Destination Santa Barbara
This seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing
| Santa Barbara, the city by the sea. Whether you travel here for the classic California getaway or just to watch the perfect sunset, Santa Barbara will not disappoint. This highly accessible location is a short flight away from the San Francisco Bay, and nearby to the major metropolis of Los Angeles. Taking on new cross-country destinations such as Santa Barbara challenge us to expand our skills and adapt to different scenarios.
San Carlos Flight Center invites Commercial Pilot Brandan Dadoun to discuss his recent flights into Santa Barbara and share with us what pilots flying into Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (KSBA) need to know. In this seminar, Brandan will summarize flight planning including special considerations for pilots operating in the vicinity of Santa Ynez mountains. He’ll help familiarize us with operations at a busy Class C airport with constantly changing weather patterns, and give tips on what to do after you land. Brandan’s demonstration will include the use of flight planning tools such as ForeFlight, SkyVector, and AviationWeather.Gov to ensure you have familiarized yourself with all aspects of your flight. If you ever considered venturing to Santa Barbara, this will be an informative head start to your flight planning. We hope you can join us. |
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Brandan Dadoun is a commercial, multi-engine pilot and SCFC’s Seminar Coordinator. He has completed the majority of his flight training at SCFC with over 500 flight hours and has extensive flying experience throughout the West Coast in both piston and turbine-powered aircraft. In 2021, Brandan was awarded by the FAA for his achievements in promoting aviation safety. Outside of flying and presenting, he enjoys playing the saxophone and staying active. |
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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 2022 as a Distinguished Flight School. SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Livestream access is free for everyone, but recorded seminars are available solely to members at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web archive.
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The Bay Area Pilots Guide to Travis AFB RAPCON
This seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing
| Travis Air Force Base’s Radar Approach Control (RAPCON) is a unique approach facility that many Bay Area Pilots get the opportunity to talk to. Either transitioning through to Sacramento, or when landing at Nut Tree in Vacaville, GA pilots will often communicate with Travis RAPCON for radar services and to better interact with the unusual flight activities in the Travis Alert Area A-682. From VFR aircraft to C17’s practicing approaches, Travis handles it all.
San Carlos Flight Center invites Technical Sergeant Gordon Lynch to discuss the Travis RAPCON and its ATC services. In this seminar they will cover how Travis accommodates basic service to VFR aircraft, and the benefits of receiving VFR flight following within their airspace. They will also explain some of the ways that Class E airspace relates to Travis AFB, and why it’s important to be talking to Travis RAPCON while operating in their airspace. Lastly, how pilots can be direct, clear, and concise on the radio while talking to ATC. The presenters are also eager to take questions from the GA flying community. If you have ever wondered about the approach operations at Travis AFB, or if you want to learn more about their services and experiences; you won’t want to miss this seminar.
Technical Sergeant (TSgt) Thomas Gordon “PJ” Lynch has had a wealth of experience serving as an Air Traffic Controller across the world. He has served in both the terminal control and radar environments in Georgia, Turkey, Portugal, Qatar, and most recently at Travis Air Force Base in California as head of ATC Standards and Evaluations. He has always enjoyed educating pilots and controllers and improving the pilot-controller relationship. Staff Sergeant (SSgt) Derek “DK” Calmeyn is a Radar Approach Controller and Tower Watch Supervisor at Travis Air Force Base in California. He is excited to share his knowledge with the surrounding pilot community.
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| 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 2022 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Livestream access is free for everyone, but recorded seminars are available solely to members at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web archive.
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The Devil in the Details of Practical Tests – Insights from a DPE
This seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing
| Checkrides can be intimidating. Leading up to a checkride, applicants always hear about the stories of failure. Often applicants get too caught up in the failures of others, what they did wrong, and how the examiner “wanted” them to fail. This leads many to prepare themselves specifically for one examiner, meanwhile overlooking the details of the ACS standards and the habits that could ultimately make them a better pilot.
San Carlos Flight Center invites Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE), Scott Rohlfing, to share with applicants how a detailed approach to flying can set them apart from the rest of the applicants. DPEs do not just evaluate an applicant on their ability to perform within ACS skill standards, but the way they behave in practice, the risks they take, and their overall aeronautical decision making. In this seminar, learn how to develop good flying practices through the attention to detail. The Airmen Certification Standards refers to many of the following details as evaluation criteria including, the proper and consistent use of checklists throughout every phase of flight, the positive exchange of flight controls, real time weather briefings, the usage and familiarization of all installed equipment in the aircraft, and much more. Learn to be aware of the way you operate and the bad habits you’ve already developed as a fledgling pilot. These details, individually may not fail you on a check ride, but collectively they will end in a notice of disapproval or worst case, an NTSB investigation or Pilot Deviation. Make it your mission to become a detail-oriented, safe and competent pilot. Join us for this unique opportunity to hear from a DPE on how you can improve the way you fly, and feel confident about your next practical test. |
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Scott Rohlfing is a DPE in the San Jose FSDO District and has conducted almost 1,000 practical tests. As a Gold Seal Flight Instructor he has given more than 6500 hours of dual instruction to CFIs and pilots of every level. When not evaluating airmen or providing training, Scott has been a corporate pilot for 17 years and an active political advocate against the closure of Reid Hillview Airport. |
| 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 2022 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Livestream access is free for everyone, but recorded seminars are available solely to members at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web archive. |
Lessons Learned from the Airlines
| This seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing
Earning a pilot certificate means getting a ticket to learn. But how do you learn without making mistakes? Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment. More advanced ratings provide exposure to challenging situations. In particular, pilots transitioning to the airlines train to deal with challenging scenarios and to work with others to safely make the right decisions. San Carlos Flight Center invites Airline Captain Jessica Reinschmidt to share lessons learned from the airlines. In this seminar, Jessica will discuss how her complex training prepared her to perform under pressure, effectively work with others, and practice proper resource management both inside and outside of the flightdeck. Learn from real life examples recognizing hazardous scenarios, how to handle them, and knowing which resources to use. We encourage everyone to join us for this unique opportunity to learn from an experienced aviation professional, ask questions, and improve your skills.
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| Jessica Reinschmidt is an Airbus Captain at Alaska Airlines, by way of Virgin America. Her path to the flight deck has not been a straight shot. Instead, she followed an indirect path to follow her dream. After being told in High School that she could never be an airline pilot, she pursued a degree in Meteorology, but found that her guidance counselor was wrong. She transferred to the University of Illinois’ Combined Flight/Maintenance Program. She has experience being a Line Fueler, Gate Agent, Ramp Agent, Customer Service Supervisor, and long time CFI before landing her first airline job with Mesa Airlines in 2005. She grew up in suburban Chicago, where she continues to live with her husband (a Spirit Pilot), and her two sons.
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| 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 2022 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Livestream access is free for everyone, but recorded seminars are available solely to members at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web archive. |
Ground School Refresher: Weather Services
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 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 Chief Pilot Herb Patten investigates 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.
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| 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 2021, Herb was named a Distinguished Flight Instructor by AOPA.
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| 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 2022 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Livestream access is free for everyone, but recorded seminars are available solely to members at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web archive.
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How a Seaplane Rating Will Save Your Life
This seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing
| Have you ever thought about how having a Seaplane rating will enhance your knowledge of how to handle emergencies? Most pilots have never had to think about landing in the water, until the unexpected happens. Which way will you land? Gear up, down, or does it matter? Open the doors before you land? How can you practice an emergency water landing?
San Carlos Flight Center invites CFI Shane Terpstra to discuss how a Seaplane rating can be a useful rating for pilots. Most of us spend a lot of time looking down as the ground goes by thinking about the best place to put our airplanes in the event of an emergency. Living in an area where water surrounds us, the possibility of having to ditch becomes even more prevalent. With a Seaplane rating, pilots can feel more at ease about safely evaluating the landing site, and ditching in the water. In this seminar, Shane will discuss how Seaplane pilots can understand the water below, and carefully handle all the risks. Join us for this unique opportunity to explore the benefit of adding a seaplane rating to your certificate.
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| Shane Terpstra is an Airline Transport Pilot, Certificated Flight Instructor (Single & Multi-Engine Land and Single-Engine Sea) with Instrument Privileges, an FAA Gold Seal Flight Instructor and a NAFI Master Instructor. After pursuing a career in Information Technology, Shane stayed true to his passion for aviation by continuously flying or advancing his ratings over the past 30 years. Shane has over a decade of experience as a flight instructor and is currently the Director of Safety and Chief Pilot for the largest flight club in the world. Shane is a passionate aviation enthusiast, FAA FAASTeam Lead Representative, NTSB-trained Accident Investigator, and former airline Captain. He is also a former Civil Air Patrol Incident Commander and SAR Pilot with over 20 years of experience.
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| 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 2022 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Livestream access is free for everyone, but recorded seminars are available solely to members at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web archive. |
Colorado Trip Recap
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 Colorado mountains are filled with countless picturesque sights and landmarks, and the Bay Area Fly Out Group (FOG) recently experienced that on an amazing flying trip throughout the rocky mountains. Colorado brings pilots some of the most challenging terrains to fly around, and toughest airports to land at; and during this seminar you’ll learn from our pilots first hand experience of how to navigate this process.
San Carlos Flight Center invites private pilots Daivde Semerzin and John Hendricks to discuss some of the highlights from the trip which include mountain flying operations, high density altitude awareness, positive aircraft control, and the application of true cross-country flight planning. Any pilot can benefit learning from their experience. Please join us for a recap of this trip with picture and video highlights, and insights from the pilots that attended. |
Planning a Flight with ForeFlight
This seminar will only be available for online viewing. IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.**
Click here to learn more about online viewing
| ForeFlight is a useful tool for many pilots as it provides a number of tools a pilot might need to plan a flight, obtain a weather briefing, and track their flight in real time. 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 commercial pilot Travis Bender to provide a walk-through of how they use ForeFlight to plan a cross-country flight. In this seminar, they will investigate what it takes to accurately plot checkpoints, calculate performance values, and ensure that you as the pilot are familiar with “all available information concerning a flight.” The presenters will start the session with a sample flight mission so that viewers/attendees can follow along in real-time using ForeFlight on their own device. ForeFlight offers a wealth of features that can sometimes be overwhelming. We hope you will join us for this seminar to see a practical aspect of this app towards real-world flight planning.
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| Travis Bender is a commercial pilot who learned to fly at the Flight Center. He is actively working on his CFI rating and leads the Marketing and Events team at SCFC. When he’s not at the airport, Travis currently works in a strategic finance role at a major Silicon Valley company.
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| 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 2022 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Livestream access is free for everyone, but recorded seminars are available solely to members at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web archive.
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Preventive Maintenance at a 50-Hour Service
| In November of last year, SCFC presented a seminar in which we reviewed the types of things a pilot can do that qualify as preventive maintenance. Now, we will revisit the topic in the context of a real-world 50-hour service done on a regularly flying aircraft.
San Carlos Flight Center invites A&P Tim Davis to talk in-depth about tasks pilots can perform during a 50-hour service. There are many tasks that qualify as preventive maintenance. In this seminar, Tim will identify those tasks that pilots could perform such as oil changes, cleaning and gapping spark plugs, light bulb replacements and lubrication of flight controls. He will describe the steps to perform these tasks and the required steps to document the maintenance. If you wanted to gain a real world understanding of how to apply your knowledge of preventive maintenance, join us for this unique opportunity. |
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| 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 2022 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Livestream access is free for everyone, but recorded seminars are available solely to members at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web archive.
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The Green Book – What’s New in the Chart Supplement
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 sometimes refer to the FAA Aeronautical Chart Supplement as the “Green Book” due to the color of the printed book. This reference is rich with details about airports, and is re-issued every 8 weeks, making it one of the most repurchased components of a complete flight deck. With the advent of digital flight tools and digital publishing, many pilots now access this trove of data via computer tables and in-flight cockpit displays, but the value is still there. There may be even more content than you are familiar with, as a result of recent FAA changes and improvements to the Chart Supplement.
San Carlos Flight Center invites Herb Patten, Chief Pilot to give a guided tour of the amazing details found in the Chart Supplement. What has changed? Hot Spots! What is new? Arrival Alert Notices! What is no longer published? Aeronautical chart updates. This seminar will provide you with a refresh of the content as well as helping you to find this content if you use ForeFlight. The Chart Supplement is full of lots of features to aid in your flight planning. Join us to get reacquainted with us to be better prepared on your next flight.
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| 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.
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| 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 2022 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Livestream access is free for everyone, but recorded seminars are available solely to members at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access to our web archive.
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