Navigating Brain Biases and Mastering Decision-Making
This seminar will only be available for online viewing.
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Interested in learning more about the potential hazards different flight conditions have on our decision-making? Check out a related seminar covering the effects of High Altitude Flight on decision-making. This seminar is available to view for Members in our Seminar Library by clicking here.
| Flying involves making a continuous series of decisions. Human decision making has a number of known pitfalls and error laden tendencies that can be a hazard in flight. As pilots, we can improve our decision-making by understanding the brain’s decision-making process and recognizing biases that may affect our choices.
San Carlos Flight Center invites ATP and CFI Gerry Binnema to cover a basic model of decision making, and discuss the six brain biases that can lead us to make risky decisions. In this seminar, learn a new approach to decision-making by understanding our brains behavior and its influence both in and out of the flight deck. By recognizing these biases and utilizing a new approach to decision-making, pilots can effectively manage risk and avoid dangerous situations. We encourage all pilots to tune into this seminar to gain valuable insights into the workings of the brain and its surprising relationship to our everyday flying.
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| Gerry Binnema is an ATP and CFI, a former aircraft accident investigator, safety officer, and aviation safety consultant with a passion to help people fly safe.
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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. |
Risky Weather
This seminar will only be available for online viewing.
Click here to learn more about online viewing
Interested in learning more about decision-making and risk management? Watch a similar seminar, “VFR into IMC: Trapped by the Weather or Trapped by Ourselves?” available to view to Web Members on our Seminar Library. Click here to watch.
| Risk is present everywhere. Managing risk is a topic deeply ingrained into our aviation safety culture. Pilots are responsible for identifying risks associated with each flight and take appropriate action to avoid them. While this process may sound easy, it can be a real challenge in the constantly changing environment we operate in.
San Carlos Flight Center invites ATP and CFI Preston Harrison to share more on understanding key elements of risk mitigation both before and in-flight. While some hazards are easy to identify, others can be more challenging to pinpoint. In this seminar, he will share his experience dealing with an inadvertent icing encounter and the unpredictability of weather. Even with thorough briefings and risk assessment, he was missing the greater picture. Join us to unravel what common risk assesment tools do not tell you. Sometimes, when there is a doubt, the best thing to do is cancel the flight. By anticipating and making sensible decisions about risk, pilots can prevent dangerous situations and fly safely. Join us to hear about this unique situation and make better decisions about your flying.
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| Preston Harrison is the current Multi Engine Flight Standards Instructor at ATP Flight School located at Ellington Field (KEFD) in Houston, TX. He is a Gold Seal CFI, CFII and MEI as well as a FAA Instrument Ground Instructor. In 2023, he was named a Distinguished Flight Instructor by AOPA. Preston’s aviation career began in Lake Charles, LA where he earned his Private Rating in 2013. He continued his training in Austin, TX in 2020, where he earned all his additional pilot and flight instructor ratings. He has since instructed at multiple airports all over Texas and now spends most of his time doing advanced multi engine training such as complex endorsements, commercial and private add-on’s, CFII and MEI training out of his home airport in Houston.
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. |
In-Person Seminars Begin – Private Pilot Jeopardy
| Starting with this presentation, most of our seminars will be held at SCFC’s office. In-person 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.
Do you remember everything from your private pilot checkride? Being safe means keeping all that knowledge current and finding a fun way to test yourself. The San Carlos Flight Center has just the answer for you! Calling all pilots to play Private Pilot Jeopardy! Put yourself to the test against other pilots to win the title of Private Pilot Jeopardy Champion. You are surely up for a challenge with our facilitators Chief Pilot Herb Patten, and SCFC Founder Dan Dyer. In this game show-styled safety seminar, you will be quizzed on Federal Aviation Regulations, cockpit resource management, weather safety, aeronautical principles, situational awareness, and much more. Come to this seminar prepared with all the knowledge you brought to your private pilot checkride. All information that a VFR private pilot should know is fair game. May the best pilot win!
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
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. |
A Comprehensive Look into the 100hr Inspection
This seminar will only be available for online viewing.
Click here to learn more about online viewing
Interested in learning more from a mechanics perspective? Watch our growing library of mechanically orientated presentations such as Pre-Flight Tips from a Mechanic, What is a 50hr Inspection? and Preventative Maintenance. All of these seminars are available to view in our Members Only Seminar Library available by clicking here.
| Many airplanes get inspected every 100 hours, but do you know what the 100-hour inspection entails? Do you know what issues are commonly found during 100 hour inspections? Or do you know what the mechanics are inspecting or looking for throughout this process? If not, you will want to attend this seminar.
San Carlos Flight Center invites A&P Charles Rudolf to give an overview of what problems are typically found during the 100 hour and how to spread more awareness to pilots. In this seminar he will detail the tasks that are performed in a typical 100-hour inspection, provide an overview of how to handle discrepancies, and highlight the common issues that are associated with 100hr inspections. Charles will also relay how pilots can commonly cause wear and tear risking the potential for even further damage on the aircraft. By using real-life examples and pictures, pilots can be more aware of the most frequent issues present during inspections.
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| Charles Rudolf is an A&P Mechanic at SCFC. Charles has been an active A&P for over 2 years and enjoys working on general aviation aircraft. He enjoys teaching others and is looking forward to speaking with the greater 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 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. |
Ground School Refresher: VFR Charts
This seminar will only be available for online viewing.
Click here to learn more about online viewing
Interested in learning more about ground-school-related topics? Check out our Ground School Refresher series which covers a wide variety of different topics available in our Members Only Seminar Library. For an example, click here.
| VFR charts pack an extraordinary amount of material and represent a 3-dimensional world of terrain and airspaces in 2 dimensions. With such a wealth of information, do you really know how to read them? For example, do you know how to identify where certain VFR reporting waypoints are on a chart? Or can you determine if the airport you are landing at has an operating beacon, pilot controlled lighting, or lighting at all?
San Carlos Flight Center invites CFI Edward Abraham to give pilots a refresher on VFR charts. He will entertain you while educating you about common as well as uncommon VFR charts symbology. In this seminar expect a thorough investigation of these charts, the related symbology, and interesting facts that you could use to impress your friends. Throughout the presentation, Edward will provide many real-life examples and allow the audience to follow-along looking at charts on their own. While you may know the basics, there is always something new or some little nuance that we didn’t realize. All pilots can benefit from a refresher on VFR charts, so join us to refresh your memory and learn more.
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| Edward Abraham is a CFI at San Carlos Flight Center. A Bay Area native and aviation enthusiast, his passion took flight after graduating from San Jose State University with a degree in business management and a minor in aviation. After graduating, he worked as a Customer Service Supervisor for United Airlines while simultaneously building hours and working towards his advanced ratings at the San Carlos Airport. Edward is excited to be a flight instructor for the San Carlos Flight Center and looks forward to teaching the next generation of pilots.
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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. |
Enroute Radio Communications
This seminar will only be available for online viewing.
Click here to learn more about online viewing
Interested in learning more about Radio Communications? This is part two of our four-part Radio Communication Series, available to watch for members in our Members Only Seminar Library by clicking here.
| Flying through in the many airspaces of California requires a high degree of situational awareness and sophisticated radio skills. And yet, radio communication is rarely taught as a specific subject during private pilot training. Usually, new pilots just absorb what they hear on the frequency around them, both good and bad. Although some radio techniques are covered in ground school, rarely do student pilots get the time devoted to demystifying this often-confusing subject.
San Carlos Flight Center invites Chief Pilot Herb Patten and CFI Dan Dyer to show how to perfect your communication and phraseology. They will cover radio phraseology from the basics through advanced ATC services with emphasis on flight following and flight service stations. This seminar will include many examples on how to recognize bad radio calls, and how to fix them. Learn how to make radio communication easier and safer for all pilots. If you are interested in becoming better at your radio, you don’t want to miss this seminar.
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| 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
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 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. |
Emergency Signaling: ELT’s and PLB’s
This seminar will only be available for online viewing.
Click here to learn more about online viewing
Interested in learning more about survival in your aircraft? Search for our survival series of Safety Seminars such as “First Aid for Pilots” available to members on our Members Only Seminar Library available by clicking here.
| Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) are becoming cheaper and more reliable. Why would a pilot need a PLB if they already have an onboard ELT? How would a PLB help a pilot in an emergency? What is a PLB anyway?
San Carlos Flight Center invites Chief Pilot Herb Patten to explain the critical differences between PLBs and ELTs. In this seminar, he will review the history of the emergence of regulations on ELTs, review accident data that highlights the problems and challenges of the original ELT design, describe the enhancements offered in the new 406-MHz ELT and how they function and provide an update on the proposed regulations for ELT requirements. Most pilots are aware of the onboard Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) in their personal or rented airplanes. Most know that the older models transmitted a distress signal on 121.5-MHz in the event of a hard landing. But how many know what frequency the new models transmit on? How does an ELT differ from a PLB? Do you know the differences in who receives your distress signal and how quickly? Don’t miss this seminar if you want to be prepared in post-emergency landing situations, and how you can increase your chances of surviving through the use of ELT’s and PLB’s. |
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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 thought safety, community, and adventure. AOPA has consistently recognized SCFC in their Best Flight School survey, most recently in 2019 as a Distinguished Flight School.
SCFC is committed to promoting safety in general aviation through our regular safety seminars and guest speaker programs. Space is often limited so it is important to sign up early. SCFC members may choose to watch the seminar live over the web at home, or recorded at a later date. Click here or contact a SCFC member service rep at (650) 946-1700 for more information about online access. |
Los Angeles Airspace and Destination San Bernadino
This seminar will only be available for online viewing.
Click here to learn more about online viewing
Interested in learning more about unique destinations for pilots to travel to? Check out our “Destination” series of seminars available to members in our online Seminar Library, for an example click here.
| Southern California has an extensive and dense airspace system. The airspace, along with its many transition routes, can prove to be a true challenge for pilots new to the area. Be prepared and know what to expect in one of the most unique airspaces in the US.
San Carlos Flight Center invites CFI Ryan Sartor who travels extensively to the Los Angeles area, to cover safe and correct ways to transition LA airspace. In this seminar he will discuss VFR corridors, transition routes, and provide a refresher on airspace regulations. Additionally, he will cover what every pilot needs to know flying in and out of the San Bernadino Airport (KSBD) including departure, arrival, and local procedures in preparation for the multi-day FlyOutGroup trip to KSBD for a SoCal Airshow. If you are planning on flying within the LA Basin anytime soon or plan to attend this multi-day trip, do not miss out on this seminar.
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| Ryan Sartor is a SCFC CFI. After navigating the San Diego and Los Angeles airspace for over three years, he decided it was time to challenge himself and move to the San Francisco Bay Area where he is settling in well. With about 800 hours of dual instruction time given, Ryan is continuously striving to grow as a pilot, instructor, and a mentor for his students.
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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. |
Imagination Set Free: The Story of Stanley Hiller, Jr.
| This seminar will only be available for online viewing.
Click here to learn more about online viewing This seminar does not qualify for WINGS Credit. Interested in learning more about aviation topics? Check out our Members Only Seminar Library available for Web Members, available by clicking here.
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Transition to the Cessna 206
This seminar will only be available for online viewing.
Click here to learn more about online viewing
You may also be interested in our “Transition to” series which highlights pilots’ transition to many different makes/models. These seminars are available to view in our Members Only Seminar Library which can be accessed by clicking here.
| The Cessna 206 is a six seat, high-performance airplane. It is known as the Stationair and has a variety of mission profiles. With more payload, seating capacity and speed than a Cessna 182, the Stationair provides the capabilities for pilots that have outgrown the 182. In addition to the constant speed propeller the 206 also comes equipped with a turbocharged engine which is an additional complexity for the pilot stepping up from a Cessna 182.
San Carlos Flight Center is pleased to introduce a Cessna 206 to the fleet. This seminar provides the foundational knowledge necessary to understand the engine components, oxygen system, instrumentation, and operating procedures. San Carlos Flight Center invites CFI Herb Patten as he reviews the systems of this aircraft and why it has earned its reputation as the airborne family hauler. This seminar is a fundamental part of the ground training required of pilots planning to get checked out and fly this aircraft at the San Carlos Flight Center. Pilots transitioning to new aircraft must be familiar with its operating characteristics and limitations. Join us to develop a routine of how to analyze new aircraft and fly with confidence.
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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.
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.
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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 archive of over 500 recorded safety seminars. |