WINGS
Pilot Proficiency Program
User's Guide
November 1, 2011
TC11-0007
Administration
Federal Aviation
Contents
1. Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 1
Objective .................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1.
Who Can Participate .............................................................................................................. 1 1.2.
WINGS Levels ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.3.
Getting Started ........................................................................................................................ 2 1.4.
A Note on Passwords ............................................................................................................. 2 1.5.
This Document ........................................................................................................................ 2
1.6.
2. Accessing the WINGS Program ....................................................................................................... 3
Quick WINGS ......................................................................................................................... 4 2.1.
3. After You Log In ................................................................................................................................ 5
Your Preferences ..................................................................................................................... 5 3.1.
Your Email Address ............................................................................................................... 6 3.2.
Home Page Portals ................................................................................................................. 7 3.3.
4. Your My WINGS Page ...................................................................................................................... 9
WINGS - At a Glance ........................................................................................................... 10 4.1.
Wings Profile (Aircraft Categories, Classes, and Certificates) ....................................... 10 4.2.
Knowledge Activities ........................................................................................................... 11 4.3.
Preview a Course .................................................................................................................. 13 4.4.
Definitions Unique to the WINGS Program ..................................................................... 14 4.5.
External or 3rd Party Online Courses ................................................................................ 15 4.6.
Flight Activities ..................................................................................................................... 16 4.7.
Activity Requirements ......................................................................................................... 16 4.8.
How to Get WINGS Credit ................................................................................................. 17 4.9.
5. Your WINGS Certificate ................................................................................................................. 19
WINGS History ..................................................................................................................... 20 5.1.
6. Team Member Rewards .................................................................................................................. 23
7. General WINGS Information ......................................................................................................... 24
8. Epilogue ............................................................................................................................................ 26
9. Especially for Flight Instructors ..................................................................................................... 27
WINGS Credit Validation – Pilot Initiated ....................................................................... 27 9.1.
WINGS Credit Validation – Instructor Initiated .............................................................. 28 9.2.
Registration with No Computer or No Email Address .................................................. 31 9.3.
Endorsement for Completing WINGS Tasks ................................................................... 32 9.4.
Additional Benefit of Participation for Flight Instructors .............................................. 32 9.5.
Summary of CFI Section ...................................................................................................... 32 9.6.
Instructor Actions at a Glance ............................................................................................ 33 9.7.
Common Flight Activity Numbers .................................................................................... 34 9.8.
A special thanks to Aristotle Spyropoulos, a FAASTeam Representative in New Jersey, for the
original concept and initial content of this User’s Guide.
FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide 1
1. Overview
Objective 1.1.
The objective of the WINGS program, especially at the Basic Level, is to address the
primary accident causal factors that continue to plague the general aviation community,
and in such a manner as to suggest mitigation strategies to avoid those accidents.
The WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program is based on the premise that pilots who maintain
currency and proficiency in the basics of flight will enjoy a safer and more stress-free
flying experience. Requirements for each aircraft category and class include specific
subjects and flight maneuvers. The WINGS Program consists of learning activities and
flight tasks selected to address the documented causal factors of aircraft accidents.
You select the category and class of aircraft in which you wish to receive training and in
which you wish to demonstrate your flight proficiency to applicable standards. To ensure
you receive a well-rounded learning experience, only certain activities fulfill specific
credit requirements. See Section 7 for more information on this topic.
Who Can Participate 1.2.
All pilots holding a U.S. pilot certificate may participate in the WINGS Program. To
participate in flight portions of the program, pilots should contact certificated flight
instructors and flight schools, and other FAASTeam Members, who are or will participate
in the WINGS Program.
Student pilots are encouraged to participate in the WINGS Program. They will receive
Phase 1 at the Basic Level upon satisfactory completion of their Private Pilot practical test
and completion of an online course on Aeronautical Decision Making. Note that student
pilots will initially register on FAASafety.gov as a non-airman.
For additional information on the requirements, please follow this link:
http://faasafety.gov/WINGS/pppinfo/requirementDetails.aspx
WINGS Levels 1.3.
The WINGS Program was recently redesigned to simplify the process of attaining or
demonstrating proficiency in just a few simple steps. There are three Levels available:
Basic WINGS: This level is designed for those pilots who want to establish a
recurrent training program that will provide them a higher level of proficiency
than merely preparing for a normal Flight Review as required by 14 CFR 61.56.
Note that pilots need not accomplish the flight review requirements of 14 CFR part
61.56, if he or she has satisfactorily completed any Phase in the WINGS - Pilot
Proficiency Program since the beginning of the 24th calendar month before the
month in which that pilot acts as pilot in command.
Advanced WINGS: This level is designed for those pilots who want to design a
program that will take them a step above the Basic Level. It affords the pilot an
opportunity, in concert with his/her instructor, to tailor a portion of the training to
fit more specific needs of the individual while maintaining the requirement to
demonstrate proficiency.
2 FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide
Master WINGS: This level is designed to give even more flexibility to a pilot's
need for specialized training. While most often this phase will require the use of
higher PTS standards, it will also allow for the addition of specialized equipment
and flight environment training scenarios.
Getting Started 1.4.
You must have an account on www.FAASafety.gov to use the automated WINGS
Program. (For pilots who do not have a computer, please see Section 9.3 for instructions.)
By using the “Create an Account” link on the home page, you will be able to quickly
accomplish this. It is not necessary to type the www in the URL; you can just type
FAASafety.gov to get to the web site.
Although you may create an account by saying that you are not an airman, this will limit
some functionality of your account. It is best to say you are an airman, if you are, and
then provide your airman certificate number when creating your account. Once we verify
your airman information, we do not store your airman certificate number.
Your account will be created and a temporary password will be emailed to the email
address you provided. It is also best to add *.faasafety.gov to your Trusted Sites under
Internet Options.
If you already have an account, go to your My Preferences page and click on the tab
labeled, “Airman Registry.” If the next page shows your name and ZIP code, you are all
set! If it does not, then click on the “Locate My Airman Registry Record” button and
provide the requested information to link your account to your airman information. You
can have only one account on FAASafety.gov that is linked to your airman information.
A Note on Passwords 1.5.
In this day and age, it is not unusual to require passwords for accounts that contain
personal information, such as your WINGS information. For general and airman users,
passwords are simple and need to be 4-12 characters in length and contain only
alphanumeric characters.
For instructors and other credit validators (including FAASTeam Representatives and
FAASTeam Program Managers), FAA IT security requirements are somewhat more
stringent. Passwords must be 8-12 characters in length and MUST contain at least one
upper case, one lower case, and one number or special character. In addition, if you fall
into this class of user you must change your password every 90 days – just four times a
year.
This Document 1.6.
This document outlines the procedures to attain compliance with the WINGS Program.
After you have had the opportunity to review this document and if you still have
questions, please feel free to contact one of the many FAASTeam Representatives in your
area (see Section 8 for instructions if you need help finding a Representative) who will be
happy to answer your questions and help you participate in the program.
Thank you for your interest in aviation safety and for participating in the WINGS – Pilot
Proficiency Program!
FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide 3
2. Accessing the WINGS Program
You can access the WINGS Program from the main FAA Safety website at:
http://www.FAASafety.gov
Although the content of this page may change from time to time, the general outline is as
shown below. You can access your personal WINGS page by first logging into the
website on the upper right-hand side in the "Welcome Guest" panel. If you do not have
an account, use the "Create an Account" link to register.
4 FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide
Quick WINGS 2.1.
Quick WINGS provides a quick and easy way for pilots to view and print a checklist of
Activities for a Basic Phase of WINGS. The checklist will include a complete listing of
activities and tasks to complete the Flight requirements, and may include online courses,
seminars, and other activities to satisfy the three Knowledge requirements. Quick WINGS
is available only for the Basic Level of the WINGS Program.
To use the Quick WINGS feature, several requirements must be met. First, you must be a
pilot! The system knows you are a pilot if your account on FAASafety.gov is associated
with your Airman Registry information.
If you are an “Airman”, but your log in shows “User,” (See log in image in Section 3.1)
you must upgrade your status on FAASafety.gov before you can use Quick WINGS; you
only have to do this once. Click on the "My Preferences" link from the log in area, then on
the next page, click the Airman Registry tab and follow the instructions there. When this
step is completed satisfactorily, return to the Home page and click the Quick WINGS link.
If your status is “User” and you do not upgrade to “Airman,” you will not be able to use
the Quick WINGS feature. However, your WINGS Checklist is still available from your
My WINGS sumary page, and can be printed from that link.
Second, you must be logged into your FAASafety.gov account. The screen shots below
show the appearance of the link to use the Quick WINGS feature. The first image shows
the appearance before a user is logged in and the second image after a user logs in.
If you are not logged in when you click on the link, you will be taken to a page with
additional useful information and instructions to log in to use Quick WINGS.
If you are logged in, your WINGS checklist will be displayed. Note that the checklist
displayed will be for be the phase you are curently working on, even if some items are
already completed. If the result in the displayed WINGS Checklist shows Flight activities
that are not appropriate for you, you must revise your choices in your WINGS Profile.
FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide 5
3. After You Log In
After your logon information has been verified, the logon box is replaced with the
following image. Specifically, it has links that allow you to access your account, change
your email address or password, and update your WINGS Profile.
Your Preferences 3.1.
Clicking on the “My Preferences” link displays your Account Preferences page that
consists of several tabs: General & Email, Password, Certificates & Ratings, Airman
Registry, Seminar Preferences, Other, as well as the option to Close My Account.
Your profile, as well as your preferences, can be updated through these links which
include your geographical location and the distance you are willing to travel for the
Events. On the same page you can also specify the types of notifications you would like to
receive. This information is used by the website to alert you of any upcoming events
either online, or via email. Do not forget to click on the “Save” button below to accept the
changes you made.
If you are an instructor, your account should be an “Airman” account, not a “User”
account. You can upgrade your account by clicking on the Airman Registry tab under My
Preferences and following the instructions there. If your status is “User” and you do not
upgrade to “Airman,” you will not be able to validate WINGS credits and you will not be
able to use the Quick WINGS feature.
6 FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide
The “General & Email” tab is shown below.
Your Email Address 3.2.
Your email address (the one you used to log in) is displayed in the area denoted above by
the red arrow. The word "Representative" in parenthesis will be displayed under your
email address, if you are a registered FAASTeam Representative. We encourage pilots
who wish to share their time and energy (and their experience) to promote aviation safety
through the FAASTeam to become FAASTeam Representatives. If you wish to apply,
please contact the FAASTeam Program Manager in your local FSDO for additional
information.
You can change your email address in the “General & Email” tab of the Account
Preferences page. If you change your email address, just log in using your previous email
address (which is your log in name for FAASafety.gov) and then click the link shown in
this panel, “Change My Email Address.”
By far, the largest numbers of requests we receive at the FAASafety.gov Help Desk
involve changing your email address or password. Please follow these steps before
emailing the Help Desk.
1. Your email address is your account name on FAASafety.gov. Even if you change
your email address, you should still be able to log in using your previous email
address and password, even if you no longer have access to that address.
2. Once logged in, simply go to your My Preferences page and update your email
address. This then becomes your new account name.
3. If you do not have access to your old email account, do not request a Password
Reset before you change your email address.
FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide 7
Home Page Portals 3.3.
The balance of the page displays additional boxes, called portals, six of which are shown
here:
The information is customized to your particular settings as defined in your Preferences
page. The sections are as follows:
Featured Courses: this section provides a short list of courses through which you
can obtain credit in the WINGS program. A complete list may be accessed by
clicking on the View Catalog link, or as shown later in the document.
Upcoming Seminars: a list of seminars in your area. You may search for more
seminars by clicking on the Search Seminars link.
Hot Topics: a list of various auto-rotating topics is displayed in this area.
AMT Awards Program: information about AMT training.
WINGS: a summary of your WINGS progress. Specifically, the latest Flight
Review Expiration Date is shown (as determined by the date you completed your
last WINGS Phase), along with the highest earned phases of each of the three
WINGS levels: Basic WINGS, Advanced WINGS, and Master WINGS.
Instructor Portal: a web portal for instructors to access additional information and
features. An instructor certificate is required to gain access to some of the features
in this section. In addition, pilots without a computer may register, or be
registered, for a “Special” FAASafety.gov account through this portal by using any
computer, perhaps at the library or one used by their instructor.
8 FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide
Whether you are logged in or not, from the WINGS portal you can access useful
information about the program:
Clicking on the “My Wings” link on the bottom of the WINGS portal displays your
personal WINGS page. That same page can be accessed at any time by “hovering” on the
Pilots menu option on the top (blue horizontal bar) and selecting the My WINGS option
from one of the two places as shown below.
The complete WINGS – Pilot Proficiency
Program User’s Guide can be viewed (and
downloaded) by clicking on the link in
the lower left corner in the WINGS Portal.
The WINGS – Pilot Proficiency Program
Advisory Circular is available from this
link on the Home page.
The “Learn more!” link will take you
to a page that displays general
information about the Program.
This Quick WINGS link provides instant
access to your WINGS Checklist – the
fastest way to start the WINGS Program.
use.
FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide 9
4. Your My WINGS Page
Your “My WINGS” page will look similar to the one shown below. Note that the
activities displayed in your task list are dependent upon the choices you make in your
WINGS Profile.
Normally, you would not select all aircraft categories and classes you hold. Only choose
those you intend to use in completing a Phase of WINGS. In addition, if you hold a
Commercial or ATP certificate, we suggest you choose the Private Pilot certificate as well.
Additional WINGS information can be displayed by clicking on the link just above your
WINGS summary. (For reference, it is available on Chapter 7 of this guide.)
To complete the Knowledge
requirements, three (3) credits
must be earned.
Likewise, to complete the
Flight requirements, three (3)
credits must be earned.
Wings information in a
printable format, called a
Valuable additional WINGS information
is displayed by clicking this link.
The History Timeline shows
when WINGS credits were
earned and when they will
expire.
10 FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide
WINGS - At a Glance 4.1.
This screen displays a summary of your WINGS profile that you completed when you
first start the WINGS Program. It can be changed at any time by clicking on the link in
your “WINGS – At a Glance" window, available when you are on your My WINGS page.
In addition, it displays a summary of your progress on each level of the WINGS program
that you participate.
Wings Profile (Aircraft Categories, Classes, and Certificates) 4.2.
These selections are used to assist in searching for Accredited Activities that interest you
or that you plan to use while participating in the WINGS program. Selecting all the
certificates you hold may be confusing as the system may suggest an activity in a
Category or Class you do not plan to use. So, select only those you plan to use in the
WINGS Program to help focus the activities pre-selected on your WINGS page.
This pilot also holds an Airplane
Multiengine Land category and
class rating. However, that box is
not checked here because she does
not plan to use a multiengine
airplane in the WINGS Program.
You can print your WINGS
certificates of the most recent Phase(s)
by clicking on these links.
This date is your WINGS expiration
date (two calendar years from the
date you completed the last Phase). If
you have not completed another
Phase before that date, a Flight
Review is required.
This link displays the Categories,
Classes, and Certificates that you wish
to use within the WINGS program
(see next paragraph).
Important!
FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide 11
Knowledge Activities 4.3.
The WINGS Proficiency Program consists of participation in three (3) Knowledge
Activities and three (3) Flight Activities. Knowledge activities are displayed in the
brown section of the WINGS page, as shown below:
Three knowledge-based activity credits are required for each phase and may consist of
courses and/or seminars, either online or in person. In this case, two course-based
activities are required for this phase of Wings, and attendance at one seminar. It is likely
that the pilot elected to go to that particular seminar. The three credits are also known as
"Knowledge 1", "Knowledge 2", and "Knowledge 3," as shown. So, simply, line 1 of this
table corresponds to Knowledge 1, line 2 to Knowledge 2, and line 3 to Knowledge 3. It is
important to remember this as you move forward, as you will see in a moment.
Courses can be completed online at your leisure. Courses almost always have a short test
at the end. Once the test has been passed satisfactorily, the credit is immediately posted
on your WINGS page.
There is a wide range of courses you can select from. In the example above, one credit can
be earned by successfully completing the course "The Art of Aeronautical Decision Making."
Another credit will be earned upon completion of the course “Line Up and Wait - LUAW.”
These two courses have either been suggested by the WINGS program, or you have
selected them from a list of available courses. You have only enrolled on the second.
In addition, the seminar "Say Again? Radio Communication Done Right" is coming up, but
you have not registered yet.
Clicking on Enroll will enroll you in the selected activity (The Art of Aeronautical Decision
Making) and clicking on Register will register you for the seminar.
Clicking on Search will display a list of other courses and activities that you can select
from, as shown here:
12 FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide
In this example, there are 5 activities (above the red line) that are free of charge and
several other activities (only two are shown) that have an associated fee. You may choose
either a free or a paid activity. Although in most cases you would select a free activity,
you may want to browse the paid activities as well, as some of them have a small
associated fee, but provide significant knowledge and/or training that may not be
available in the free activities. The FAASTeam is making significant efforts to add new
free activities for all three knowledge requirements, so that pilots have a wider range of
choices every year.
Next to each Activity the Credit Type is shown. An activity may satisfy more than one
credit. For example, the 4
th
line (Flight Activity) satisfies 1 credit for Basic Flight 1 activity,
1 credit for Basic Flight 2 activity, 1 credit for Basic Flight 2 activity, as well as 1 credit for
each of the Basic Knowledge 1, 2, and 3 topics.
You will notice that a little summary table showing the flight and knowledge credits
along with a green dot or a black square is shown next to the activities. The green
dot indicates that this credit can be applied to your current phase of WINGS, while a
black square indicates that this credit may be used in future phases of WINGS.
FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide 13
The example below may create some confusion that requires clarification. You displayed
the list of those activities above by clicking on Search next to Knowledge 1, so all those
activities would be acceptable, so double-checking whether they qualify for that activity
is not necessary. However, you can search for activities and/or courses from other menu
options where all the activities are listed regardless of activity type. That is where the
credit table is more useful.
Finally, clicking on the title of the course displays a short description of what the course is
all about and provides two options: Enroll or Preview.
Preview a Course 4.4.
The Preview option allows you to read through the course material before you decide to
enroll. If you are satisfied with the contents of the course, you can then enroll. Even after
you enroll, you have the option to withdraw from the course and select another course in
its place. You must be logged in and enroll if you want the WINGS and / or AMT credits
to appear in your account.
14 FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide
Here is an example of a page after the Preview Course button was clicked on.
Some courses are text-based, as is the case here. Others may consist of a lot more content,
including audio/video material that will be presented in a separate window. The buttons
on the top (Intro, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Review, and Exam) allow you to navigate from page to page
in the course. Once you have completed the review, make sure to click on “Exam” to
complete the end-of-course exam and earn credit for that course. Review and Exam are
only available after you enroll for the course. The Exam button is only available after you
have completed all the chapters, including the Intro and Review.
Definitions Unique to the WINGS Program 4.5.
An “Accredited Activity” is an activity that has been approved by the FAA for use in the
WINGS Program. A “Validator” is a person, including all FAA-certificated instructors, who has
the authority to validate your request for WINGS credit, or who can give immediate credit for
successful completion of an activity. “Validation” is the process of certifying that an accredited
activity has been successfully completed. “Current” means earned within the previous 12
calendar months.
FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide 15
External or 3rd Party Online Courses 4.6.
The FAASTeam may occasionally point to other websites where credits for WINGS can
be earned. In this example, the course "A Direct Approach to Class B Airspace VFR
Operations" is offered by LearningZen ®. This is clearly indicated in the top of the
Preview page.
The external website may require that you register separately to complete the course. As
long as you register with the same email address that you used to register on
FAASAfety.gov, and therefore the WINGS program, your credit will seamlessly appear
on your WINGS page as soon as you have completed the course on the external website.
This is important enough to repeat: You must use the same email address on the external
site as you do on FAASafety.gov to get automated WINGS credit!
16 FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide
Flight Activities 4.7.
In addition to the three knowledge activities that you have to complete, three (3) Flight
Activities are also required. The example below shows three requirements, all of which
have already been met.
Although we recommend you schedule the three Flight Activities over three more-or-less
even intervals during a year, you may combine activities in a single day, if you wish. You
do not need to enroll in a Flight Activity. You can search for other activities by clicking on
Search as we did in the Knowledge section, or you can pursue the recommended activity
as shown here.
Additionally, you should know that an activity valued at one (1) credit does not
necessarily equal one hour of flight training. Your CFI decides when you have
successfully completed this activity and can, in most cases, be shorter than one hour of
flight time. That flexibility makes the WINGS effort not much more expensive than a
standard flight review.
Flight Activities require that the CFI give you credit after the flight(s) have been
completed. In addition, the CFI must sign your logbook and may choose to use the
standard phraseology recommended by the WINGS Program (See Section 9.4).
Note that all WINGS activities, Knowledge and Flight, must be completed within a 12-
month period to qualify for completion of a Phase of WINGS.
Activity Requirements 4.8.
Before you schedule a flight with your CFI, you may wish to look at the requirements of
the activity. One quick way to do that, if you are eligible, is to click on the Quick WINGS
link on the Home page and print all the requirements for the phase of WINGS you are
working on. You can also find this print link on your My WINGS page.
Another way is to click on the individual activity title - in this case "ASEL-Airport
Operations (Pvt, Comm'l, ATP)." In this case, individual activity requirements are shown.
The following page will be displayed:
FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide 17
Print this page and take it with you on the flight. This will help you and your CFI
complete this task as required. As the Accredited Activity Information page shows, you
need to complete the 6 tasks listed here. There is no minimum time required for each of
the 6 tasks, or for the activity as a whole. Your CFI will judge when this activity has been
completed satisfactorily. You can, and should print the entire list of requirements (with
details) by clicking on the printer icon shown at the top of the summary. It looks like
this.
Schedule a flight with your CFI and when the activity has been completed, you may want
to ask your CFI to endorse your logbook as follows:
“I certify that (pilot’s name), holder of pilot certificate No. XXXXX, has satisfactorily
demonstrated proficiency in the required tasks as outlined in the WINGS - Pilot Proficiency
Program, activity number XXX on (date).”
Instructor Name, Certificate Number, Expiration Date, and Signature
How to Get WINGS Credit 4.9.
After flying, return to your WINGS page where you may click on the When Complete,
Request Credit link to request credit from your CFI. (NOTE: If your instructor is going to
give you “Immediate Credit” do not use this procedure. Of course, if the credit does not
show up in your account in a day or two, then feel free to use this procedure.) You will be
directed to the Accredited Activity Validation page where you need to fill out the date
the flight took place and specify your CFI. You can search for your CFI from the "Find a
Validator", or the "Name" tab either by ZIP code, or by name, or by email address, if you
know it. Please note that the ZIP code entry is the ZIP code of the home address of your
CFI (or whichever address she/he has registered in the system), so it may not be easy to
18 FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide
locate. In most cases, the Name search option may be the more viable option. The system
will, then, notify your CFI, who will then be required to validate the activity online. Once
validated, your Flight Activity will be shown as satisfied on your WINGS page.
Once you request a validation from your CFI, you no longer need to search for the same
CFI again. Her/his name would be listed in the "Recent Validators" tab, where you can
quickly reselect the name. As an alternative, your CFI may elect to give you immediate
credit for a flight activity through the CFI Portal on the Home Page. In this case, you must
not request credit using the link on your My WINGS page.
If you do use this procedure and request credit through the FAASafety.gov system, your
CFI cannot use the Give Immediate Credit option in the CFI Portal.
FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide 19
5. Your WINGS Certificate
When all three knowledge activities and all three flight activities have been completed,
you have earned a new WINGS Phase. In the example below, all activities were
completed and a Basic WINGS Phase 3 was completed on August 12, 2011.
Clicking on View Certificate displays your WINGS certificate, customized with your name
and completion date. This certificate is proof of completion of a phase of WINGS and can
be used in place of your flight review. The 2
nd
page of the completion certificate also
presents a separate wallet-sized certificate with your flight review information. The
system will also send you an email confirming that your Wings Phase was completed.
Clicking on "Start Working on Phase X" on that same screen removes all your completed
courses and flight activities and allows you to start working on the next Phase.
As previously discussed, three WINGS levels exist. Progress and planning of the other
levels can be accessed from the corresponding tabs.
20 FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide
If you wish to demonstrate a higher level of proficiency, you can participate in more than
one WINGS level. The Basic level, however, is all that is required to fulfill your flight
review requirements. If you do decide to participate in higher WINGS levels, please note
that a flight activity completed at, say, the Commercial level, may satisfy the
requirements of both the Basic WINGS and Advanced WINGS activities. Two separate
flights may not be required. Please check the appropriate Activity Information page and
discuss the specific activity requirements with your CFI.
Note also that completion of a phase of WINGS at the Basic level is required at least once
every 12 calendar months in order to be awarded a phase at a higher level.
WINGS History 5.1.
Finally, the WINGS Logbook tab displays the history of all your previously earned
phases, as shown here:
In the above example, as shown by the green numbered boxes, the pilot has completed
four WINGS Phases (1, 2, 3, and 4) and is currently working on Phase 5 of the Basic Level.
The pilot has also completed an Advanced Level WINGS Phase 1 and currently working
on Phase 2 of that Level. No phases have been completed at the Master Level.
As described in more detail below, the blue colored boxes contain a list of all earned
activities, if any, that have not yet been applied to a completed phase of WINGS. Click on
the box to see the list.
Clicking on any of the green buttons corresponding to a phase displays all your activity for that
phase and, at the same time, allows you to print any previous Phase Certificates you may need.
Your current Flight Review certificate is also available through this link, as can be seen in the
example below after clicking on the Phase 4 green button.
FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide 21
A WINGS Completion Certificate looks like this:
And the Flight Review certificate looks like this:
22 FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide
In addition, clicking on the Blue link, “Basic Level Unapplied Credits,” will display all
earned but unapplied credits at that Level. The same information can be obtained by
clicking on the Advanced and Master links.
Because the phase you are currently working on is not yet earned, this view displays
credits that will be used for the current phase, as well.
You can see below that while Flight 1 & 3 topics are completed for this phase, the Flight 2
topic is not yet complete. In the same manner, you can see that the Knowledge 1 & 2
topics have yet to be completed.
FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide 23
6. Team Member Rewards
When you have earned a phase of Wings, you may wish to direct your browser to the
Team Member Rewards page accessible from the menu by “hovering” your mouse over the
Pilots tab and selecting the "Team Rewards" option, as shown below:
You will, then, be directed to the appropriate page, where a table will confirm that you
are eligible for a WINGS Lapel Pin for your current Phase. The pin is kindly offered by
the Avemco Insurance Company. All you need to do is check the box under "Select
Rewards" and then click on Send. Within a couple of weeks you will receive your WINGS
Pin in the mail. Note that pins are provided for earning each level of WINGS, not each
phase.
24 FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide
7. General WINGS Information
Participants may be interested in the following general information that describes how
knowledge and flight activities are categorized.
The WINGS – Pilot Proficiency Program consists of three Levels – Basic, Advanced, and
Master. Each Level requires an increased level of proficiency. For example, if a participant
completes the Basic Level using Private Pilot standards, then the Advanced Level will
consist of Commercial Pilot standards, and the Master Level will consist of ATP and/or
CFI standards.
Participants can earn as many Phases in each Level as they wish. Phases are completed by
accomplishing three Knowledge and three Flight requirements for each phase. Specific
activities fill specified requirements in the WINGS Program.
Each of the elements in the WINGS program is based on an accident causal factor.
Primary accident causal factors are addressed at the Basic Level. Other accident causal
factors are addressed at the Advanced and Master Levels.
In addition, because of the large number of reported runway incursions by General
Aviation aircraft, and the real potential for a catastrophic accident, a thorough discussion
of the decision-making principles associated with Runway Safety is a required subject
(after September 15, 2011) for the Knowledge 1 - Aeronautical Decision Making activity.
Basic Level:
Knowledge 1 - Aeronautical Decision Making
Knowledge 2 - Performance and Limitations
Knowledge 3 – Preflight Planning, Risk Management, and Fuel Management
o Alternate - Other Subjects (shown on next page)
Flight 1 - Takeoffs and Landings
Flight 2 - Positive Aircraft Control
Flight 3 - Basic Flying Skills
Advanced Level:
Knowledge 1 – Preflight Planning
Knowledge 2 – Other Subjects (shown on next page)
Knowledge 2 – Other Subjects (shown on next page)
Flight 1 – Category/Class Specific causal factors
Flight 2 – Category/Class Specific causal factors
Flight 2 – Category/Class Specific causal factors
Master Level:
Knowledge 1 - Preflight Planning and More
Knowledge 2 - Other Subjects (shown on next page)
Knowledge 2 - Other Subjects (shown on next page)
Flight 1 - Category/Class Specific causal factors
Flight 2 - Category/Class Specific causal factors
Flight 2 - Category/Class Specific causal factors
FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide 25
Note: Category/Class Specific causal factors were determined after a review of accidents
for a 2-year period and are specific for a Category and Class of aircraft.
The Other Subjects that may be used to determine activity requirements are:
Basic Flying Skills
Human Factors
Takeoffs, Launches, Landings, & Go-Arounds
Weather, including VFR into IMC
Aerial Application
Aeromedical Factors
Aviation Security
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)
Checklist Usage
Collision Avoidance
Cross Country Flight Planning, including Pilotage, Dead Reckoning, Navigation
Systems, or Charts
Density Altitude Operations
Emergency Training, including Egress Training and Land & Water Survival
Exchange of Flight Controls
High Altitude Operations
Land and Hold Short Operations
Maintenance and/or Airworthiness Related Issues
Regulations
Runway Incursion Avoidance
Special Use Airspace
Stall/Spin Awareness
Temporary Flight Restrictions
Wake Turbulence Avoidance
Wire Strike Avoidance
The first four subjects are Primary Accident Causal Factors, and are specifically
addressed at the Basic Level of the WINGS Program; the others are Additional Accident
Causal Factors and can be addressed in any of the WINGS Levels.
26 FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide
8. Epilogue
We hope that this short guide will help you get started on the FAA's WINGS Program, or,
if you have already enrolled, that it will address some of the issues and questions you
may have. Again, thank you for participating in the WINGS – Pilot Proficiency Program!
If you require additional assistance with the program, please do not hesitate to contact
one of the many FAASTeam representatives in your area, who will be happy to guide
you through the process of enrolling and completing the program.
You can find FAASTeam Representatives (who are volunteers) and FAASTeam Program
Managers (who are FAA employees) in your area by using the FAASTeam Directory
search portal on the Home page, as shown below. You can enter the city or state, but not
both. Your local FAASTeam Representative can also assist in validating flight and ground
activities.
Also, note that a WINGS Achievement Roster, available on the Home page, tells you how
many pilots have earned a phase of WINGS and displays their name in a list.
FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide 27
9. Especially for Flight Instructors
The objective of the WINGS – Pilot Proficiency Program is to reduce the number of
accidents in General Aviation (GA) by assisting airmen to find educational opportunities
designed to help them apply the principles of risk assessment and risk management.
When properly applied, these principles will help mitigate accident causal factors
associated with common pilot errors, lack of proficiency, and faulty knowledge. The
Federal Aviation Administration’s purpose is to encourage the majority of GA pilots,
through WINGS, to engage in ongoing, targeted flying tasks and learning activities keyed
to identified risks and which are designed to mitigate those risks.
As an instructor, you are an integral part of the aviation community, and by modeling
best practices, play an important role in reducing the number of GA accidents. Because of
this vital role, we strongly encourage you to earn a phase of WINGS yourself. However,
there is no requirement for you to hold a current phase of WINGS to provide WINGS-
qualified instruction.
Nonetheless, you are encouraged to participate in the WINGS – Pilot Proficiency
Program for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that you will maintain your
own flying skills. Another reason is that pilots will come to you to participate in the
WINGS Program and when you are more at ease with the WINGS Program, pilots will
have a better overall experience.
WINGS Credit Validation – Pilot Initiated
9.1.
Besides flying with and evaluating the proficiency of pilots, you have another role to
play: the role of WINGS credit validator. There are two primary methods for pilots to get
WINGS credit for their demonstration of proficiency. The first is dependent upon the
pilot to initiate and the second upon you.
In the first case, pilots will go to their My WINGS summary page, and click on the Request
Credit link. The next page will help them select the person they want to validate the credit
request. In most cases, this would be you!
You can expect to receive an automated email reminding you that a credit request needs
your attention. You do not need to wait to receive this automated email to validate a
credit request. When you log in to your account on FAASafety.gov, click on the Pending
Validation Requests link under your login information. Note the Red Flag which calls this
to your attention.
28 FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide
You validate the request on the next page. Be sure to confirm that the pilot has made a
request for the correct activity.
WINGS Credit Validation – Instructor Initiated 9.2.
In this case, you can give WINGS credit for flight activities without the pilot having to
take any action. You go to the CFI Portal on the Home Page at FAASafety.gov and start
the Give Credit process, as shown below. Just click the Activity Validation – Give Credit link
to get started. You do not have to log in first; in fact, you do not even need an account on
FAASafety.gov. By virtue of holding instructor privileges, any instructor can validate
WINGS Flight credits through this portal.
Click here to validate a
pending credit request.
Note that you can now
print a report of all the
WINGS credits you have
ever validated; this is
useful if you plan to
renew a CFI certificate
using participation in the
WINGS Program as your
justification.
FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide 29
On this first page, enter your pilot certificate number and last name and click the Search
button. If you have signed in to your account on FAASafety.gov, this step is skipped.
If you are registered on FAASafety.gov, you will see the screen shown below, where we
ask for your telephone number in case we have a question about the credit. Note that
your email address is auto-filled.
After you enter your telephone number, click the Next Step button.
If you are a CFI but not registered on FAASafety.gov, you will get the same screen, but
your email address will not be pre-entered. Enter your telephone number and your email
address if you wish, and click the Next Step button.
If the system cannot find your information as a CFI, the page shown below appears. If the
certificate number and last name are not correct, re-enter the information that is not
correct. If the information is correct, choose one of the options and click Next Step. Then
enter the information requested -- first name, ZIP Code, your phone number and email
address -- and click Next Step. (Also, see registration information in section 3.1.)
123456789
name@somedomain.com
30 FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide
The next screen requires you to enter the pilot’s email address. This should be the email
address they use on FAASafety.gov. If they don’t have an account on FAASafety.gov, this
should be the email address they will use to register. Unassigned WINGS credits are
stored in a database and moved to the pilot’s account when they register, but only if they
register using the same email address.
The system looks for that email address on FAASafety.gov and displays the page shown
below. If the email address is found, all of the pilot’s information is displayed. If it is not
found, you must enter the pilot’s first and last name. Then click Next. Remember that the
airman to whom credit is being given must have either a standard FAASafety.gov
account with an email address or a special FAASafety.gov account created using the
procedure described below.
FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide 31
The next page allows you to enter or select the flight activity for which you wish to give
credit for that pilot. Note that the activity number is on the printed activity checklist the
pilot may have brought with them. You may want to keep a record of the more common
activity numbers to simplify this process, some of which are presented on the last page of
this Guide.
You use the drop down menus to narrow the available activity choices; you must choose
at least one of the menus.
Registration with No Computer or No Email Address 9.3.
The Account Registration with No Email / Computer tab in the CFI Portal can be used to
obtain a Special account for an airman. Anyone with a computer can set up a Special
FAASafety.gov account for a user who does not have a computer by choosing this tab.
Completing this registration process will provide the airman with a Special account that
32 FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide
will allow them to participate in the WINGS Program. You can help a non-computer user
set up this Special account by following the instructions on that page.
We recommend you choose the option to print this special account information so it is
readily available when the pilot meets with you the next time.
Endorsement for Completing WINGS Tasks 9.4.
An instructor can record completed WINGS activities in a logbook or other proficiency
record with an endorsement similar to the following. This also provides verification for
later recording at FAASafety.gov by someone else.
“I certify that (pilot’s name), holder of pilot certificate No. XXXXX, has satisfactorily
demonstrated proficiency in the required tasks as outlined in the WINGS - Pilot Proficiency
Program, activity number XXX on (date).”
Instructor Name, Certificate Number, Expiration Date, and Signature
Additional Benefit of Participation for Flight Instructors 9.5.
One of the benefits of participating in the WINGS Program as an instructor is that you are
eligible to renew your flight instructor certificate through participation in WINGS. If you
serve as a flight instructor in the WINGS program, you may renew your certificate, in
accordance with the following criteria, which is contained in FAA Order 8900.1, Volume
5, Chapter 2, Section 11. You must:
Hold a flight instructor certificate that has not expired,
Hold a current phase of WINGS (at any level) at the time of application,
Have evaluated at least 15 WINGS-accredited flight activities (any level) during which
you evaluated at least five different pilots, and made appropriate endorsements in the
logbook of each pilot for each activity,
Present a record to an aviation safety inspector (ASI) showing that you have met these
requirements within the 24 calendar-months before the month of application for renewal
of your flight instructor certificate, and
Present a completed FAA Form 8710-1, Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application,
to an aviation safety inspector (ASI) or aviation safety technician (AST) for renewal of
your flight instructor certificate.
Summary of CFI Section 9.6.
The FAA encourages pilots to participate in ongoing aviation educational learning and
skill-building events with an instructor. Accomplishment of a phase of WINGS requires
the participating pilot to demonstrate proficiency in specified knowledge and skill tasks.
The WINGS Program provides the opportunity, the structure, and the recognition for
pilots to continue their aviation education. This ongoing effort fosters new learning,
review, and flight proficiency in the areas of operation found in current practical test
standards (PTS).
The FAA further encourages pilots to maintain proficiency by using the WINGS – Pilot
Proficiency Program. To this end, you, the Instructor, play a key role.
FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide 33
Instructor Actions at a Glance 9.7.
Follow these ten simple steps to help your student earn WINGS credit. The first three
steps are for the pilot and the remaining seven steps are for you.
1. Be sure your student is registered as an Airman (Section 3.1) on FAASafety.gov.
You will need their account name (email address) in a later step.
2. Have your student log in to his or her account (Section 2).
3. Ask your student to click on the Quick WINGS link on the Home page and print a
copy of their WINGS Checklist (Section 2.1). The WINGS Checklist is also
available from their My WINGS page.
4. After the student properly demonstrates the tasks, go to a computer and log in to
your account on FAASafety.gov (Section 2).
5. Enter the Instructor Portal from your Home page (Section 9.2) and click on the
“Activity Validation – Give Credit” link on the Instructor Tools tab.
6. Enter the pilot’s email address as used on FAASafety.gov and hit Search.
7. Verify the information on the next page and click Next.
8. Enter the Accredited Activity Number you completed with the student and click
Search. The Activity Number is listed on the student’s WINGS Checklist.
9. Click the green Select button in the Results (if you are unsure if this is the correct
Activity Number, you can review the requirements by clicking on the Activity
Details link).
10. On the next page, enter the date of completion, check the “Yes” box since you
personally conducted this training, check the “I certify . . .” box, and click on “Give
Credit.”
If appropriate, you can click on the link provided to give this same pilot another credit.
Any instructor can give credit for a Flight Activity conducted by any other instructor. A
logbook entry (Section 9.4) can confirm the work was completed. Just use the
procedures above, with the exception that you will check the “No” box in step 10.
Instructors do not need to be logged into their account on FAASafety.gov to give
WINGS credit to a student, but it adds a few steps to those outlined above.
After completing step 3 above, your student may indicate to you that some items on his
or her WINGS Checklist are not applicable. If the inappropriate item is a Flight activity,
have them go to their WINGS Profile and update the selections there. If a Knowledge
item is inappropriate or the pilot wants another choice, have them go to their My
WINGS page and search for other activities. They can then reprint their WINGS
Checklist.
If the pilot cannot use the Quick WINGS feature for some reason, his or her WINGS
Checklist is still available on their My WINGS page, and can be printed from that link.
34 FAA Safety Team | Wings User’s Guide
Common Flight Activity Numbers 9.8.
Here is a list of some common flight activities you may conduct with pilots participating
in the WINGS Program at the Basic Level. Note that activities are broken down by aircraft
category and class, and by the grade of pilot certificate held by the pilot. This list is not
all-inclusive; other activities can be found on FAASafety.gov by clicking on the Find
Activities menu link under the Activities, Courses, & Seminars tab on the Home page.
Basic Level Flight 1 Activities:
Category / Class
Pilot Certificate(s)
Brief Description
Activity Number
ASEL
Private, Commercial, ATP
Takeoffs, Landings, Go-arounds
A070405-07
ASEL
Sport Pilot
Takeoffs, Landings, Go-arounds
A070405-13
AMEL
Private, Commercial, ATP
Takeoffs, Landings, Basic Instruments
A070405-01
ASES
Private, Commercial, ATP
Takeoffs, Landings, Go-arounds
A070405-16
Helicopter
Private, Commercial, ATP
Emergency Operations
A070405-64
Glider
Private, Commercial
Takeoffs, Launches, Landings, Slips
A070405-25
Hot Air Balloon
Private, Commercial
Takeoffs, Launches, Landings
A070405-37
All
Private Pilot
Initial Certification
A071102-02
Basic Level Flight 2 Activities:
Category / Class
Pilot Certificate(s)
Brief Description
Activity Number
ASEL
Private, Commercial, ATP
Slow Flight, Stall, Basic Instruments
A070405-08
ASEL
Sport Pilot
Slow Flight, Stall, Slips, Emergency Landings
A070405-14
AMEL
Private, Commercial, ATP
In-Flight Maneuvers
A070405-02
ASES
Private, Commercial, ATP
Slow Flight, Stall, Basic Instruments
A070405-17
Helicopter
Private, Commercial, ATP
Takeoffs, Landings, Go-arounds
A070405-63
Glider
Private, Commercial
Slow Flight, Stall, Soaring, Steep Turns
A070405-26
Hot Air Balloon
Private, Commercial
Preflight Planning and Preparation
A070405-38
All
Private Pilot
Initial Certification
A071102-02
Basic Level Flight 3 Activities:
Category / Class
Pilot Certificate(s)
Brief Description
Activity Number
ASEL
Private, Commercial, ATP
Airport Operations
A100125-07
ASEL
Private, Commercial, ATP
Air Work
A100125-08
ASEL
Private, Commercial, ATP
Navigation
A100125-09
ASEL
Private, Commercial, ATP
Emergency Operations
A100125-10
All
Private Pilot
Initial Certification
A071102-02
Note: There are many more options for activities for the Basic Level Flight 3 activity. Please refer to
FAASafety.gov for a list of Basic Flight 3 activities for additional categories and classes and pilot certificate
levels.