Pilots Boost IFR Skills During Weeklong Clinic

Community Aviation's "Spring to Proficiency" event was the first off-season course held at the new Pilot Proficiency Center at Wittman Regional Airport.

Meg Godlewski

Tuesday, May 02, 2023 at 06:35 PM ET

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The Redbirds were pre-programmed with specific scenarios and provided instructors an opportunity to evaluate the learner's level of IFR proficiency and skill. [Courtesy: Billy Winburn]

Key Takeaways:

The "Spring to Proficiency" program was the first off-season, immersive three-day IFR clinic held at the EAA Museum's permanent Pilot Proficiency Center (PPC).
The clinic utilized the PPC's 12 Redbird advanced aviation training devices (AATDs) for scenario-based training, enhanced by live ATC via PilotEdge, dynamic weather, and expert instruction.
Spearheaded by Community Aviation in collaboration with EAA, the program focused on enhancing pilot IFR proficiency through realistic exercises, including system failures and complex navigation challenges.
This event showcased the potential of the 15,000-square-foot PPC facility to provide year-round, world-class flight proficiency training beyond the annual EAA AirVenture.

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When one thinks of EAA AirVenture, you often picture the grounds of Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH) and its grass field neighbor Pioneer Airport (WS17) teeming with people, airplanes, and tents. But that is just during a few weeks in the summer. When I was at KOSH the last week of April, the place was decidedly quiet, almost Brigadoon-like, with the exception of the Pilot Proficiency Center (PPC) in the educational wing of the EAA Museum.

The 15,000-square-foot center features classrooms, meeting space, briefing areas, and a flight simulation laboratory with 12 Redbird Flight Simulations advanced aviation training devices (AATDs). They were humming as part of the Spring to Proficiency program, the first off-season event described as “an immersive and personal three day IFR clinic” at the center.