San Carlos Flight Center

Flying Safely At Night
2023-11-01 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | San Carlos Flight Center, Select a Country:
This seminar will be held in person at SCFC, attendance is free and open to all. Web Members will still be able to access our seminars online, both live and recorded. Click here to learn more about the transition.
Interested in watching more of our presentations? View our growing library of over 500 recorded safety seminars available to view in our Members Only Seminar Library, available by clicking here.

On November 5th, Daylight Savings Time will end, and with it comes early nightfall. For those of us who work a regular 9-5 schedule, early nightfall means an increase in night flying time. How current are your night skills? Maybe it’s time to focus on what is different between day VFR and night VFR flight.
Obviously, less ambient light adds challenges for anything requiring eyesight. This includes preflight inspection, taxi safety, obstruction avoidance, IMC recognition and avoidance, cockpit resource management, and a number of other things. Most familiar to pilots is probably the differences in landing. The sight picture of a normal approach to a runway is very different with reduced external visual cues from night. Flashing lights can help or hurt pilot attention and recognition.
So should night flight be avoided? Not necessarily. Night flight brings with it reduced ATC workloads, often calmer winds, cooler temperatures that help performance, and the ability to spot traffic from farther off. Your decision about flying at night can be aided by attending a Night Flying Refresher seminar like this one.

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 2,500 hours in more than 130 different California airports. He is the current chairman of the Upwind Foundation, famous for its Upwind Summer Scholarship Program. In 2023, Herb was named a 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 2023 as a Distinguished Flight School for the third year in a row.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Our seminars are free to watch when attended in person at our facility in San Carlos but live streaming and viewing recorded seminars are exclusively available to members. Click here or contact an SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web library of over 500 recorded safety seminars and live-streamed content.

Full Moon Flyers: Half Moon Bay (Mezza Luna)
2023-10-28 19:00
On October 28th, make the quick hop over the Santa Cruz Mountains to Half Moon Bay for dinner. The flight is quick from points around the Bay Area but is much faster and less stressful than navigating the traffic on Highway 92. This is a perfect flight to take friends and family on, as it affords stunning views of the local coastline, beaches, and mountains in such a short flight.
After landing, taxi to the small ramp on the southeast side of the airport (located southeast of the taxiway that takes you to Runway 30). Secure your aircraft, and we’ll walk through the gate to meet at Mezza Luna at 7 PM, one of the best restaurants in the town. Enjoy an Italian dinner, complete with classic favorites like pasta and freshly-caught seafood.
While October is often a good time to visit Half Moon Bay, low fog and clouds may prevent VFR traffic from participating. If this is the case, we will alter our destination to Livermore. The FOG coordinator will advise those who registered if a change is needed.
Please RSVP below so we can inform the restaurant of our headcount. We hope to see you in Half Moon Bay on October 28th!

In-Person Workshop: Under the Cowling
2023-10-28 12:00 - 13:30
This seminar will be held in person at SCFC, attendance is free and open to all. This is an in-person only seminar, there will be no live stream or video recording.
Interested in some of our other presentations? View our growing library of over 500 recorded safety seminars available to view in our Members Only Seminar Library, available by clicking here.

As a pilot you learn about airplane engines and systems from the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge. That information is supplemented by details from your specific Airplane Flight Manual. So what more do you need to know? You crank the starter and everything works. But how does it work and how do the various systems such as the fuel, induction, and ignition work together to keep the engine flying? Ever wonder how the fuel flows from the tank to the cylinders? Or what happens when the air intake filter becomes blocked? Or what are the purposes of those tubes coming out of the bottom of the engine?
Are you ready to take your airplane systems knowledge to the next step? San Carlos Flight Center invites A&P Tim Davis for a unique perspective on airplane engines and systems. In this in-person seminar, you will learn the details of the fuel, ignition, induction and more.
This in-person seminar will be conducted using a Cessna 172 with the engine cowling removed so you can get an up-close appreciation of the components of a typical, small single-engine airplane. Space is limited so don’t delay in signing up for this unique experience. You will walk away with a new depth of knowledge that most pilots don’t have.

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 2023 as a Distinguished Flight School for the third year in a row.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Our seminars are free to watch when attended in person at our facility in San Carlos but live streaming and viewing recorded seminars are exclusively available to members. Click here or contact an SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web library of over 500 recorded safety seminars and live-streamed content.

2-Day Mountain Flying Training Trip
2023-10-28 - 2023-10-29
This two-day training trip is designed to help California pilots gain experience with popular routes and airports in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. While the primary goal is education, many participants use the flight time to work toward high-performance endorsements, C182 checkouts, mountain checkouts, or G1000 avionics checkouts.
Trip Highlights
– Learn to fly safely over mountainous terrain
– Learn about high-elevation airport operations
– Experience some of California’s highest and trickiest airports safely
– See the beauty of the Sierras and stay overnight in South Lake Tahoe

There is a $500 per person non-refundable deposit to ensure interest. This deposit will be applied towards aircraft and instructor time. All pilots will be paired with an SCFC CFI in an SCFC Aircraft.
Aircraft rental and instructor time will be billed upon completion of the trip. The above is simply a breakdown of expected costs.

Contact the SCFC Front Desk at (650) 946-1700 to sign up for the trip.

Seminar Postponed: ADS-B Three Years Later
2023-10-25 19:00 - 20:30
This seminar has been postponed.
Interested in watching some of our previous seminars? View our growing library of over 500 recorded safety seminars available to view in our Members Only Seminar Library, available by clicking here.
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 2023 as a Distinguished Flight School for the third year in a row.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Our seminars are free to watch when attended in person at our facility in San Carlos but live streaming and viewing recorded seminars are exclusively available to members. Click here or contact an SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web library of over 500 recorded safety seminars and live-streamed content.

GSR: Pressure and Density Altitude
2023-10-21 12:00 - 13:30
This seminar will be held in person at SCFC, attendance is free and open to all. Web Members will still be able to access our seminars online, both live and recorded. Click here to learn more about the transition.
Interested in watching more of our presentations? View our growing library of over 500 recorded safety seminars available to view in our Members Only Seminar Library, available by clicking here.

Pilots love altitude. So much that we’ve created a bunch of different kinds of altitude: true altitude, absolute altitude, indicated altitude, assigned altitude, and many more. Two of the most important and least understood are pressure altitude and density altitude. Many pilots might not have a complete understanding of pressure and density altitude. Are they even real altitudes at all?
In this seminar, SCFC CFI Travis Bender introduces and explains the terms “pressure altitude” and “density altitude” and demystifies their meanings. Although the word “altitude” is used, these are clearly not measures of altitude. In fact, they are measures of atmospheric pressure and density just converted into units that pilots can understand. Confusing at first, yes, but once understood they serve a valuable purpose in determining aircraft performance. Although few things are as important to a pilot as knowing the performance capability of the aircraft before taking to the skies, measuring the critical factor – atmospheric density – is not something that pilots can do directly. Instead we use rules of thumb, conversion factors, and our best understanding of how elevation, pressure, temperature, and humidity are interrelated.
Pilots of all levels need to improve their understanding of these concepts. If you’ve ever opened your aircraft POH to the performance section and felt humbled, this seminar is for you.

Travis Bender is a CFI and CFII who learned to fly at San Carlos Flight Center. He has recently joined the team as a Staff Instructor at San Carlos Flight Center.

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 2023 as a Distinguished Flight School for the third year in a row.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Our seminars are free to watch when attended in person at our facility in San Carlos but live streaming and viewing recorded seminars are exclusively available to members. Click here or contact an SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web library of over 500 recorded safety seminars and live-streamed content.

IFR Circling Approaches
2023-10-18 19:00 - 20:30
This seminar will be held in person at SCFC, attendance is free and open to all. Web Members will still be able to access our seminars online, both live and recorded. Click here to learn more about the transition.
Interested in watching more of our presentations? View our growing library of over 500 recorded safety seminars available to view in our Members Only Seminar Library, available by clicking here.

Circling approaches present high workload and can be hazardous. Nevertheless, they are a fact of IFR life, particularly at smaller airports because of surrounding terrain or the high cost of approach development. Are you ready to handle the challenge?
San Carlos Flight Center invites Herb Patten, CFI, to explore the “Circle to Land” instrument approach. In this seminar Herb will review the design criteria that cause an approach to be titled for circling only, when circling minimums are excluded from a chart, when you can land straight in from a circling approach, and when you can circle from a straight-in approach. It’s also crucial not to forget discussing chart notes, circling restrictions, and formulating a landing plan based on the approach path and runway layout. Finally, we will examine the critical execution of the circling missed approach maneuver.
All instrument rated pilots need to be familiar and confident with these procedures. You will never know when you are faced with this situation. Join us, and re-familiarize yourself with this unique procedure.

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 2,500 hours in more than 130 different California airports. He is the current chairman of the Upwind Foundation, famous for its Upwind Summer Scholarship Program. In 2023, Herb was named a 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 2023 as a Distinguished Flight School for the third year in a row.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Our seminars are free to watch when attended in person at our facility in San Carlos but live streaming and viewing recorded seminars are exclusively available to members. Click here or contact an SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web library of over 500 recorded safety seminars and live-streamed content.

FOG Lunch: Sacramento Executive
2023-10-15 12:00
This month, come along with FOG on a lunch trip to Sacramento Executive Airport (SAC)! Inside the airport’s main terminal building lies Aviator’s Restaurant, a neat aviation-themed cafe serving all-day breakfast and lunch fare. The prices are very reasonable, and the seating allows you to view movement on the airport ramp below.
Sacramento is a great cross-country destination, and this flight is a good opportunity to complete the requirements for the next rating you’re working on. Grab your CFI and gain experience flying into a new airport. Instrument students also can utilize a variety of practice approaches into the airport, with an ILS, RNAV, and VOR approach.
Interested in going? Sign up below so we can get a headcount for food, and we’ll see you in Sacramento at 12:00 PM on October 15th!

Planning a Flight with ForeFlight
2023-10-14 12:00 - 13:30
This seminar will be held in person at SCFC, attendance is free and open to all. Web Members will still be able to access our seminars online, both live and recorded. Click here to learn more about the transition.
Interested in watching more of our presentations? View our growing library of over 500 recorded safety seminars available to view in our Members Only Seminar Library, available by clicking here.

ForeFlight is a useful application that allows pilots to perform many flight planning tasks such as course planning, calculating flight time and fuel consumption, and obtaining a weather briefing. Living in a digital age, pilots should learn to use tools like this to enhance their overall flight planning process.
San Carlos Flight Center invites Travis Bender, CFI, to walk-through how to use ForeFlight to plan a cross-country flight. Travis will demonstrate how to accurately plot checkpoints, determine airplane performance values, and show how pilots can use ForeFLight to meet the requirement to be familiar with “all available information concerning a flight.” The seminar will start with a sample flight mission so that participants can follow along in real-time using ForeFlight on their own device.
If you are just beginning to explore the features of ForeFlight and want to deepen your understanding on how to effectively use these great tools, you will want to attend this seminar. Have your tablet handy and discover this powerful tool available for pilots.

Travis Bender is a CFI and CFII who learned to fly at San Carlos Flight Center. He has recently joined the team as a Staff Instructor at San Carlos Flight Center.

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 2023 as a Distinguished Flight School for the third year in a row.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Our seminars are free to watch when attended in person at our facility in San Carlos but live streaming and viewing recorded seminars are exclusively available to members. Click here or contact an SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web library of over 500 recorded safety seminars and live-streamed content.

Private Pilot Checkride Stories
2023-10-11 19:00 - 20:30
This seminar will be held in person at SCFC, attendance is free and open to all. Web Members will still be able to access our seminars online, both live and recorded. Click here to learn more about the transition.
Interested in watching more of our presentations? View our growing library of over 500 recorded safety seminars available to view in our Members Only Seminar Library, available by clicking here.

For most pilots, the first checkride is the most intimidating one. It can be a nerve-wracking experience decoding the ACS and sitting through the glare of the designated pilot examiner. Have you prepared, studied, and reviewed what’s required of you on checkride? Are you ready to fly on your own? And can you be the safe, competent pilot that we all aim to be?
San Carlos Flight Center invites a round-table of three newly-minted Private Pilots to share their journey in becoming a pilot. In this seminar they will each provide their own overview of their training experiences, how they prepared, some pitfalls to avoid, and how they worked with their instructors to ensure they were ready for the practical test. This is a great opportunity to hear from multiple perspectives, giving you the insight you need as you approach your big day.
Join us to hear more about the checkride experience, how to prepare, and have an insight into the first step of becoming a certificated pilot.

Imran Idzqandar (panelist) has 87 flight hours and passed his private pilot checkride in July of 2023. When he is not flying, Imran enjoys photography, tennis, rock climbing
Jerry Natoli (panelist) has 190 flight hours, received his private pilot certificate in June of 2023 and is beginning training for his instrument rating. Jerry enjoys spending time on his bike, traveling, visiting family and volunteering when not flying.
Jim Ren (panelist) has 132 flight hours and obtained his private pilot certificate in June. When he is not flying, Jim works as a software engineer and enjoys rock climbing, backpacking, and karaoke.
Herb Patten (moderator) is the Chief Pilot at San Carlos Flight Center.

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 2023 as a Distinguished Flight School for the third year in a row.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Our seminars are free to watch when attended in person at our facility in San Carlos but live streaming and viewing recorded seminars are exclusively available to members. Click here or contact an SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web library of over 500 recorded safety seminars and live-streamed content.

SQL Airport User Meeting - Hosted by Serco
2023-10-10 15:00 - 16:00
This meeting is open to all SQL users and tenants.
We will be joined by SQL Airport Management, SQL Tower controllers, and FAA representatives to discuss staffing issues at SQL Tower.
Please RSVP below so we can have an accurate headcount. This meeting is in-person only and will not be livestreamed or recorded.

California Mountain Flying Trip Recap
2023-10-07 12:00 - 13:30
This seminar will be held in person at SCFC, attendance is free and open to all. Web Members will still be able to access our seminars online, both live and recorded. Click here to learn more about the transition.
Interested in watching more of our presentations? View our growing library of over 500 recorded safety seminars available to view in our Members Only Seminar Library, available by clicking here.

This summer, FlyOutGroup pilots took part in a multi-day training event to the Sierra-Nevada Mountains with stunning views while learning to fly safely at high elevation. Pilots faced many challenges on this journey including navigating challenging terrain and weather conditions. In this seminar, you’ll hear first hand from a pilot that completed the journey along with the CFI that provided the training. They will share the details of the trip and what was learned from this mountain flying adventure.
San Carlos Flight Center invites Private Pilot Garrett Held and his CFI Brian Eliot to discuss some highlights from their training trip in the mountains. The seminar will include discussions on travel experiences and practical training topics such as mountain flying, high-altitude conditions, route changes, and cross-country flight planning. The details of the upcoming trip will be shared so you can understand the details of the next amazing experience.
If you are interested in learning about mountain flying or joining the next Mountain Flying Training Trip, join us for a trip recap and preview of this exciting adventure.

Garrett Held is an instrument-rated private pilot with a little over 200 hours. He initially earned his private pilot in 2001 at San Carlos Airport and stopped flying shortly after, he started flying again in 2021. When not flying he works in computer security for a large financial technology company.
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 2023 as a Distinguished Flight School for the third year in a row.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Our seminars are free to watch when attended in person at our facility in San Carlos but live streaming and viewing recorded seminars are exclusively available to members. Click here or contact an SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web library of over 500 recorded safety seminars and live-streamed content.

Sightseeing in Los Angeles for Pilots
2023-10-04 19:00 - 20:30
This seminar will be held in person at SCFC, attendance is free and open to all. Web Members will still be able to access our seminars online, both live and recorded. Click here to learn more about the transition.
Interested in watching more of our presentations? View our growing library of over 500 recorded safety seminars available to view in our Members Only Seminar Library, available by clicking here.

Los Angeles is a great destination for SF Bay Area pilots. From its beautiful beaches to landmarks and large skyscrapers, there is a lot for GA pilots to see and do. The surrounding area is home to an extensive and dense airspace system full of transition routes, and airspace corridors which can be a challenge the first time they are encountered. As pilots we have the luxury of seeing sights from the air; but have you ever considered putting your SF Bay Tour mastery skills to the test with a sightseeing tour of Los Angeles?
In this seminar, SCFC invites back Dave Kramer, a commercial pilot and advanced ground instructor, who has traveled extensively in the Los Angeles area, to cover the safe and correct ways to transition the busy Los Angeles Class B airspace while on a sightseeing tour. He will discuss how to stay away from heavy LAX traffic, special use airspace, and stay situationally aware in the LA Basin. Dave will share his stories of transiting through Los Angeles airspace and how to see some amazing Los Angeles landmarks from the sky.
If you are planning to join the FlyOutGroup for their upcoming trip to Southern California, we encourage you to begin your research into this complex airspace. You’ll be better informed and more confident flying over some of Los Angeles sights. Don’t miss out on this unique learning opportunity.

Dave Kramer MD, 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 2100 hours of which over 1500 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 2023 as a Distinguished Flight School for the third year in a row.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Our seminars are free to watch when attended in person at our facility in San Carlos but live streaming and viewing recorded seminars are exclusively available to members. Click here or contact an SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web library of over 500 recorded safety seminars and live-streamed content.

Math for Pilots: Volume 1
2023-09-30 12:00 - 13:30
This seminar will be held in person at SCFC, attendance is free and open to all. Web Members will still be able to access our seminars online, both live and recorded. Click here to learn more about the transition.
Interested in watching more of our presentations? View our growing library of over 500 recorded safety seminars available to view in our Members Only Seminar Library, available by clicking here.

Of all the skills required to be a safe pilot, few people would put mathematics very high on the list. But being able to calculate speeds, fuel amounts, weight and balance locations, allows the pilot to stay on top of critical performance information. There’s no calculus, set theory, derivatives, or other advanced math concepts, so all that is really needed is a solid ability to do addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
So why do some student pilots struggle with the math? We’ve invited Advanced Ground Instructor Dan Dyer, to present some tips on surviving the harder math encountered on the way to a Private Pilot certificate. He’s picked two areas that students often stumble with, and has created a presentation to walk us through surviving the calculations without getting lost or making mistakes. One of the areas of trouble is interpolation, which is often needed to use airplane performance charts and some weather forecasts. The other is a lack of understanding of the power of dimensional analysis and its use for cross-county flight planning calculations. Dimensional analysis is a focus on units and unit conversions, and can unlock even the hardest flight planning challenge. Additionally, Dan will emphasize taking things slowly and writing everything down as a way of avoiding the simple mistakes that most people make on the FAA Knowledge Test.
If you love math, and the powerful tool it gives us to understand the universe, we hope you tune in. If you hate math, and are looking for ways to squeak by enough to become a safe pilot, we hope you tune in. It should be an interesting look at a tiny, oft-feared area of knowledge on the path to becoming a 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 2023 as a Distinguished Flight School for the third year in a row.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Our seminars are free to watch when attended in person at our facility in San Carlos but live streaming and viewing recorded seminars are exclusively available to members. Click here or contact an SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web library of over 500 recorded safety seminars and live-streamed content.

Full Moon Flyers – Nut Tree (VCB)
2023-09-29 19:00 - 21:00
A unique destination, Nut Tree Airport (VCB) in Vacaville is located right next to a major shopping and dining center. A former amusement park, the Nut Tree area is now home to numerous dining options, making it a great place to travel to and satisfy all kinds of appetites.
On Friday, September 29 at 7 PM, let’s meet up at the Nut Tree airport and walk to the dining area. The flight is easy, but picking a restaurant is the hard part, with options ranging from BBQ to pizza, ramen to vitamin bowls, and sushi to Mexican food. Once you’ve secured the airplane at transient parking, walk to the south side of the hangars to the west, through the gate, and then follow the pathway to the shopping and dining center.

After your meal, treat yourself to Fenton’s Ice Cream, which is known for its one-of-a-kind creations and flavors, and is a popular place for residents of Solano County. Grab ice cream for the walk back, or enjoy dining on their patio.
The airport is lit at night, and it’s easy to pick up flight following with Travis Approach. Need to work on your night landings? Concord, Napa, and Oakland are within a fifteen-minute flight away.
Like other FOG events, RSVP on our website, and please indicate if you can take passengers to allow student pilots and other aviation community members to participate. Hope to see you there!

Cross Country Flight Planning Workshop
2023-09-27 19:00 - 20:30
This seminar will be held in person at SCFC, attendance is free and open to all. Web Members will still be able to access our seminars online, both live and recorded. Click here to learn more about the transition.
Interested in watching more of our presentations? View our growing library of over 500 recorded safety seminars available to view in our Members Only Seminar Library, available by clicking here.

As pilots we must know how to accurately cross-country flight plan. Join us for this in-person workshop at San Carlos Flight Center for a hands-on and scenario based learning experience. Chief Pilot Herb Patten will show attendees the important elements of successful cross-country flight planning and walk you through your planning of a flight. Throughout the workshop Herb will incorporate various situations and challenges, and provide direct support.
We encourage any student pilot working on their cross-country flight planning or rusty pilot to attend this workshop.

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 2,500 hours in more than 130 different California airports. He is the current chairman of the Upwind Foundation, famous for its Upwind Summer Scholarship Program. In 2023, Herb was named a 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 2023 as a Distinguished Flight School for the third year in a row.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Our seminars are free to watch when attended in person at our facility in San Carlos but live streaming and viewing recorded seminars are exclusively available to members. Click here or contact an SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web library of over 500 recorded safety seminars and live-streamed content.

How Flight Sim Training Improved My Radio as a Pilot
2023-09-23 12:00 - 13:30
This seminar will be held in person at SCFC, attendance is free and open to all. Web Members will still be able to access our seminars online, both live and recorded. Click here to learn more about the transition.
Interested in watching more of our presentations? View our growing library of over 500 recorded safety seminars available to view in our Members Only Seminar Library, available by clicking here.

Speaking on the radio with ATC embodies a lot of a pilots workload. Sometimes pilots like to speak too much while transmitting on frequency, leading to frequency congestion, confusion, and can overall be an annoyance. As pilots we should be direct, clear, and professional with our transmissions. SCFC pilot Rowan Young has an interesting story about how his time training to be a controller on VATSIM, the virtual air traffic simulation network, actually improved his understanding and ability as a pilot.
As you may imagine, real life air traffic controllers go through extensive radio and procedures training. It turns out the same is true for people training to be virtual air traffic controllers on VATSIM. Over three years, Rowan studied the basics of airspace, airport and enroute procedures, LOAs, and detailed procedural training for all of Northern California and Oakland Center. Under supervised training, he was able to work up to controlling Oakland Center. Now, he trains others in ATC procedures in the SF Bay Area.
SCFC has invited Rowan to share what he has learned from virtual air traffic management, and how it informs his ability to use the radio effectively as a pilot. He has tips/references to the AIM on how to become a better pilot on the radio. He will also interactively show crucial examples of how being “lazy” or careless about radio phraseology can lead to confusion. Learn how to spot the confusion within multiple examples of bad phraseology, and ultimately become safer in the skies.

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 2023 as a Distinguished Flight School for the third year in a row.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Our seminars are free to watch when attended in person at our facility in San Carlos but live streaming and viewing recorded seminars are exclusively available to members. Click here or contact an SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web library of over 500 recorded safety seminars and live-streamed content.

GSR: Weather Services
2023-09-20 19:00 - 20:30
This seminar will be held in person at SCFC, attendance is free and open to all. Web Members will still be able to access our seminars online, both live and recorded. Click here to learn more about the transition.
Interested in watching more of our presentations? View our growing library of over 500 recorded safety seminars available to view in our Members Only Seminar Library, available by clicking here.

Pilots live or die by the weather we fly in. We fly in a fish tank of air. Understanding whether that air is going to be like the calm, crystal blue waters of the lagoons of Cook’s island or turbulent like an impending Tsunami is part of being a competent pilot. Although weather hasn’t changed since the FAA declared that all weather is a result of heat exchange, weather prediction, forecasting and weather services are constantly evolving.
San Carlos Flight Center invites Chief Pilot Herb Patten to investigate the different types of weather products available to pilots. In this seminar, we will take a look at what’s new on Aviation Weather Center, aka aviationweather.gov. We will explore some recent changes to the prognostic charts, turbulence forecasts as well as some other useful products. We will also explore the replacement for the Area Forecast, the “Graphical Forecast for Aviation,” which offers a wealth of features available for pilots.
Be more weather aware on your next flight, and join us for this safety 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 2,500 hours in more than 130 different California airports. He is the current chairman of the Upwind Foundation, famous for its Upwind Summer Scholarship Program. In 2023, Herb was named a 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 2023 as a Distinguished Flight School for the third year in a row.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Our seminars are free to watch when attended in person at our facility in San Carlos but live streaming and viewing recorded seminars are exclusively available to members. Click here or contact an SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web library of over 500 recorded safety seminars and live-streamed content.

IFR Lost Communication Procedures
2023-09-16 12:00 - 13:30
This seminar will be held in person at SCFC, attendance is free and open to all. Web Members will still be able to access our seminars online, both live and recorded. Click here to learn more about the transition.
Interested in watching more of our presentations? View our growing library of over 500 recorded safety seminars available to view in our Members Only Seminar Library, available by clicking here.

Instrument Flight Rules are highly regimented. They are designed to keep pilots and passengers safe while flying completely blind through clouds and weather. Altitudes must be maintained, courses have to be tracked tightly, and radio communication must allow air traffic controllers to maneuver planes around traffic and conflicts. But what happens when radios fail?
Although it doesn’t happen often, radio communication equipment can be faulty or inoperative mid-flight, even while a pilot is flying IFR in instrument conditions. For safety, there are very specific rules an instrument pilot must comply with in the event of radio failure, and the rules are far more structured that those for a VFR pilot. The basic rule is to continue with the flight as previously instructed by air traffic control, but the regulations don’t cover every situation and there can be some gray areas. One local DPE recently commented that 95% of instrument applicants fail to answer questions about lost comm procedures, so many of you are likely confused about it too.
Join SCFC Assistant Chief Pilot and IFR expert Brian Eliot as he presents “Lost Comms in IMC”. He’ll clarify the IFR lost communication procedures, and specifically discuss the areas most pilots find confusing. After this seminar, you will find a new comfort in how to handle a lost communication situation even in IMC.

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 2023 as a Distinguished Flight School for the third year in a row.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Our seminars are free to watch when attended in person at our facility in San Carlos but live streaming and viewing recorded seminars are exclusively available to members. Click here or contact an SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web library of over 500 recorded safety seminars and live-streamed content.

SLCP TEST
2023-09-15 12:00 - 14:00
test

What's Going on at San Carlos Airport? An Update from Airport Management
2023-09-13 19:00 - 20:30
This seminar will be held in person at SCFC, attendance is free and open to all. Web Members will still be able to access our seminars online, both live and recorded. Click here to learn more about the transition.
Interested in watching more of our presentations? View our growing library of over 500 recorded safety seminars available to view in our Members Only Seminar Library, available by clicking here.

Running an airport takes a lot of hard work. The airplane owners and pilots of San Carlos Airport are fortunate to have a great team from San Mateo County maintaining and protecting the airport. Issues are addressed quickly, from runway surface issues to refurbishing the hangars, and limiting neighboring construction against flight operations. With an upcoming airport closure between September 11 to October 11 it is important that all pilots be aware of these upcoming updates.
San Carlos Flight Center invites airport managers Gretchen Kelly and Michael Byrne to talk. In this seminar, they will share what pilots need to know about the upcoming runway rehabilitation project and what improvements it will bring. In addition, they will provide an overall operational update and status of the airport. They will end with a summary of San Carlos Airport procedures, such as noise abatement and airspace considerations.
If you fly at San Carlos Airport, this seminar is for you. Tune in to stay informed about this closure and updates that will affect your flying.

San Carlos Airport is owned and operated by San Mateo County. Airport management oversees and supports both county airports, Half Moon Bay and San Carlos, with primary offices at San Carlos. The airport gets better every year, and the management team oversees a great number of development projects to improve service to pilots and for the county.

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 2023 as a Distinguished Flight School for the third year in a row.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Our seminars are free to watch when attended in person at our facility in San Carlos but live streaming and viewing recorded seminars are exclusively available to members. Click here or contact an SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web library of over 500 recorded safety seminars and live-streamed content.

In-Person Look at the Runway Construction Project
2023-09-13 18:00 - 19:00
Join San Carlos Airport Management to walk onto the runway and get an in-person look at the in-progress construction project at SQL. Please RSVP below.
Please join us afterwards for a Safety Seminar on everything that’s going on at SQL.

FOG Lunch Monterey
2023-09-10 12:00 - 13:30
It’s hot in the Bay Area in September. Beat the heat this month and head down to the Monterey Airport to cool off and enjoy great food at Woody’s at the Airport! On September 10th, enjoy lunch on the outdoor patio that overlooks the airline ramp, allowing you to view take-offs and landings with your meal.
The flight down is an easy one from the Bay Area, and an excellent choice to take passengers on a short flight if they have never been on a general aviation plane before. With views of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Silicon Valley, and Monterey Bay, the flight down is one they won’t forget. Instrument pilots or students can practice their skills with a variety of approaches into the airport, as well.
After landing, park at Del Monte Aviation, as Monterey does not have any transient parking near the restaurant. From there, it’s a short walk to the terminal. Woody’s is located upstairs from the entrance, before the TSA checkpoints. Please plan to be at the restaurant around 12 PM.
Like other FOG events, RSVP below, and please indicate if you are able to take passengers, so we can allow student pilots and other aviation community members to participate. We’re looking forward to the event, and hope you are, too!

GSR: Airport Signs and Markings
2023-09-09 12:00 - 13:30
This seminar will be held in person at SCFC, attendance is free and open to all. Web Members will still be able to access our seminars online, both live and recorded. Click here to learn more about the transition.
Interested in watching more of our presentations? View our growing library of over 500 recorded safety seminars available to view in our Members Only Seminar Library, available by clicking here.

Pop quiz: What is the new ICAO standard marking for a taxiway approaching a runway? What is the difference between a relocated threshold and a displaced threshold and what does that indicate to pilots? What is a runway approach holding sign and what are pilots expected to do?
Most pilots have an operational knowledge of the most common runway signs and markings, but if you travel to a larger airport, are you knowledgeable about some of the less common signs and markings? If it has been awhile since you sat through ground school, you may want to join us for a refresher on airport signs and markings. In this safety seminar, we will review the common markings and signs as well as delve into other less common but still important signs and markings.
This safety seminar is open to current and aspiring Private Pilots, and will be of particular interest to student pilots and those who are preparing for a flight review.

Khizar Shabbir is a CFI at San Carlos Flight Center. Khizar was born in Pakistan and grew up in Hong Kong. He completed his primary flight training at Hillsboro Aero Academy in Portland, Oregon, and received his flight instructor training in Palo Alto. Khizar’s passion for aviation has taken him on an explorative journey across continents and people of various backgrounds. He is eager to continue learning and sharing the ideas of safety, community, and adventure with the next generation of pilots.

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 2023 as a Distinguished Flight School for the third year in a row.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Our seminars are free to watch when attended in person at our facility in San Carlos but live streaming and viewing recorded seminars are exclusively available to members. Click here or contact an SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web library of over 500 recorded safety seminars and live-streamed content.

SCFC Operations at Hayward
2023-09-06 19:00 - 20:30
This seminar will be held in person at SCFC, attendance is free and open to all. Web Members will still be able to access our seminars online, both live and recorded. Click here to learn more about the transition.
Interested in watching more of our presentations? View our growing library of over 500 recorded safety seminars available to view in our Members Only Seminar Library, available by clicking here.

San Carlos airport will be closed for 30 days beginning Monday, September 11th. During that time, the San Carlos Flight Center fleet will be relocated to Hayward airport. While many members have some familiarity with Hayward having flown into and out of the airport, there are many new procedures that members will need to know to operate safely while we are temporarily based at Hayward.
Where will the planes be parked? How do I get fuel and oil for the airplane? Will I still be able to do training flights with my CFI during this time period? Where would I go to meet my CFI? What’s the best place to park? What unique ground operations should I be aware of at Hayward?
These and many more questions will be addressed during this seminar by Herb, Chief Pilot at SCFC. This seminar will be appropriate for all members of San Carlos Flight Center, whether you are a student pilot or a member that wants to book a flight. Remember, 91.103, requires the PIC to become familiar with all available information.

Herb Patten is the Chief Pilot at San Carlos Flight Center and the main instructor for the Private Pilot Ground School. In addition to those roles, Herb is a featured safety seminar presenter and develops the training curriculum used at the Flight Center. Herb has been recognized by AOPA as a Distinguished Flight Instructor and 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 2023 as a Distinguished Flight School for the third year in a row.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Our seminars are free to watch when attended in person at our facility in San Carlos but live streaming and viewing recorded seminars are exclusively available to members. Click here or contact an SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web library of over 500 recorded safety seminars and live-streamed content.

Coast Guard Insights into CRM and Risk Management
2023-09-02 12:00 - 13:30
This seminar will be held in person at SCFC, attendance is free and open to all. Web Members will still be able to access our seminars online, both live and recorded. Click here to learn more about the transition.
Interested in watching more of our presentations? View our growing library of over 500 recorded safety seminars available to view in our Members Only Seminar Library, available by clicking here.

Every flight involves risk, and we can minimize risk with proper risk management. Coast Guard pilots are experts at understanding all factors of risk. Their daily operations involve strenuous water rescues, disaster response actions, and search and rescue initiatives. These missions require the application of crew resource management, adherence to standardized procedures, and more. So, what can we general aviation pilots learn from them?
Join Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco at San Carlos Flight Center as we delve into the realm of threat and error management through the lens of Coast Guard pilots. In this seminar evaluate all risk variables prior to each flight, while utilizing all available resources. Take this knowledge and apply it in a case study which all pilots can learn from. These insights easily translate into practical takeaways for making improved decisions while in flight and working together as a team.
Tune in to acquire practical insights that directly apply to your daily operations, ultimately contributing to safer skies for every pilot.

LCDR Patrick Buckley is a highly skilled Coast Guard Search and Rescue Aviator, graduating from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 2012 with a Bachelor’s in Business Management. With notable roles aboard the USCGC Cambell, as an Intelligence Officer, and distinguished service at CGAS Savannah, he now serves as Flight Safety Officer at CGAS San Francisco, holding FAA qualifications in Commercial Instrument Fixed/Rotorcraft and Part 107 UAS Operation.
Lieutenant Lance Freeberg commissioned into the United States Army through the ROTC program at the University of Florida in 2013 with a degree in Criminology. He flew the UH-60 Black Hawk in Afghanistan and conducted numerous aeromedical evacuations in support of Operations Freedoms Sentinel and Resolute Support. In 2022, he transferred to the United States Coast Guard and became a MH-65E aviator. He is also an avid GA pilot and owner of a Mooney M20C.

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 2023 as a Distinguished Flight School for the third year in a row.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Our seminars are free to watch when attended in person at our facility in San Carlos but live streaming and viewing recorded seminars are exclusively available to members. Click here or contact an SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web library of over 500 recorded safety seminars and live-streamed content.

Full Moon Flyers – Harris Ranch
2023-08-30 19:00 - 21:00
This event is FULL and aircraft parking has reached capacity at Harris Ranch. If you would still like to join us, contact the pilots below who have listed being available to take other passengers.

A longtime favorite of pilots in California, Harris Ranch (3O8) is known for its award-winning steak and hamburgers. Located just outside Coalinga, the ranch features a hotel and multiple restaurants, as well as an excellent lighted runway for pilots to fly in. On Wednesday, August 30th let’s fly down to the Ranch to have dinner at their signature restaurant.
The flight down is varied as it takes you from the urban sprawl of the Bay Area, across the Diablo Range, and then an easy flight following the I-5 corridor. You’ll get a view of the ranch from the air before descending for the thin runway that sits just to the south of the restaurant. Upon landing, we’ll walk to the restaurant together at 7 PM, where we will enjoy a variety of freshly cut steaks and other dining options. Harris Ranch is regarded as one of the best restaurants for pilots to fly into in Northern California.
After dinner, depart for a moonlit flight back to the Bay Area. The route is easy, as you will follow the I-5 interstate until reaching Tracy, and then from there, it’s just a quick flight over the Altamont Pass into the Bay Area. If you need to reset your night currency or practice night landings for your next certificate, Los Banos, Tracy, and Byron airports are excellent places to do so.
Important: As Harris Ranch’s restaurant is very popular, please make sure you RSVP no later than August 27th. This will ensure we can accommodate seating for everyone.
Like other FOG events, please RSVP below, and indicate if you are able to take passengers, so we can allow student pilots and other aviation community members to participate.
We look forward to seeing you there!

NO Safety Seminar on Wednesday August 30
2023-08-30 19:00 - 20:30
There will be no safety seminar on Wednesday, August 30. Please consider joining us for our FlyOutGroup event at Harris Ranch instead, refer to our website by clicking here.
We’ll see you for our next safety seminar on Saturday, September 2nd.
-SCFC Seminar Team

What Every Pilot Needs to Know about Aviation Insurance
2023-08-26 12:00 - 13:30
This seminar will be held in person at SCFC, attendance is free and open to all. Web Members will still be able to access our seminars online, both live and recorded. Click here to learn more about the transition.
Interested in watching more of our presentations? View our growing library of over 500 recorded safety seminars available to view in our Members Only Seminar Library, available by clicking here.

Risk management is a critical aspect of safe flying. Good pilots should always be looking to identify risks affecting the flight, and find ways to reduce or remove the risk. Risk can never be eliminated, but our goal is to be prepared for every situation. That last line of defense for financial security in aviation is available through aviation insurance. Whether you are a renter pilot, aircraft owner, or commercial operator, having insurance is a good way to protect yourself financially against unfortunate occurrences.
San Carlos Flight Center welcomes Jenna Cooper from Zanette Aviation Insurance to provide an insight into how aviation insurance works to protect you as a pilot. Insurance can often be very complex and overwhelming, but in this seminar they will highlight the various plans, methods, and ways you can assure you will be fully protected in any situation. They will showcase different examples of claims, plans, and also focus on different ways pilots can prevent certain events from happening again.
While every situation is unique, by promoting safety and awareness and being protected through insurance, every pilot and their aircraft can be covered. We encourage all pilots to attend this seminar. This is a general presentation covering the topic broadly, so unfortunately we will not be able to respond to individual questions about specific incidents and coverage.

Jenna Cooper, originally from Fort Worth, TX, joined the Zanette Aviation team in 2013. Jenna is a Senior Insurance Broker with Zanette Aviation and manages the Light Aircraft side of the business including Light Aircraft Owners, Non-Owned/Renters Insurance, Small Fleet Rental and instruction, and Part 91 Operations.

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 2023 as a Distinguished Flight School for the third year in a row.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Our seminars are free to watch when attended in person at our facility in San Carlos but live streaming and viewing recorded seminars are exclusively available to members. Click here or contact an SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web library of over 500 recorded safety seminars and live-streamed content.

Upwind End of Year Celebration
2023-08-25 18:30 - 20:00
You are invited to join the Upwind Celebration party on Friday, August 26. Thanks to the generous support from SQL community, the Upwind Summer Scholarship Program completed its 10th year of providing ground and flight training to high-school pilots. Join us to celebrate the continuing accomplishment of the Upwind Program!
Join us to celebrate this year’s amazing recipients. Please RSVP below so we can get a headcount for food and drinks.
