AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - January 2019 - T-8

"We thought 20 awards given out the first year would be
a success. We ended up giving 43 and it looks like we'll
double that next year."

-David Miller, chairman of the CJP Safety and Education Foundation

of unparalleled experience and qualification. After a career as
an Air Force pilot and instructor in T-37s, T-38s, and F-15s, followed by six years of test piloting at Edwards Air Force Base,
there was only one direction Charlie could go: up, as in way
up. Selected by NASA in 1990, Precourt flew four space shuttle
missions as a pilot and commander before ultimately heading
the astronaut corps.
For all his professional experience, Precourt was quick to
point out his deep roots in GA: "My dad was a private pilot, and
I had the opportunity to learn to fly when I was in high school
with [aerobatic champion] Mike Goulian's dad, as they were
partners in a little FBO and flight school. All the way through
my Air Force and NASA careers I always maintained my roots
with GA, including building and flying a VariEze." Working
with Citation owners has clearly rubbed off on Precourt, as
he recently became the owner of a Cessna CJ1+, and has-in
just a few months-amassed nearly 100 hours in its cockpit.
With strong leadership in place, the foundation decided to
focus its first year's efforts on two major initiatives: creating a
culture that encourages CJP members to increase their training frequency and rigor, and designing and disseminating best
practices for flying Citations.
To encourage a culture where training is prized and not
simply tolerated as an obligation, the foundation created the
CJP Gold Standard Safety Award, a recognition of members
who have far exceeded the minimum mandatory training
needed to operate a jet. To be eligible for the award, a member
must have accomplished all of the following in the past year:
* Flown at least 100 Citation hours as PIC;
* Completed a FAR 61.58 check in a full motion simulator;
* Completed an additional training event such as a second
recurrent or six hours of in-aircraft training; and
T-8 | AOPA PILOT January 2019

* Accomplished additional aviation
training from a long list, such as altitude
chamber attendance, getting a tailwheel
endorsement, or adding a rating to their
certificate.
"We decided that if we take some
members who meet rigorous criteria that
goes above and beyond what is normally
required for the FAA and insurance companies, and we give them a gold seal of
approval, we can make it important for not
only them but all the other members. And
we're already seeing other members seeing
what they're doing and wanting to emulate
their efforts," Miller said. "We thought 20
awards given out the first year would be a
success. We ended up giving 43 and it looks
like we'll double that next year."
Recognizing the unique membership
that makes up CJP, Miller explained that
from the beginning a deliberate choice was
made to call the standards being developed operating practices, not procedures,
"knowing that Citation owners are Type
A performers who might not like to be
told what to do. So instead we give them
things to think about when they fly their
airplanes."
In addition to the printed standard
operating practices (SOP) booklets that
were handed out and extensively discussed
during the convention, a professionally
AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - January 2019

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