It is hard to believe 24 months have passed so quickly, but now you are ready for your flight review. You could always call your flight school and schedule your flight review. You could also participate in activities that expand your knowledge, challenge your skills, connect you with other pilots, and are just plain fun.

The activities to which I am referring are part of the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) WINGS program. WINGS is a pilot proficiency program that addresses accident-causing factors in the general aviation community. The WINGS program is simple to join and incredibly beneficial if you want to be a safe and proficient pilot.

What is WINGS?

In the general aviation community, we often hear about accidents that could have and should have been prevented had the pilots remained proficient. In aviation, we often refer to the “Swiss cheese model,” in which a sequence of events occur that together can be catastrophic and lead to accidents. If we can break the chain of events, we can prevent accidents. Preventing accidents and promoting aviation safety is the FAASTeam's focus. As its motto says, “Safer skies through education.”

Through the WINGS pilot proficiency program, the FAASTeam hopes to reduce the number of accidents each year. It accomplishes this by providing the necessary resources to pilots to promote aviation safety. These resources also improve our skills as pilots and increase our knowledge within the industry.

Not only does the WINGS program promote safety, but it is also proven to produce safer pilots. A 2011 FAASTeam study found that pilots who participate in the WINGS program had fewer accidents than pilots who did not participate.

How Does WINGS Work?

The WINGS program has three basic phases: Basic, Advanced, and Master. Each phase has specific requirements to fulfill, which are usually three knowledge credits and three flight activities. The aviation community is diverse not only in age and geographic location, but also in the diverse types of flying pilots may do. Therefore, you can customize your credits by completing tasks that will benefit you the most based on your specific needs.

The WINGS program provides you access to many beneficial resources, including webinars, seminars, videos, and activities. Seminars are available both in-person and virtual. Aviation insurer Avemco sponsors a lapel pin program in which you can earn lapel pins based on the credits you earn in the WINGS program. When you complete any phase of WINGS, you satisfy the requirements for a flight review. More importantly, you can connect with other pilots, learn from their experiences, do some networking, and perhaps find a safety pilot.

Need even more incentive? The WINGS Industry Advisory Committee (WIAC) awards $10,000 in cash prizes to those who participate in the WINGS program.

My experience with the WINGS pilot proficiency program started when I was a private pilot. I wanted to become more proficient and exercise safer practices while flying. I also wanted to increase my involvement in the general aviation community by participating in local seminars and completing various online courses and activities. As a Certified Flight Instructor and a FAASTeam Representative, I look forward to consolidating both roles by encouraging current and future pilots to benefit from the great WINGS resources.

Who Can Join the WINGS Program?

The short answer to who can join the WINGS program is every pilot, even if you are a student just beginning your flight training. In fact, becoming part of WINGS as a student is a tremendous boost to your training due to the sheer number of resources at your disposal.

If you are a flight instructor, you can offer WINGS credit to students. You can cover certain safety-related topics as a standalone lesson or as part of your flight school’s syllabus or training program. Not only does this make your students safer pilots, but it also establishes you as an authority on aviation safety.

Aircraft mechanics can also participate in the WINGS program even if they are not pilots. The WINGS program offers several training opportunities and awards for certified aviation mechanics.

You can join the FAASTeam as a Member, which demonstrates your commitment to promoting safety throughout our industry. You can take your membership one step further and apply to become a Representative, as I have done. This means you go through special training to help further promote safety among the pilots in your community.

How Do I Register for WINGS?

Registration for the WINGS program is easy if you follow these four steps:

Step 1: Visit the FAASafety.gov website and create your account.

Step 2: Log into your account.

Step 3: Click on the Activities, Courses, Seminars & Webinars Tab to view all the available resources.

Step 4: Click on the Pilots tab and navigate to My WINGS.

Next, you will see suggested knowledge and flight activities with an opportunity to enroll in these activities. If you prefer other activities, the Alternate Activities option leads you to other activities or courses to satisfy the requirements

Make sure you ask your CFI about validating your flight activities. If you are still in training, you might qualify for some flight credits.

I hope you will take the initiative to continue to promote safety and proficiency in our community by taking part in this great resource.

Want to learn more about WINGS? Check out this video, “FAA WINGS in 57 Seconds.”

Ismail Dakrouri's passion for aviation began when a friend of his father introduced him to aviation when Ismail was five years old. Like many people who are introduced to aviation, Ismail's early introduction to aviation led to a life-long love of the industry. Learn more about Ismail and the rest of the Elon Aviation staff at www.elonaviation.com.