Sling Pilot Academy Safety
Safety is our Highest Priority
At Sling Pilot Academy safety is always the number 1 priority. In every decision we make our mantra is that “safety is first, efficiency is next, and no decision we make will ever put efficiency ahead of safety.”
Our managers, schedulers, dispatchers, flight instructors, mechanics, students and everyone in our organization are aware of the risks inherent in aviation and the human factors that contribute to this risk. We love aviation and wish that aviation could be risk-free. And we care deeply about our staff and students and work hard to mitigate the risks we face so that we can enjoy the gift of aviation safely.
Click through the tabs to learn about our focus on safety.
Safety Management System
- Although not required in Part 61 and Part 141 flight training, Sling Pilot Academy has a working Safety Management System.
- A Safety Review Committee made up of volunteers meets at least every month.
- Students, CFI’s, Maintenance and Management volunteers make up the committee.
- Committee reviews safety submissions made by any person in our community and unanimously decides if a mitigation is needed to address a hazard.
- If a mitigation is recommended it is pushed up to Management to implement.
- Our Safety Management System has resulted in over 100 implemented changes to our Safety Procedures and Practices.
FAA Part 141 Certification
- Sling Pilot Academy offers FAA-approved Flight Training Courses.
- Sling Pilot Academy was the first flight school in our FSDO District to achieve FAA Part 141 Certification in many years (2021).
- Both our Los Angeles, CA (KTOA) and San Diego, CA (KSEE) locations are FAA Part 141 Locations.
- Part 141 Certification was a large effort that increased our operational control and standardization.
- All students, whether Part 61 or Part 141 get handled with the same procedures (most students are Part 61, but get handled the same).
- Part 141 required the development and upkeep of our Safety Procedures and Practices document which governs our safety.
New Aircraft
- Sling Pilot Academy has a fleet of new aircraft (most aircraft are just several years old). New aircraft can mean less system failures and safer operations.
- Aircraft feature the latest in technology and avionics, including traffic collision alerting, terrain warning systems, live in-cockpit weather. The avionics assist the pilot in avoiding hazards in flight and on the ground.
New Engines at TBO (No Overhauls)
- Once we discovered we were getting better reliability from new engines rather than overhauled engines, we made the decision to only replace engines, and not overhaul at Time Between Overhaul (TBO).
- We have been replacing engines at TBO since 2019.
- We believe we have achieved a higher level of safety because of it.
A Focus on Safety in Training
- We provide spin training for our Students during their Private Pilot training.
- We use only professional aerobatic instructors for this early spin experience (to mitigate risks associated with spin training).
- We do this because we believe it is valuable training that could save lives .
- Most of our Students fly every day, which we believe maintains a high level of proficiency and focus, and has contributed to better safety.
