Fellow T-Craft Members,

I would like to introduce myself as your new Membership / Safety Director. But, first, I would like to thank Jeff Beers for the outstanding job he has done in this position. I have learned a great deal from Jeff, as I’m sure many of you have, and plan to continue his fine example.

I’ve been a pilot for 12 years _ fulfilling a life-long dream to fly. I’ve been an active member of T-Craft for 10 years, an Angel Flight pilot for 9 years and a CFI for 5 = years. During this time, I’ve accumulated 1700 hrs PIC, 800 hrs instructing, and the most remarkable _ 4200 up’s and downs. _ And still strive for that occasional _greaser_. Most my flying consists of instructing, flying the backcountry, or doing Angel Flights. My wife gets sick and does not like to fly in small planes, which _forces_ me to go in other directions.

The primary role of this position is to help members grow in safety awareness, proficiency, and good judgment through regular educational and training programs, newsletters, and club training facilities.

Some goals I have as Safety Director:

_ Continue to have regular interesting and informative safety and educational programs.

_ Make sure all members are aware of the recourses we have as a club _ on our web page, the club computer, and library.

_ Improve training and planning resources on the Club Computer and Web Page.

_ Look into the possibility of obtaining an FAA approved PC-ATD flight simulator for use to members at no charge; and/or add Microsoft Flight Sim with yoke and pedal controls.

_ Get more standardization and collaboration amongst our club approved CFI’s to insure our club members are provided the best instruction available.

_ Tap into club member_s expertise and experiences in different areas of interest.

I would like to know your interests, expertise, and ideas for future meetings. There is no better way to learn something than to teach it. If you have some area of expertise or interest that you could share, let me know and we can include it in a training meeting. Maybe you know someone with some aviation expertise or experience and that would be willing to contribute to the club?

For starters, here are some ideas for upcoming training meetings / outings. Some of these are repeat_s from the programs we have had in the past:

_ Boise Control Tower Tour

_ Back Country Flying

_ Stalls / Spin Awareness and Training

_ Never Again _ Club Members Share their own experiences

_ As the Weather Turns - Aviation Weather _ Planning and In Flight

_ Advanced Ratings _ Instrument / Commercial / CFI _ what it takes and why go for it.

_ Performance - Review take-off & landing calculations

_ Take-Off distance contest _ members determine _theoretical_ take off distance, then see what it really turns out to be.

_ Air Space _ Review

_ Flight Planning _ Use of Free and Commercial Software.

_ Weight & Balance / Critical Load - Maneuvering Speed

_ Aviation Careers _ Bring in Recent/Retired Airline Captain_s _ Corporate Pilots.

Let me know of other topics you would like to explore and ideas you have, or questions you might have. I will be working on getting these lined up in the next few months and would like your input.

I look forward to serving my fellow friends of the sky,

Jim Hudson