The impact of MOSAIC and the emergence of Sport Pilot 2.0 will have significant impacts on flight training and the attraction of new students. Let’s explore the details as we understand them and how you can best be positioned to leverage this new opportunity. Independent flight instructors, flight schools, and even university aviation programs should be thinking of how they can best prepare and benefit from this enabling rule package. We will cover the status of the final rule, what the final rule should entail, what typical aircraft will now be Sport Pilot training ready, how best to position your offerings to maximize the attractiveness of SP 2.0. Perhaps most importantly - why it will dramatically improve both student starts and completion success rates. Even Universities with aviation programs will be able to incorporate and benefit from SP 2.0.
Sean joined the EAA Staff in April of 1996 as the Executive Director of NAFI, then, an EAA Affiliate. He continued as President of NAFI and board member until 2003. Sean was assigned by EAA to lead EAA’s Aircraft Operations and Air Tours in 2001 as Director of Aircraft Operations. In 2010, Sean was promoted to Vice President, Advocacy and Safety for EAA.
As part of his senior level responsibilities, Sean has oversight of these Aircraft Operation programs and participates in the development and implementation of pilot training and standardization in EAA’s fleet. In addition, the aircraft maintenance department is part of his line of business at EAA. Oversight of national LHFE tour and a 91.147 historic aircraft air tour program are all part of what EAA accomplishes with its very special fleet and is a significant part of Sean’s duties at EAA.
On the Government Advocacy side, Sean has the EAA government team under his leadership as well. With these responsibilities, he manages EAA’s government affairs offices at both EAA headquarters and in Washington, D.C. He and his team are responsible for reviewing and analyzing government policy on the federal, state, and local levels that affect recreational aviation, as well as advocacy for EAA members and private individuals who build and fly aircraft for recreation. Sean is the industry co-chair of the GAJSC and is actively engaged with developing new safety initiatives for the benefit of GA.
With the addition of the EAA Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA HQ, Sean is responsible for the course offerings and team that conducts year-round proficiency and certification training within the new center. 12 Redbird AATDs, a Redbird crosswind trainer, and several classroom and lecture halls are now within EAA’s quiver of safety initiatives benefiting GA.
With over 10,000 hours of logged total time, Sean is a pilot, instructor, and examiner in most of EAA’s vintage and experimental fleet. He is a Specialty Aircraft Examiner and conducts type ratings in B-17’s, B-25’s, and Exp Authorizations in B-29’s. Some of the interesting aircraft that Sean has flown include: 1929 Ford 4-AT-E Tri-Motor, 1927 Ryan NYP “Spirit of St Louis Replica”, North American T-6, North American P-64 (experimental auth), Douglas DC-3 (type rated), North American B-25 (type rated), Boeing B-29 (experimental auth) and Boeing B-17 (type rated).
Aaron Dabney earned his Flight Instructor certificate in 2009, and has been an active instructor ever since. He has provided more than 5,000 hours of instruction in more than 30 models of aircraft, mentoring pilots from their first hour through becoming accomplished instructors themselves, and all points in between.
Dabney grew up in an aviation family. His maternal grandfather Joe was a World War II fighter pilot, and much of his childhood was spent in the family J-3 Cub with his grandfather or his uncle Mark. Aaron completed his first solo in that Cub in 1999 and is now its caretaker.
Aaron is a 6-time NAFI Master Flight Instructor, owns a small flight school, and has served as an adjunct lecturer for Baylor University's Aviation Sciences program since 2010. He serves on NAFI's Board of Directors and serves in several volunteer roles including coordinating MentorLIVE
Aaron lives in Waco, Texas with his wife of 20 years Alisa.
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