EAA/FAA SUMMIT RAISES DIALOGUE
April 2022
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Strong participation by a wide range of FAA departments bolstered the discussions at the annual EAA/FAA Recreational Winter Summit, held March 2-3 in a virtual setting between FAA officials from throughout the country and the EAA headquarters staff, led by CEO/Chairman Jack Pelton. The summit was held virtually again this year because of ongoing COVID-related travel restrictions for federal employees. “It was an excellent dialogue that highlighted the importance of this annual gathering,” said Sean Elliott, EAA’s vice president of advocacy and safety. “While we always prefer an in-person gathering and aim to return to that in 2023, even in a virtual format this meeting emphasizes EAA’s philosophy of finding cooperative solutions and keeping important issues on track.” Among the highlights of the twoday session were: • Participation by FAA’s flight standards and aircraft certification offices
EAA/FAA Summit raising dialogue on a range of GA topics. on a full spectrum of topics, from current safety trends and enhancements to flighttraining exemptions and processes to help maintain legacy aircraft
Guidance for Takeoff
Continued from Page 20 be willing to network and find your local and regional groups. You should start meeting with other professionals, be active on LinkedIn, and really start developing a network to provide you with mentors and assistance as you come into the industry. I have met many young students and professionals who have found their way to an NBAA student membership and to their local and regional networking group. It’s hard for them to do it, but it does pay off. You just have to be more resourceful. IF USA: What kinds of jobs have you helped people land? JS: I want to make clear that I am not working as a recruiter. I am simply a coach who can guide clients to an aviation career that they have in mind. I have helped many Part 91 operators find talent for their teams. We’re talking about pilots, mechanics, and schedulers and dispatchers. I have also assisted with some of the leadership roles that we worked on. IF USA: What would you say is your strongest skill in aviation? JS: I would say customer service is really where I cut my teeth. I enjoy providing one-on-one service with people, and I value confidentiality. As we all
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know, confidentiality in this industry means a great deal. I cut my teeth on both of those things at the FBO, and I pride myself on those things today. IF USA: How would you say we are doing in the area of diversity? Have we opened the doors to more women and people of color? JS: I would say we have made great strides in doing that. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done. I recognize, having worked for corporate HR departments that have tried hard to create more diversity, but I also realize that we can’t just snap our fingers and create a qualified candidate. It’s going to take some time to really show results. IF USA: What age group of students or career changers do you work with the most? JS: Here in Florida, I am uniquely positioned. We have a wealth of aviation universities and high schools. My son is actually a junior at one of the aviation high schools. He is in their aviation ROTC program. He already has his drone license, and those students will finish their four years with their ground school completed. There are a lot of programs like that here in Florida. Embry-Riddle is close by, and I have worked with many of their students over the years. The University of Central
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(Courtesy EAA)
• Federal Air Surgeon Dr. Susan Northrup on the latest from the FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine, including special issuances and the upcoming
Florida is right up the street. They are not an aviation school, but they have very industrious students who go out of their way to find someone locally within the industry that they have an interest in. That has been very rewarding. The ones that really have that passion and drive are the most fun to work with. IF USA: Is the coaching done virtually or in person? JS: The coaching is done largely over Zoom. I offer free 15-minute consultations for those who just want to get to know me. I welcome the opportunity to meet people in person. I live in a busy part of Florida. I don’t think Zoom has replaced in-person meeting; it has just widened the scope. I can consult people from anywhere via Zoom, but I love doing in-person sessions. IF USA: Whom in aviation do you admire the most? JS: Wow! You know, I don’t think I’ve ever been asked that question. I think I would have to say my parents. My dad was born into the industry and got his pilot’s license right after he got his driver’s license. It was in his blood. My mom got into it… well, because she married my dad. Together, they grew a tremendously successful business with a far reach and a great reputation. As their
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“Pilot Minute” video series regarding aviation medical topics • A well-received safety discussion led by EAA member Terry Lutz • Expanding the Additional Pilot Program for use in qualifying homebuilt aircraft types • Focused areas of discussion on vintage aircraft, warbirds, and aerobatic flying issues • Updates on aviation fuels and the MOSAIC initiative The FAA representatives were also positive about EAA’s new Pilot Proficiency Center that is an expansion of the EAA Aviation Center and its uses during AirVenture. “The Winter Summit is an excellent checkpoint with the FAA to ensure progress and accountability on topics that matter to EAA members,” Elliott said. “It also sets an action plan for when we meet again at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh this coming summer.”
daughter, I can’t think of anything better. IF USA: How important is social media presence in getting hired? JS: That’s a great question, and it has been even more important since the pandemic. To me, social media is Facebook, Twitter, Instagram… not so much LinkedIn. I know it gets lumped into social media, but for me, LinkedIn is your personal brand and image that you want to portray to the industry. With so much remote work during the pandemic, I think your LinkedIn profile has become more important than ever. That is how many people are finding jobs, getting hired, and how they’re learning to connect as people. Not having a LinkedIn will be a red flag. Recruiters probably won’t look at your other social media as much, but you want to make sure it’s clean. Politics have become a big issue everywhere. Some things just need to be carefully reviewed before you put yourself in job-search mode. IF USA: Thank you! For information and consulting rates, visit www.showalter.com. Showalter looks forward to working with existing and aspiring aviation industry professionals. She knows the language, the lingo, and how things work, so visit the website today!
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