In-Person Workshop – Under the Cowling
This in-person workshop will be held in person at SCFC, attendance is free and open to all. This in-person workshop will not be live-streamed so the only attendance will be in-person.
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 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 Charles Rudolf 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
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.
Maintenance Logbooks Made Easy
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.
| Aircraft records are significant for safety and legal reasons. Maintenance and inspections are meticulously recorded in more aircraft logbooks, such as airframe, engine, propeller, and sometimes avionics. Pilots need to understand the details of aircraft logbook entries to validate the airworthiness of the airplane before flight, especially after the plane has returned from servicing. Preparing for a checkride is one instance where the pilot-in-command needs to know every piece of the aircraft’s airworthiness. When was the last annual inspection? If 100-hour inspections are required, when was the last 100 hour inspection done? Has the work been logged appropriately in the maintenance records. Are all the airworthiness directives complied with? Being able to read and interpret maintenance logbook entries is the only way to confirm the aircraft is airworthy. In this seminar, join Chief Pilot Herb Patten as he examines aircraft maintenance logbook entries and highlights what you need to pay attention to as a PIC. We encourage any pilot to attend.
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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 2023, 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 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. |
NO Safety Seminar on Saturday, July 17
There will be no Safety Seminar on Saturday, July 17th. Please join us back for our next seminar on Wednesday, June 21st at 7 PM.
– SCFC Seminar Planning Team
Destination Catalina Island
| 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 learning about more exciting destinations? Check out our growing Members Only Seminar Library with over 500 recorded presentations, many which include highlighting unique and aeronautically challenging destinations. Click here to view.
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| Brandan Dadoun is a commercial multi-engine pilot with over 700 flight hours. He has extensive flying experience in both piston and turbine-powered aircraft. Brandan has been part of the SCFC community since 2015 and is currently the SCFC Event Manager where he oversees all Flight Center events, including its Safety Seminar Program and FlyOutGroup. 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 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. |
NO Safety Seminar on Wednesday, July 12
There will be NO Safety Seminar this Wednesday, July 12th. Please tune in for the next seminar on Saturday, July 15th.
What’s Going on at San Carlos Airport?
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? Check out our growing Safety Seminar Library of over 500 recorded presentations available to our members. Click here to view.
| Keeping an airport strong takes a lot of hard work. Sometimes it can be hard for pilots to keep up with all the changes and their impact on the safety of flight. 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. SCFC invites San Carlos Airport Manager Gretchen Kelly and Assistant Airport Manager Michael Byrne to update the pilot community on anything that can impact the safety of flight operations. They will talk about upcoming airport and runway closures, including the repavement project, as well as what changes pilots can expect to operating rules and procedures. San Carlos Airport procedures are constantly changing as a result of varying traffic levels, noise complaints, and changes to airspace. It is critical that all pilots pay special attention to procedures and operations around the airport environment. If you fly to San Carlos Airport, this presentation will bring you the latest news and information for pilots coming from the SQL Airport Management office.
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| 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.
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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 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. 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 library of over 500 recorded safety seminars. |
Investigating Aircraft Ownership
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.
| At some time, most pilots consider owning their own plane. Have you? Because of the large investment and the risks associated, buying a plane can be as daunting as buying a small home. What costs should you expect? Will owning save you money over renting? What about buying an airplane with partners? San Carlos Flight Center invites aircraft owner Dan Dyer joined by SCFC Owner Alessandro Franco to share the advantages of buying your own airplane. In this seminar, they will discuss how to choose the right airplane for your mission profile, how to navigate the purchase process, and what to consider when inspecting a potential airplane. The challenge of owning an airplane doesn’t end after the initial purchase. With the variety of variable costs and fixed costs, the cost of ownership can add up quickly. Offset these costs by putting your aircraft on leaseback with San Carlos Flight Center. After talking through leaseback opportunities they will conclude with how being an aircraft owner can help further a pilots understanding of their aircraft and maintenance. If you ever considered purchasing your own airplane and want to hear firsthand about airplane ownership and learn from the experiences of others, join us for this unique opportunity to become enlightened about airplane ownership.
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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 2023, Herb was named a Distinguished Flight Instructor by AOPA. 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 Alessandro Franco is a pilot and the Owner of the San Carlos Flight Center. Alessandro is the lead of all Flight Center operations, activities, and relations including it’s owner leaseback program.
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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 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. |
Ground School Refresher Weather Theory
| 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 learning more about ground school related topics? Check out more of these seminars available on our growing Members Only Seminar Library which is available for viewing by Web Members. Click here to view.
Weather can play a huge factor in any pilots pre-flight planning and actual flight. Weather is a complex subject that can affect an aircraft’s performance, ability to generate lift, along with many other things. From the subtle forming of clouds, to thunderstorms and microbursts, how can you stay safe in the air? San Carlos Flight Center invites CFI Nathanial Green to cover the topic of weather theory. In this seminar he will provide a general outlook on weather and how it is created, how the coriolis effect affects weather, how to detect adverse weather patterns, fog, and much more. Be more confident on your next flight knowing that you have made the right decisions for your flight. If you have ever had difficulties trying to grasp the complexities of weather, then this is the seminar for you. | |||
| Nathaniel Green is a CFI at San Carlos Flight Center. He attended Utah Valley University where he completed all his training and certificates, graduating with a Bachelors in Aviation Science. Nathaniel finds flying to be one of the most exhilarating and challenging decisions one can choose. Nathaniel is beyond excited to take students through a similar journey of learning how to fly and becoming a pilot. | |||
| 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. |
Flight Instrument Failures
| 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 learning more advance topics? Check out our growing seminar library available to Web Members on our Members Only Seminar Library. Click here to view.
The flight instruments are a rich source of information for pilots. They are used both in visual weather conditions and instrument conditions, but are essential in instrument conditions. Most of the time they just work, but what happens when they don’t? A key to understanding how flight instruments can fail is to first have knowledge of the underlying design and operation of the systems. The next step is to look at failure points and then understand how these failures will manifest themselves on the flight instruments. This seminar will explore the inner workings of the flight instruments with a focus on points of failure and the resultant impact on the flight instruments. Join us to learn more about these essential systems and the failure modes.
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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 2023, 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 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 Departure Procedures
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 learning more about advanced instrument related topics? Check out more of these seminars available on our growing Members Only Seminar Library which is available for viewing by Web Members. Click here to view.
| IFR departures are one of the most poorly-understood and under-taught topics in IFR flight. The process of getting safely from the surface, avoiding surrounding obstacles, to the safety of the en route IFR structure, all while operating at maximum performance configuration, lower speeds, and high pitch attitudes can be daunting. IFR airports can have many different departure procedures. Do you know which one you can expect? In this safety seminar, CFI Brian Eliot will review the selection of instrument departure procedures. He will provide a publication roadmap to these procedures and review the critical safety items, as well as what to typically expect in common practice. This program is a must for pilots working on their instrument rating, or working to stay current with instrument departures.
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| 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. |