King Schools To Release Online FIRC For Flight Instructor Renewals

 

Main menu of King Schools Flight Instructor Refresher Course

Lakeland, FL, March 30, 2012 — Today, at SUN ‘n FUN, John and Martha King of King Schools announced that they will release an online Flight Instructor Refresher Course (FIRC) by the end of April. The course follows the latest guidance from the FAA recently released as revision “G” of FAA Advisory Circular 61-83, which specifies more up-to-date topics for flight instructors and puts emphasis on effectively teaching risk management. The King Schools FIRC includes the option to have King Schools handle all of the instructor’s certificate renewal paperwork, making it unnecessary for a Flight Instructor to visit their local FSDO in order to renew their certificate.

“Solving the two major problems in general aviation, the student dropout rate and the fatality rate, requires a fundamental change in the way we teach,” said John King. “And this program is designed to give renewing flight instructors fresh insights into ways they can help their customers to both become good risk managers and long term members of the pilot community,” King continued.

“The new guidance from the FAA has allowed us to move away from having to cover the same topics that flight instructors learned as private pilots, and to delve into areas that will be interesting, relevant and sometimes provocative for flight instructors,” Martha King commented. “This new approach will be truly refreshing for flight instructors,” continued Martha. “The goal is that by giving flight instructors more insight into topics such as identifying and changing at-risk behaviors, and conducting an effective flight review, they will have more tools available to produce pilots truly ready to be pilot-in-command,’’ added John.

“FIRC options for flight instructors have not changed much in recent years,” continued John. “Renewing flight instructors now have the opportunity to try something new, and we hope they will find our alternative to be engaging, educational and fun,” concluded John.

The King Schools FIRC program has been designed to run on the iPad and on all Windows and Mac Web browsers. It will sell for $99 without CFI renewal processing or $124.95 with processing included.

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About King Schools

For over 36 years, students and pilots at all levels have enjoyed King Schools´ clear, simple and fun courses. In fact, nearly 1 out of every 2 pilots flying in the U.S. today has learned with King. The company is also a leader in on-line pilot certification and avionics training for pilots of high-performance and turbine aircraft. To find out more, please visit www.kingschools.com. or call 1-800-854-1001 (worldwide +1-858-541-2200).

Press Contact

Barry Knuttila, Sr. Vice President of Marketing and Technology, King Schools
direct phone: (858) 576-6265
e-mail: bknuttila@kingschools.com

King Schools Releases Crew Resource Management Course

Main Menu from the King Schools Crew Resource Management Course

Lakeland, FL, March 30, 2012 — Today, at SUN ‘n FUN, John and Martha King of King Schools announced that they have released a new online Crew Resource Management Course. This course is appropriate for all pilots flying as part of a two-pilot crew and satisfies the newly published FAR 135.330, that requires CRM training for all part 135 operators.

“Flightcrews can be safer and more efficient when they are trained to work together well,” said John King.  “Many general aviation and military pilots have not had this important training, and without the training they can often work at cross purposes as a two-pilot crew,” King continued. “The net result can be an actual deterioration in situational awareness and in risk management,” Martha King commented.

“Even crews that have established SOPs and that have flown together for some time, are sure to find a few gems in this course,” continued John. “We started with the idea of what it takes to become a great crew and filled this course with practical ideas that can be put to immediate use for increasing risk management and reducing workload,’’ concluded Martha.

The King Schools CRM course has been designed to run on the iPad and on all Windows and Mac Web browsers and sells for $199.

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Transition To the Cessna Skycatcher or Just Learn All About Flying This Remarkable New Airplane

About King Schools

For over 36 years, students and pilots at all levels have enjoyed King Schools´ clear, simple and fun courses. In fact, nearly 1 out of every 2 pilots flying in the U.S. today has learned with King. The company is also a leader in on-line pilot certification and avionics training for pilots of high-performance and turbine aircraft. To find out more, please visit www.kingschools.com. or call 1-800-854-1001 (worldwide +1-858-541-2200).

Press Contact

Barry Knuttila, Sr. Vice President of Marketing and Technology, King Schools
direct phone: (858) 576-6265
e-mail: bknuttila@kingschools.com

John and Martha King and Redbird Announce Parrot(TM), A.I. ATC for Simulators

Students will now have an intelligent, interactive communications training tool that is infinitely patient and always helpful

Oshkosh, WI, July 28, 2010—John and Martha King of King Schools and Redbird Flight Simulations unveiled Redbird´s Parrot project, an artificial intelligence driven radio communications training system designed to operate with all of Redbird´s FAA certified flight training devices. The Kings demonstrated Parrot running on a Redbird TD at the EAA AirVenture Press Headquarters today.

“Students tell us that one of the major things that causes them anxiety when they are learning to fly is the radio,” John King commented. Added Martha, “With Parrot there is a technological solution that will make learning to talk on the radio fun and stress-free.”

Said Jerry Gregoire, Redbird Chairman and Founder, “This is virtual Air Traffic Control interacting via voice with a live student within a flight simulation session and requiring no input from the instructor. The pilot talks to the computer, the computer understands and replies as ATC would in real flight situations. This intelligent and sophisticated technology will enable students to learn how to properly communicate on the radio without adding to the flight instructor´s workload. Parrot will even work for pilots for whom English is a second language, making it an ideal training tool for flight schools instructing foreign students.”

Parrot can be used with all of Redbird´s FAA approved flight training devices including the FMX, SD, LD, MX2 and the TD and TD2. Unlike other communications training software, Parrot is aware of what is going on during a simulation session including aircraft position, radio frequencies that are in range of the aircraft, frequencies that the aircraft is tuned to, and weather conditions. “Being aware” allows Parrot to accurately simulate ATIS, clearance, ground, tower, departure, and approach communications services during a simulator training session. This immersive new approach to teaching ATC communications assures more effective and accurate training, enabling pilots to communicate with confidence.

Parrot will be marketed exclusively by King Schools. It will go into a limited number of customer installations in the 4th quarter of 2010 and will be available to all Redbird customers in the 1st quarter of 2011.

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About Redbird Flight Simulations

Since its inception in 2005, it has been the goal of Redbird Flight Simulations, Inc. to change the way flight training is delivered by providing cost effective training tools to general aviation pilots and flight training operations. Considered the fastest growing flight simulator provider in the industry, Redbird develops FAA approved training devices that are versatile enough to be used in all aspects of training, IFR and VFR, at a price that fits well within the budget of all flight training operations.

Redbird´s full motion FMX and other training devices are available for demonstration at Redbird headquarters in Austin, Texas and can be seen at air-shows and conferences around the country. For more information or to schedule a personal demonstration, visit the Redbird website at www.redbirdflightsimulations.com.

About King Schools

For over 30 years, students and pilots at all levels have enjoyed King Schools´ clear, simple and fun courses. In fact, nearly 1 out of every 2 pilots flying in the U.S. today has learned with King. The company is also a leader in on-line pilot certification and avionics training for pilots of high-performance and turbine aircraft. To find out more, please visit www.kingschools.com. or call 1-800-854-1001.

Press Contact

Barry Knuttila, Sr. Vice President of Marketing and Technology, King Schools
direct phone: (858) 576-6265
e-mail: bknuttila@kingschools.com

Charlie Gregoire, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Redbird Flight Simulations, Inc.
Direct phone: (512) 301-0718
e-mail: cgregorie@redbirdflight.com

Martha King Testifies to Congress on TSA’s LASP Proposal

SAN DIEGO, CA, July 15, 2009—Martha King today offered testimony to congressional lawmakers during a hearing held by the House Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection. In her testimony King stated that if the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) overlays the security requirements for commercial airlines onto general aviation business aircraft, thousands of small and mid-size businesses would be stifled with no tangible security benefit.

“What general aviation operators seek, and America needs, are measures that do not represent a needless sacrifice in liberty without benefit to society,” King testified. She explained that in its current form, the TSA’s LASP would unnecessarily limit or prohibit mobility for companies like hers, and thousands of others, without providing a clear security benefit.

King, in her testimony, mentioned a list of more than 80 “prohibited items,” some of which are routinely carried aboard business aircraft because they are central to business needs. She also talked about a proposal to establish a third-party compliance audit program. The business aviation community feels it could actually decrease security, she said, since businesses would be required to reveal internal security procedures to outside parties.

Another controversial proposal is a requirement to continually vet passengers against a no-fly list. “These lists have at times been inaccurate or incomplete,” King stated. “We don’t need to do that—we know our passengers, they are our employees and our customers.”

King stressed that the most effective approach to promote security without sacrificing the flexibility and mobility inherent in business aviation would be through cooperation between industry and government.

“I believe general aviation security would be best enhanced by having the TSA establish a rulemaking committee to address the questions and concerns raised by industry and the public on the LASP,” King said. “This type of forum—“ often used by the FAA and other government agencies—has proven benefits.”

The following is an excerpt video of Martha King’s testimony before congress:

To learn more about Martha King and King Schools, or for more information, go to www.kingschools.com, or call 1-800-854-1001.

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