wrote in :

Brian C. wrote:
I attended one on 6/14 without charge, so its not FAA policy. This
is the first I've heard of someone charging for the ground seminar
for WINGS credit.

We just held our mountain flying ground school for Colorado Pilots
Assocation. We charge $145 for the course and materials.
Oh, by the way, we also give away an FAA Wings card, because
the instructors are FAA Aviation Safety counselors.

It costs to put on a seminar. It costs for materials duplication, the
room, refreshments.. This is the only fund raiser for Colorado Pilots
Assocation.

It is unfortunate that the FAA web site failed to note that there
was a charge for the seminar you attended. However, I suspect
that the FAA did not host nor put on the seminar. Someone has
to rent the room, schedule the insructors, plan the program,
et.al.

Most of the safety seminars (Wings Programs) I do are gratis,
no charge, and I get handouts from FAA, and the duplication
costs (that I pay) are usually less than $50. Why do I do it?
TO get students! This is my loss-leader to suggest that people
should come and fly with me.

Best regards,

Jer/ "Flight instruction and mountain flying are my vocation!"
Eberhard


Jer -

What you and the Colorodo Pilots Association are doing is different
from what I was referring to, and I completely agree with there being a fee
for your ground school. You are selling a mountain flying ground school,
which, as a bonus, also qualifies as a Wings safety seminar. You are NOT
selling a Wings safety seminar.

I did not attend the Wings safety seminar I was referring to, as I
had been to the same seminar several times in the past 10 years at various
flying clubs. This was NOT an all day course, but a typical 2 hour Wings
safety seminar provided in the flying club's facility. Another flying club
in the area had a Wings safety seminar on the same topic on the same day
and did not charge for it!

The typical Wings seminars I've attended are two hours, given in the
classrooms of local flying clubs, and scheduled not to interfere with their
regular classes. On some occaisons, a local company or agency (Sony and
NASA for example) donate the use of their auditorium, as was done by NASA
for the seminar with John and Martha King. None of these seminars ever had
a charge. There have even been all day Wings seminars, advertised as Wings
seminars at the local convention center for which there was no charge.

My point is that if you are advertising a class, then yes, I would
expect a charge. If this class also counts as a Wings safety seminar,
that's a bonus. If you are advertising a Wings safety seminar, I do not
expect a charge. Regardless of what is being advertised, if there is a
charge, it should be clearly stated in ALL notices.

--
Marty Shapiro
Silicon Rallye Inc.

(remove SPAMNOT to email me)