer is the founder of the San Carlos Flight Center, and has built the motto of Safety, Community, and Adventure for over 8 years. Dan was an instructor for 15 years, accumulated over 4,000 flight hours, and is the Bay Area’s local expert in crosswind landing instruction. He is known for finding simple and innovative ways to explain complex topics and regularly speaks on advanced ground school topics. Find out more about Dan at www.sancarlosflight.com or contact him at dan@sancarlosflight.com

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

You're Not the Only Pilot in the Sky
2021-03-10 19:00 - 20:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

The radio frequency is a precious and shared resource, with every pilot on frequency hearing everyone else’s good, bad, and ugly transmissions. Radio skills are essential but often not taught or taught poorly. Sadly, pilots often learn from listening to the radio where there is a plethora of jargon, slang and extraneous words. Learning to use direct, clear, and concise phraseology is imperative to effective radio communication; although not everyone always follows that motto.
San Carlos Flight Center invites King Air Captain and check airman Ben Taber to share with us the things that grate on the ears of other pilots and air traffic controllers. After 30 years of flying throughout North America, Ben has developed a keen ear for quality radio practices, and useful tips & tricks that can improve your radio skills and make you sound like a pro. Sounding like a professional on the radio doesn’t have to be just for airline pilots – take this opportunity to see if you have been developing bad radio habits over the years, and find a solution to remedy the issue.
Join us for this ear-opening opportunity to discover key radio practices that you might’ve missed out on for all these years.

Captain Bennett Taber is a check airman and training captain with over 20 years and 17,000 hours of air charter experience throughout the western United States. His first 500 hours of flying were in Alaska. Captain Taber manages flight operations and charter sales for Dreamline Aviation in the San Francisco Bay Area and is a Dreamline Training Captain in Beech King Air aircraft.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

An Overview of the WINGS Program
2021-03-13 12:00 - 13:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

Dealing with a Post-Covid environment means there will be changes to the way we fly and what we have relied on to keep us safe. The FAA alerts pilots to occupied ramps, parked up runways and taxi routes pilots are accustomed to using. Building a good defense and expecting the unexpected when returning to active flying is a great strategy, so join us for a discussion on distractions and how to manage them on the surface and in the air, ways to gain proficiency through the WINGS program, and managing our expectations from the time we arrive at the airport to when we get back on the ground.
In this presentation, FAASTeam Program Manager, Karen Arendt will call on pilots to be alert to conditions that have changed in the last year due to COVID-19 pandemic related flight restrictions, including parking of overflow traffic and part-time towers, degradation of flying skills and how to improve manual flying skills, flight risk tool and how to manage risk. This event qualifies for Wings Credit.
Join us to learn about new tools the FAA has implemented to help pilots stay proficient and safe for every flight.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

IFR Currency - The Devil in the Details
2021-03-17 19:00 - 20:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

There is a thin overcast layer at 800 at your destination and you are ready to fly the ILS which shouldn’t be too hard with the light IFR conditions, but are you legal? What is that regulation about IFR currency and what are the specifics?
Join Herb Patten, Chief Pilot at San Carlos Flight Center for this “Devils in the Details” seminar on IFR currency. In this seminar we will take an in-depth look at the regulations instrument rated pilots must follow to maintain their IFR currency. Pilots sometimes remember this as six approaches within the last six calendar months. What counts as an approach? Oh, and there is something about tracking and holding. What is meant by holding? Can I do these in a simulator instead?
Don’t let the fog of the regulations put you in a hold. This seminar will clear you for the approach as we descend via the FAA regulations and legal interpretation to clarify some of the ambiguity in the regulations.

Herb Patten is the Chief Pilot at the San Carlos Flight Center, a CFI and an FAA certificated advanced and instrument ground instructor who teaches private pilot ground school at San Carlos Flight Center. He is a commercial pilot with an instrument rating, has flown over 1,500 hours into at least 120 different California airports. He is the current chairman of the Upwind Foundation, famous for its Upwind Summer Scholarship Program. In 2015, Herb was named a Master Instructor by the National Association of Flight Instructors.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

CAL FIRE – An Insight to Fighting Fires From the Sky
2021-03-20 12:00 - 13:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

CAL FIRE is the leading aerial firefighting force, protecting California and neighboring states throughout major fire-seasons. Aviation is an integral part of what makes CAL FIRE successful, with hundreds of aircraft and pilots, it takes a team to ensure people are safe.
San Carlos Flight Center invites Chief of CAL FIRE Flight Operations Stu Sprung to provide an insight of their daily operations, a summary of the types of aircraft used, and a description of the various mission profiles flown in fire areas. In this seminar, Stu will detail the typical flight operations that are active around TFR’s and the “Fire Traffic Area”. He will share observations about typical conflicts between CAL FIRE and GA aircraft and provide recommendations to mitigate them. With rapidly growing wildfires, it’s imperative that GA pilots understand the activities that take place in fire operations so they can remain well clear.
If you have ever wanted to gain an insight into the aerial firefighting operations of CAL FIRE and how it pertains to you; don’t miss out on this seminar.

Stu Sprung is the Chief of Flight Operations for CAL FIRE. CAL FIRE is the second largest fire department in the United States, with the largest dedicated aerial firefighting fleet in the world with over 70 aircraft. Stu primarily flies the C-130H Hercules, UH-1H Super Huey, and OV-10A Bronco.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

Transitioning to a Cirrus, What to Expect?
2021-03-24 19:00 - 20:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

The Cirrus SR series aircraft is known as the most technologically advanced single-engine piston on the market. With seamless integration across its systems, pure luxury, speed, and safety – who wouldn’t want to fly one?
San Carlos Flight Center invites Private Pilot Brandan Dadoun, who recently completed his Cirrus SR20 transition training, to highlight his experience. Cirrus is the only GA manufacturer that provides structured training courses and supplements for all Cirrus pilots. With an emphasis on safety brought about through their redundant reliable systems, CAPS airframe parachute, or structured training, no pilot will be left behind. Their training provides colorful and detailed step by step procedures & tutorials for all phases of flight and includes interactive activities to ensure comprehension. Brandan will conclude with an overview of the systematic, operational, and flight handling differences in the Cirrus compared to most other GA aircraft.
If you have ever dreamt of flying the sports cars of the skies, or want to learn more about the most incredible airplane in its class – join us for this seminar.

Brandan Dadoun is a private pilot and SCFC’s Seminar Coordinator. He has completed the majority of his flight training at SCFC with over 200 flight hours and has extensive flying experience throughout all of California. He is an advocate for getting youth involved in aviation and is actively involved in many aviation programs himself. When he’s not flying, he enjoys teaching others and spreading his love for aviation.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

Airplane Performance Charts and Tables
2021-03-27 12:00 - 13:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

Prior to certification, airplane manufacturers and the aerospace engineers that work for them, run exhaustive tests of new airplanes as they perform normal and emergency maneuvers in a variety of atmospheric and loading conditions. That critical performance information is communicated to future pilots through Section 5 of the POH – Aircraft Performance. Pilots must fully understand this section to fully understand their aircraft.
Although there is no single standard for the display of performance information, new pilots should be taught to decode performance information conveyed in both table format, or on performance graphs. Additionally, the complexity of performance information can also be found in footnotes, inset boxes, and textual addendum.
Join us on March 27, as San Carlos Flight Center CFI Brian Eliot reviews the publication and display of aircraft performance information and walks us through the most important types of charts and tables. If you are a new pilot, prepare to welcome in a tremendous amount of new information. If you are a high-time pilot, we think you will still enjoy this review of this critical part of knowing your aircraft.

Brian Eliot is San Carlos Flight Center’s Assistant Chief Pilot and resident expert for IFR training and Garmin G1000 avionics. He has been flying since 1995 and received all his training in the Bay Area. Brian previously worked as a broadcast engineer, a software developer, and taught computer science at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. He regularly presents at San Carlos Flight Center safety seminars and has a reputation for making complex concepts easy to learn and understand.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

Destination Sedona & Tuscon
2021-03-31 19:00 - 20:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

From the Grand Canyon to the painted rocks of Sedona, Arizona is home to America’s most stunning vistas. While breathtaking in beauty, these locations have hidden challenges that demand attention.
San Carlos Flight Center invites commercial pilot David Agranovich to highlight his experience flying in the Tucson and Sedona regions of Arizona. In this seminar, David will discuss his route planning from the Bay Area to Arizona, factors to consider along the way, and airport operations at Sedona and Tucson. He will also cover other factors common to this region including high elevation airports, density altitude, rising terrain, and busy airspace. Lastly he will share activities to do while on the ground, including hiking up the rocks of Sedona and strolling around the local cities.
Whether you choose to visit Sedona’s legendary Airport Mesa, fly in the Grand Canyon, or operate among F-16s and A-10s in the pattern at Tucson International – Arizona will not disappoint.

David Agranovich is an instrument-rated commercial pilot working on his instructor certificates. He’s normally found taking 182 out for flights in the Sierras or running shelter dogs up the coast for Pilots and Paws. In his spare time, he works at Facebook leading their efforts to counter foreign interference in elections.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

Destination - French Valley Airport, Staying Safe at a Busy Non-Towered Airport
2021-04-03 12:00 - 13:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

French Valley Airport (F70) is a busy non-towered airport located just a short flight from Los Angeles. With hundreds of operations a day, operating at this airport will keep many pilots at the top of their game.
San Carlos Flight Center invites Commercial Pilot Dave Kramer for a review of his recent round-trip journey to French Valley airport in a Beech Baron. In this seminar, Dave will discuss his route of flight, planning considerations such as the crowded Los Angeles Bravo and Ontario airspaces, along with a review of operations into and out of F70. Long cross-country trips require extensive planning and Dave will demonstrate his process for obtaining preflight planning information about a new airport in a systematic manner. Lastly, he will cover the different things one might do at French Valley, such as golfing, dining, and an abundance of outdoor activities.
Flying long distance can be a new challenge for some, but navigating the complexities of the LA airspace while getting to your destination poses an entirely different learning curve. Join us to feel confident on your next trip to this beautiful airport

Dave Kramer MD, an ophthalmologist for over 30 years, is an instrument rated, tailwheel, complex and high performance endorsed commercial MEL pilot as well as a basic and instrument ground instructor with an interest in weather. He has been flying since 2012, has over 1100 hours of which over 500 have been in the IFR system. He also enjoys long cross country flying, night flying and flying in the LA area.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

Transition to Multi-Engine
2021-04-07 19:00 - 20:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

One engine is good. Two are better. A multi-engine rating opens up a whole new set of aviation opportunities. Have you ever wondered what it takes to upgrade your ASEL to an AMEL? Or maybe you’ve wondered how much additional knowledge and training it could possibly take to operate a twin-engine aircraft safely? Bring your curiosity and join us to find out.
San Carlos Flight Center CFII Brian Eliot will present a seminar designed to introduce ASEL pilots to the world of AMEL. He will walk the audience through the basic requirements found in FAR Part 61, including both knowledge items and flight skills, and then dive more deeply into the required flight proficiency items in terms of preflight inspections, ground operations, maneuvers, and emergency procedures.
Whether it’s in your near future or still in the dream phase, plan to join us for this informative safety seminar all about transitioning to Multi-Engine Aircraft.

Brian Eliot is San Carlos Flight Center’s Assistant Chief Pilot and resident expert for IFR training and Garmin G1000 avionics. He has been flying since 1995 and received all his training in the Bay Area. Brian previously worked as a broadcast engineer, a software developer, and taught computer science at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. He regularly presents at San Carlos Flight Center safety seminars and has a reputation for making complex concepts easy to learn and understand.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

Ground School Refresher: Tips for Understanding VORs
2021-04-10 12:00 - 13:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

For decades, pilots navigated the skies accurately through all kinds of weather by “flying the needle” on a VOR. The VHF-based ground facilities formed the basis of the Federal Airway System that still exists to this day. Easily recognizable to pilots as large white bowling pin structures, or rings of white stonehenge teeth on mountain ridges, the sight of these stations means you’ve navigated the airway successfully.
Although GPS has revolutionized cross-country navigation, private and instrument pilots are still tested on their ability to tune and track VOR courses. What is your VOR-IQ? How well do you understand these navigational aids? Do you know how to stay “Same Side Safe”?
While many instructors devote only a glancing interest in VORs, CFI Dan Dyer became intrigued with VORs as a tool for pilots and has spent hundreds of hours trying to understand the best way to explain them to new pilots. If you’ve taken the “Radio Navigation” module of the Flight Center’s private pilot ground school, you’ve likely seen his tips for how to think about VORs. If not, consider tuning in on Wednesday as Dan shares his VOR Tips and Tricks with the goal for a better informed Bay Area flying community.

Dan Dyer is the founder of the San Carlos Flight Center, and has built the motto of Safety, Community, and Adventure for over 8 years. Dan was an instructor for 15 years, accumulated over 4,000 flight hours, and is the Bay Area’s local expert in crosswind landing instruction. He is known for finding simple and innovative ways to explain complex topics and regularly speaks on advanced ground school topics. Find out more about Dan at www.sancarlosflight.com or contact him at dan@sancarlosflight.com

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

An Insight into the Operations at Oakland Center
2021-04-14 19:00 - 20:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

Oakland Center is unique in that it has two distinctly different air traffic control functions. There is the normal en route air traffic control as well as an oceanic air traffic operation that manages the largest volume of international airspace in the world at one facility. Enroute controllers often control large amounts of airspace with substantial amounts of traffic, and it takes a lot of effort to ensure things go smoothly.
San Carlos Flight Center invites Justin Martin of Oakland Center (ZOA) to provide an insight to the procedures that take place within the enroute environment. In this seminar, Justin will discuss the different separation minimas, airspace configurations/delegations, and technology used. Many think that pilots only deal with enroute controllers while in Class A airspace, but GA pilots interact with enroute controllers more often than most think.
If you have ever wanted to learn more about what takes place at Oakland Center, and how GA pilots can improve their effective communication and understanding, join us for this seminar.

Justin Martin is an Air Traffic Controller and NATCA Representative at Oakland ARTCC. Along with his ATC experience, he has 15 years of GA flying experience. He is very passionate about aviation education and outreach, and is a subject matter expert on enroute airspace and procedures

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

Adventures in Crosswinds
2021-04-17 12:00 - 13:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

Do you remember as a student pilot fearing crosswind landings? Perhaps at some level you still do. Did you find yourself avoiding great airport destinations because of hesitancy around even mild crosswinds? Were you taught to believe that landing in a crosswind is a different harder technique than a “normal” landing?
Dan Dyer and San Carlos Flight Center, the only flight school on the west coast with a crosswind simulator, is committed to training pilots competence in all landings. In this seminar, Dyer will take you step by step through all phases of landings with and without crosswinds, so that you approach every landing the same way. With a bit of practice you will land as easy as stopping your car at a stoplight. It’s part of the flight, no big deal, in fact it will become the best and most fun part of the flight.
Imagine approaching a landing with the same confidance you have with every landing. In fact you now even enjoy the challenge of a crosswind. Don’t miss out on this seminar to be a better pilot.

Dan Dyer is the founder of the San Carlos Flight Center, and has built the motto of Safety, Community, and Adventure for over 8 years. Dan was an instructor for 15 years, accumulated over 4,000 flight hours, and is the Bay Area’s local expert in crosswind landing instruction. He is known for finding simple and innovative ways to explain complex topics and regularly speaks on advanced ground school topics. Find out more about Dan at www.sancarlosflight.com or contact him at dan@sancarlosflight.com

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

Unique IFR Approaches
2021-04-21 19:00 - 20:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

Instrument pilots develop familiarity with instrument approaches based on a review of the approaches they typically fly. There is a lot of similarity among the information contained in the majority of approach procedures. Every now and then, you come across an approach that may make you stop and wonder what the notation means. Can there be a glide slope on an LDA? What are some of the more challenging holds that you might find?
San Carlos Flight Center invites Herb Patten, CFII, to share a select set of approach plates for their unique procedures. He will cover how to identify unique approach procedure notations and sift through the clutter to identify the vital differences.
While you may not actually fly one of these approaches, getting a broader exposure to some of them will make you a more informed instrument pilot. We will use examples of approaches from around the country. Join us to be a more prepared, and knowledgeable instrument rated pilot.

Herb Patten is the Chief Pilot at the San Carlos Flight Center, a CFI and an FAA certificated advanced and instrument ground instructor who teaches private pilot ground school at San Carlos Flight Center. He is a commercial pilot with an instrument rating, has flown over 1,500 hours into at least 120 different California airports. He is the current chairman of the Upwind Foundation, famous for its Upwind Summer Scholarship Program. In 2015, Herb was named a Master Instructor by the National Association of Flight Instructors.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

Flying in the Midwest
2021-04-24 12:00 - 13:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

The United States has a wide variety of natural beauty. Pilots in different parts of the country experience very different weather, terrain, and flight processes. For example, pilots based in California often learn about coastal climates and weather, operating in or around busy Class B airspace. Only with long cross country trips can they find out how other parts of the country operate and what challenges they face.
San Carlos Flight Center often brings in instructors with experience flying in other parts of the country, and asks them to share what they know. For this presentation, we’ve asked CFI Sydney Rapp to give her pilot perspective on flying in the Midwest, specifically in the areas around Missouri where she flew for many years. The Midwest brings many challenges for pilots, such as constantly changing weather conditions, varying airspaces, and key airplane operational differences that vary throughout the year.
If you ever considered flying in the Midwest, or want to learn more about how airplanes handle differently throughout America – join us for this seminar.

Sydney Rapp is a flight instructor at San Carlos Flight Center, and started flying at age 18 in her hometown of Dallas, Texas. She attended Saint Louis University where she earned her B.S. in Aeronautics and became a CFI/CFII/MEI during her senior year of college. After over two years of teaching in the Saint Louis and DFW areas, Sydney has gained valuable experiences she shares with her students to promote safe and fun flying. She is excited to be living in the Bay Area and teaching at SCFC.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

Going Vertical with the G1000
2021-04-28 19:00 - 20:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

The G1000 was introduced in 2004 and was part of the age of the glass cockpit. It transformed the traditional 6-pack into a multi-screen display that presented a wealth of information to pilots. In addition to the graphical depiction of flight instruments, the G1000 also introduced a set of new functionality.
While the G1000 has been around for nearly two decades, many pilots have only scratched the surface of some of the capabilities that it provides. Do you know how many different ways the G1000 can be used to change altitudes? Are you familiar with how to program the G1000 to not only follow the lateral navigation of a flight plan but also vertical navigation?
In this seminar, CFI Herb Patten, will explore the many capabilities of the G1000 to perform vertical navigation. We will explore all aspects of vertical navigation starting with the basics of the altitude display information and ending with the rich feature set of vertical path tracking. Attend this seminar to take your G1000 IQ to the next level.

Herb Patten is the Chief Pilot at the San Carlos Flight Center, a CFI and an FAA certificated advanced and instrument ground instructor who teaches private pilot ground school at San Carlos Flight Center. He is a commercial pilot with an instrument rating, has flown over 1,500 hours into at least 120 different California airports. He is the current chairman of the Upwind Foundation, famous for its Upwind Summer Scholarship Program. In 2015, Herb was named a Master Instructor by the National Association of Flight Instructors.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

Destination Yellowstone
2021-05-01 12:00 - 13:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

A popular destination for pilots, Yellowstone National Park is easily accessible by air and is surrounded by exciting scenery, towering mountains, and a plethora of famous landmarks. The Yellowstone area and the Northwest United States are full of diverse terrain and weather conditions that are probably different than what pilots are used to in California. From jagged peaks, glacier-carved valleys, and remote islands, FlyOutGroup’s 2021 flagship trip will expose pilots to this new environment, while promising adventure and memories of a lifetime.
Join Chief Pilot Herb Patten and private pilot Travis Bender as they introduce the 2021 FOG Yellowstone and the Pacific Northwest trip, and cover the planning procedures with making a flight within the region. They’ll preview the 2021 trip’s itinerary, route, and considerations, and provide insight from their experiences with flying in the region. Whether you are considering joining FOG on the Yellowstone trip or are just curious what it’s like to plan a major cross-country trip, you will enjoy this seminar.

Herb Patten is the Chief Pilot at the San Carlos Flight Center, a CFII and an FAA certificated advanced and instrument ground instructor who teaches private pilot ground school at San Carlos Flight Center. He is a commercial pilot with an instrument rating, has flown over 1,500 hours into at least 120 different California airports. He is the current chairman of the Upwind Foundation, famous for its Upwind Summer Scholarship Program. In 2015, Herb was named a Master Instructor by the National Association of Flight Instructors.
Travis Bender is an instrument-rated private pilot and is currently the FOG Coordinator at SCFC. Travis has experience flying in the Pacific Northwest, including flights between Northern California, Oregon, and Washington. A 2016 Upwind Summer Scholarship recipient, Travis is currently a senior at the University of Puget Sound when he is not in the air.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

A Look into NASA ASRS Reports
2021-05-05 19:00 - 20:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

NASA ASRS reports protect pilots from being sanctioned for their mistakes. After being de-identified, ASRS reports are analyzed, and used to make recommendations for improvements to the ATC system and pilot procedures.
San Carlos Flight Center invites Captain Ben Taber with over 18,000 hours of flying to highlight the importance of ASRS reports. Through his collection of ASRS reports, Ben will categorize them into areas from which all of us can learn. In this seminar, Ben will focus on his experiences depicted within his reports and target certain specialty areas. The presentation will conclude with an overview of how to file an ASRS report and the process that follows.
ASRS reports are confidential, voluntary, and non-punitive meaning all pilots should utilize this system. Whether it’s your first time hearing about ASRS reports, or your dozenth report, this is a seminar you won’t want to miss.

Capt. Bennett Taber is a check airman and training captain with over 20 years and 18,000 hours of air charter experience throughout the western United States. His first 500 hours of flying were conducted in Alaska. Captain Taber manages flight operations and charter sales for Dreamline Aviation in the San Francisco Bay Area and is a Dreamline Training Captain in Beech King Air aircraft.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

Mountain Flying
2021-05-08 12:00 - 13:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

Flying in the mountains can be some of the most amazingly beautiful and satisfying flying you may ever accomplish. But it comes with increased risk, and thereby increased responsibility. Every day, GA pilots who fly in the mountains safely calculate and plan for such risks, and you can too.
Spring weather brings cool temperatures, clear skies and smooth air. It can also occasionally bring the threat of snow and ice, which are good things to learn to respect during trips to airports at higher elevations. Join CFI Brian Eliot for an overview of elements of mountain flying. We’ll look at how terrain and mountain weather patterns affect one another and what that means to pilots of small aircraft. We will discuss how to calculate density and what it means for landing and departing at high-altitude mountain airports. And no mountain flying discussion is complete without emergency preparedness and survival gear.
This seminar is intended to meet the ground training requirement for an SCFC Mountain Checkout, and is required for all pilots participating in the FlyOutGroup 5-day Mountain Flying trip in early July.
If you are planning a trip to the mountains anytime soon, or just want to learn more about mountain flying; don’t miss out on this seminar.

Brian Eliot is San Carlos Flight Center’s resident expert for IFR training and Garmin G1000 avionics. He has been flying since 1995 and received all his training in the Bay Area. Brian previously worked as a broadcast engineer, a software developer, and taught computer science at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. He regularly presents at San Carlos Flight Center safety seminars and has a reputation for making complex concepts easy to learn and understand.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

Radio Communication 2: Enroute Radio Communications
2021-05-12 19:00 - 20:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

Flying through in the many airspaces of California requires a high degree of situational awareness and sophisticated radio skills. And yet, radio communication is rarely taught as a specific subject during private pilot training. Usually, new pilots just absorb what they hear on the frequency around them, both good and bad. Although some radio techniques are covered in ground school, rarely do student pilots get the time devoted to demystifying this often-confusing subject.
San Carlos Flight Center invites Herb Patten, Assistant Chief Pilot, AGI and CFI and Dan Dyer, Chief Pilot and CFI to show how to perfect your communication and phraseology. They will cover radio phraseology from the basics through advanced ATC services with emphasis on flight following and flight service stations. This seminar will include many examples on how to recognize bad radio calls, and how to fix them. Learn how to make radio communication easier and safer for all pilots.
If you are interested in becoming better at your radio, you don’t want to miss this seminar.

Herb Patten is the Chief Pilot at the San Carlos Flight Center, a CFI and an FAA certificated advanced and instrument ground instructor who teaches private pilot ground school at San Carlos Flight Center. He is a commercial pilot with an instrument rating, has flown over 1,500 hours into at least 120 different California airports. He is the current chairman of the Upwind Foundation, famous for its Upwind Summer Scholarship Program. In 2015, Herb was named a Master Instructor by the National Association of Flight Instructors.
Dan Dyer is the founder of the San Carlos Flight Center, and has built the motto of Safety, Community, and Adventure for over 8 years. Dan was an instructor for 15 years, accumulated over 4,000 flight hours, and is the Bay Area’s local expert in crosswind landing instruction. He is known for finding simple and innovative ways to explain complex topics and regularly speaks on advanced ground school topics. Find out more about Dan at www.sancarlosflight.com or contact him at dan@sancarlosflight.com

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

An Insight into the 100hr Inspection
2021-05-15 12:00 - 13:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

Many airplanes get inspected every 100 hours, but do you know what the 100-hour inspection entails? Can you confidently explain what the difference is between a 100-hour inspection and an annual inspection? Or describe when a 100-inspection is required by regulations? If not, you will want to attend this seminar.
San Carlos Flight Center invites A&P Tim Davis to give an overview of the 100 hour and annual inspection. In this seminar he will detail the tasks that are performed in a typical 100-hour inspection, provide an overview of the pertinent regulations, and highlight who can perform the maintenance. Tim will also describe how a non-mechanic, such as a pilot, can assist in the inspection of their aircraft. Using real-life examples discovered during 100-hour inspections, Tim will highlight items that pilots should be on the lookout for during their next preflight inspection.
Every pilot should understand the maintenance process performed on the aircraft they fly, so do not miss this opportunity to learn about the 100-hour inspection, increase your maintenance IQ and become a savvy pilot.

Tim Davis is an A&P and aircraft mechanic at San Carlos Flight Center. A Bay Area native, he worked as a Quality Analyst for Electronic Arts and Blizzard Entertainment before completing aircraft maintenance training at City College of San Francisco and earning his A&P certificate.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

Destination California Coast - San Luis Obispo and Oceano
2021-05-19 19:00 - 20:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

Pilots often embark on long cross country flights to build cross-country time or to travel to a compelling destination with family or friends; San Luis Obispo and Oceano offer just that. With the beach within walking distance, tasty cuisine nearby, and plenty of aeronautical challenges along the way, this is surely a place you will want to visit.
San Carlos Flight Center invites Private Pilots Brandan Dadoun and Kate Korolevskaya to highlight their experiences flying into San Luis Obispo (SBP) and Oceano (L52). As part of our regular Destination Series seminars, this seminar will identify common routes from the San Francisco Bay Area, highlight Special Use Airspaces (SUAs) along these routes, point out local airport operations and review the typical weather patterns. This region has two different airports to cater to all pilots and aircraft: SBP offers larger runways, with more on-site FBOs, whereas L52 has a smaller runway, with great beach access. Pilots who choose these destinations will not be disappointed with the outdoor adventures, and gorgeous vistas that await.
A new destination brings a new challenge, and as pilots it’s our responsibility to become familiar with all aspects of our flight. Join us for an opportunity to learn more about this compelling destination, and start planning for your getaway now.

Brandan Dadoun is a Private Pilot and SCFC’s Seminar Coordinator. He has completed the majority of his flight training at SCFC with over 200 flight hours and has extensive flying experience throughout all of California in both piston and turbine powered aircraft. He is actively involved within many aviation programs, and is currently pursuing his instrument rating. When he’s not flying, he enjoys playing the saxophone and staying active.
Kate Korolevskaya is a Private Pilot with over 100 flight hours, and a recipient of the 2020 Upwind Summer Scholarship. Currently working towards her Instrument Rating, she is eager to explore airports all over California, and share her love for aviation with others. Outside of aviation, she can be found buried in homework from her college classes, or out hiking with her friends and family.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

G1000 System Design and Failure Analysis
2021-05-22 12:00 - 13:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

A Garmin G1000 system consists of many electronic units, most of them remotely located and invisible. Except for the displays, we are aware of them only when perusing the Pilot’s Guide. What do the individual components do? And how can a pilot detect when they go wrong?
San Carlos Flight Center invites CFI Brian Eliot to investigate the allocation of G1000 functions to specific units, how these units provide for redundancy, and how the pilot can monitor and diagnose problems when they occur, to make an informed decision to continue or to terminate a flight. In this seminar, Brain will provide realistic scenarios in which these potential errors could occur, and how to handle them if one arises.
The info pertinent within this seminar can be of interest to pilots of any experience level, both VFR and IFR. Join us to be more cognizant of your G1000 system.

Brian Eliot is San Carlos Flight Center’s Assistant Chief Pilot and resident expert for IFR training and Garmin G1000 avionics. He has been flying since 1995 and received all his training in the Bay Area. Brian previously worked as a broadcast engineer, a software developer, and taught computer science at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. He regularly presents at San Carlos Flight Center safety seminars and has a reputation for making complex concepts easy to learn and understand.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

Ground School Refresher: Airspace
2021-05-26 19:00 - 20:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

Let’s face it, airspace is an imaginary concept. It is just a shorthand way to talk about the set of Federal Aviation Regulations that apply by location and altitude, and the impact they have on VFR flight. As confusing as you think the rules are, with a quick refresher, you’ll be back to full knowledge in no time.
If it has been awhile since you sat through ground school, you may be due for an airspace refresher. In this safety seminar, we will review the different classes of airspace that are found in the United States. We’ll cover their shapes, sizes, operating rules, and also cover special use airspace. Want an easy way to keep confusing Class G airspace rules memorized, use the Flight Center’s method that teaches there are 3 types of Class G airspace, Class G-low, Class G-mid, and Class G-high. Do you know the differences between them? Where would you look it up? What happens to Class D when the tower closes? How well do you know airspace?
This safety seminar is open to current and aspiring Private Pilots, and will be of particular interest to students pilots and those who are preparing for a flight review. You will leave the seminar with a renewed understanding, and probably a few memory aids to take with your on your next flight.

David Agranovich is a newly certificated CFI, and thoroughly enjoys teaching others. He’s normally found taking 182 out for flights in the Sierras or running shelter dogs up the coast for Pilots and Paws. In his spare time, he works at Facebook leading their efforts to counter foreign interference in elections.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

The "Killing Zone"
2021-05-29 12:00 - 13:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

Good pilots are constantly learning through sources of information such as safety seminars, actual flight experiences, or evaluation of others mistakes. We apply this knowledge to our future flights with the goal of becoming safer pilots. For commercial pilot Andy Clark, an eye-opening learning experience occurred after reading the “Killing Zone”, a book that evaluated common safety-of-flight issues that could easily be prevented.
San Carlos Flight Center invites Andy to recount his first 100 to 300 hours of flight – what’s regarded as the “Killing Zone”. Andy realized, after reading “The Killing Zone”, how many low time pilots are vulnerable to serious mistakes that could be avoided. Andy will highlight his own mistakes made as a low time pilot, and how they could have been avoided if he was more aware. Some of these issues include inadvertent IMC and loss of control issues within critical phases of flight.
Andy encourages any pilot to attend as he will share his own safety methods, along with many other safety evaluation models used within professional aviation. You will learn how to recognize potentially dangerous situations that low time pilots, and even experienced pilots might overlook.

Andy Clark is a 2000 hour pilot who first took to the air in 1999. He holds commercial and instrument ratings with single engine and multi engine privileges. He has flown in multiple countries around the world and made 4 transcontinental crossings including a flight from the Bay to Puerto Rico. A transatlantic trip is next. He has owned a Skylane, a Piper Saratoga and currently owns and flies a Cessna 340.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

Flying the Bay Tour
2021-06-02 19:00 - 20:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

Flying in the San Francisco Bay area is spectacular, a real privilege for local pilots. The Pacific Ocean, a dramatic coastline, beautiful hills, and many famous landmarks. As pilots, we are afforded a rare bird’s eye view that we long to share with our friends and family.
So what exactly is a “Bay Tour”? How did certain airspace changes affect the Bay Tour, and what new implementations will require pilots need to take to account? Join CFI Lukasz Zoromski to examine the airspace, explain the “Bay Tour” and how a pilot can accomplish one in the safest, simplest, most enjoyable manner.
We’ll review the various overlapping airspaces in the area, the territories for each local ATC facility, and the routings most commonly used by Flight Center pilots and suggested by ATC. You’ll learn what options are available to you even if SQL ATIS has the phrase “San Francisco is not taking surface area transitions.”
If you are new to the Bay area, want to imagine the different sights you’ll see, or just want to improve your understanding of local airspace customs and procedures, please join us for this popular seminar.

Lukasz Zoromski has always been interested in aviation. Ever since going to Oshkosh Airventure as a kid, he got hooked on airplanes. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin, he decided to make a career change away from a desk job and began flying with a goal to become a flight instructor. Now that he has achieved that goal, he strives to help new pilots achieve the same goals in a safe and fun way. New to the Bay Area, he is looking forward to flying in a new environment and meeting new people.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.

Calculating Performance in the Age of Tech
2021-06-05 12:00 - 13:30
Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, this seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing.

Is it safe to take off from Truckee with a full load on a hot summer day? Can I make it to Scottsdale with enough fuel reserve? If there is a tailwind in the downslope direction, should I take off upslope or downslope? Can I meet the climb gradient requirement for an instrument departure in the current conditions? All these questions can be answered with the airplane POH, and more and more with the help of modern aircraft performance apps.
San Carlos Flight Center invites Steven Kleiman to demonstrate how to effectively use an app to easily calculate aircraft performance values. Steven is the founder of POH Performance which provides open-source performance calculations for Beech Barons, Bonanzas, Cessna 172s and 182s, Piper PA28, Daher Kodiaks and TBMs. In this seminar Steven will highlight how technology has provided extreme accuracy in calculating aircraft performance in various different situations. Steven will demonstrate, step by step, how to calculate performance values for all phases of flight.
Join us and learn how to obtain more precise and accurate performance values for your aircraft.

Steve Kleiman is a 1600+ hour instrument rated pilot and primary author of the POH Performance apps. He currently flies a TBM 850 single-engine turboprop.

San Carlos Flight Center (SCFC) is the SF Bay Area’s most dynamic flying club, committed to building general aviation through safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access.
