Florida Aviation Career Training, Inc.

Florida Aviation Career Training, Inc.

School History

Florida Aviation Career Training, Inc. (FACT) traces it’s background to the St Augustine flight school operated by Mr Jim Moser and has been in continuous operation since its organization in 1990. It has been owned and managed by Mr Bjorn Ottesen since October 1993. FACT achieved Part 141 FAA certification on July 18, 1991 and has remained FAR 141 compliant since that time, making it the oldest and most experienced Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved flight school at the St. Augustine airport.

Equipment, Space And Facilities

FACT is located at 4900 US 1 North, Suite 200 on the St. Augustine, FL Airport. The telephone number is (904) 824-9401. Fax number is (904) 829-1631.
Hours of operation are: 0800 – 1800 7 days a week.

Enrollment is accomplished at any time of the year during regular office hours. Flight training and ground school may be conducted on legal holidays, and before or after regular office hours by prior arrangements. All flight training is conducted in the following aircraft:

Qty Type HP
3 Cessna 152 110
1 Cessna 172II 160
1 Cessna 172 180
1 Cessna 172SP 180
2 Piper PA28-161 160
1 Beechcraft Sierra 200 (Complex – Retractable Gear)
1 Piper PA34-200 200/200 (Complex –Twin Engine)
1 Cessna 210K 300 (Complex – Retractable Gear)
1 Taylorcraft BC12-D1 65

Airport (SGJ)

St. Augustine/ St. Johns County Airport is the main operating base for training in all courses. The airport has 3 hard surfaced runways and meets the requirements of FAR 141.38 for day and night operations. Flight Instructors are also authorized to conduct training activity such as landings and various types of approaches with students at the following airports:

  • Jacksonville International
  • Craig Field
  • Herlong Field
  • Fernandina Beach Airport
  • Palatka Kay Larkin Airport
  • Gainesville Regional Airport
  • Ocala Regional Airport

Other airports which meet the requirements of FAR 141.38 may be utilized at the discretion of the Chief Flight Instructor.

Airport Facilities

The St Augustine Airport FBO facility is equipped with a pilot briefing area, which includes a telephone for weather briefings as well as a weather radar display and computer DUATS access. This facility is located approximately 100′ from FACT’s offices and may be utilized for flight planning. FACT also has a permanent structure within its facilities for flight planning with a telephone for contacting the Gainesville FSS. The facility is used exclusively by FACT renter pilots and student pilot. The briefing area is equipped with planning desk to accommodate several pilots. The briefing area also has a full set of aeronautical planning charts, and large wall maps depicting the entire U. S. along with a mileage indicator. The local practice area is also shown and described on a detailed chart posted on the wall. Above facilities comply with FAR 141. 45.

Entrance Requirements

Entrance requirements are as specified in each Training Course Outline (TCO). For example, FAR 141 Appendix B paragraph 2 specifies that for a Private Pilot Certification Course a person must hold a student or recreational pilot certificate prior to enrolling in the flight portion of the course. No other enrollment considerations are considered.

Credit For Previous Training Under FAR Part 61

Students enrolling in any course offered by the school may be credited for previous flight and ground school instruction. Credit will be determined by the Chief Flight Instructor after a flight and oral evaluation check. Under no circumstances can a student be credited with more than 25% of the course curriculum as required by FAR Part 141.

Credit For Previous Training Under FAR Part 141

Provided the requirements of FAR Part 141 are met, students may be credited up to 50% for previous training received from any FAA Approved Pilot School, upon receipt of properly certified records. Credit will be determined by the Chief Flight Instructor after a flight and/or oral evaluation check. Students must have a record of training and letter of eligibility for enrollment.

Refund Of Tuition

Florida Aviation Career Training, Inc. will refund any portion of unapplied moneys deposited in Student’s account and not yet used for flying or ground lessons.

Attendance

  1. Students and instructors will be prompt for all flight and ground school schedules. Repeated tardiness will result in interruption of training.
  2. Failure to be present for three (3) consecutive flights and or class sessions without prior notification will result in interruption.
  3. A student who fails to flight train eighteen (18) hours per calendar quarter will be interrupted or terminated unless mitigating circumstances exist and are documented in the student’s file.
  4. Those students interrupted or terminated for unsatisfactory attendance must be counseled by the Chief Flight Instructor prior to reenrollment.

Standards Of Progress

  1. All student training will meet the requirements of FAR Part 61 and Part 141.
  2. Student progress will be monitored by the Chief Flight Instructor as outlined in FAR Part 141, and recorded in the student’s training file.
  3. Grading standards for Flight and Ground Training are as follows:
    1. Excellent
    2. Above Average
    3. Average
    4. Below Average
    5. Below Acceptable Standards

    Students must satisfactorily complete Stage exams prior to Stage checks, and flights may not be completed out of stage.

  4. A student who fails to meet the minimum requirements of FAR Part 61 and Part 141 will be interrupted or terminated from the program at the discretion of the Chief Flight Instructor.
  5. If the student demonstrates an overall performance of Failure in two consecutive flights he will be counseled and evaluated by the Chief Flight Instructor.
  6. After evaluation and counseling the student must show improvement to Average within the next three flights. If he/she does not, he/she will be reevaluated by the Chief Flight Instructor. A performance of Failure on the reevaluation will result in dismissal for unsatisfactory progress from the course. Any student that requires additional flight time in excess of 10% of the total flight hours contained in the course will be considered unsatisfactory and will be terminated from the program.
  7. Those students dismissed for unsatisfactory progress must be counseled by the Chief Flight Instructor before reenrollment.
  8. Those students being dismissed for reasons other than unsatisfactory progress must be counseled by the Chief Flight Instructor prior to reenrollment.
  9. Records of all flight and ground training will be itemized on proper logs; will bear the signature of each student; and will be certified by his/her instructor. A copy will be kept on file for a minimum of three (3) years and a copy given to the student.
  10. A Certificate of Completion will be awarded by the school to every student upon successful completion of each course.

Student Conduct

  1. Students will at all times conduct themselves as a gentleman or lady.
  2. Students will at all times respect the privacy of other students in class and not interfere with students in study periods.
  3. The consumption of alcoholic beverages in or on flight school property is not authorized.
  4. Violation of Federal Aviation Regulations due to willful neglect, may result in dismissal from training as evaluated by the Chief Instructor.
  5. Those students dismissed for unsatisfactory conduct must be counseled by a VA Psychologist and the Chief Flight Instructor before reenrollment.

Safety Precautions And Procedures

  1. Weather Minimums:
    1. Solo Students/Local Training Area or Pattern work:
      1500 FT Ceiling/5 SM Visibility/Max 16 KTS wind or 8 KTS crosswind unless specifically authorized in writing by the student’s instructor.
    2. Solo Student Cross Country:
      Forecast for destination airport and St. Augustine Airport 2 hours before to 2 hours after estimated time of arrival to be at least 3000 FT Ceiling/5 SM Visibility/Max 16 KTS wind or 8 KTS crosswind.
    3. Dual Instructional Flights:
      As determined by the Flight Instructor but no less than VFR conditions.
  2. All pilots shall ensure area clearance in front of aircraft prior to starting. Pilots shall use caution and taxi slowly to avoid obstacles and other aircraft on the flight line at all times.
  3. All pilots shall be familiar with locations of fire extinguishers and checked out in their use in case of fire during starting and at other times.
  4. Unscheduled Landings:
    1. On/Off airports – Contact FACT Dispatcher /Flight Instructor at (904) 824-9401 as soon as possible after landing and request further instructions.
    2. All aircraft contain an Emergency Kit containing phone numbers, procedures list, First Aid kit and other emergency equipment.
  5. All pilots shall list aircraft discrepancies on a Discrepancy Report form located in the aircraft dispatch area. All outstanding discrepancies shall be reviewed by the Chief of Maintenance for release. Aircraft shall not be flown with a downing discrepancy.
  6. All aircraft shall be properly secured after each flight.
  7. Fuel Reserves:
    1. Local
      • Cessna 152 / 14 gallon minimum before flight
      • Cessna 172 / 30 gallon minimum before flight
      • PA28-161 / 34 gallon minimum before flight
      • PA28R-201 / 50 gallon minimum before flight
      • PA34-200 / 50 gallon minimum before flight
    2. Cross-country Flights – Maximum fuel allowable under weight and balance requirements. All student cross-country flights will refuel at each stop, consistent with weight and balance requirements.
    3. All VFR flights shall allow for a one (1) hour fuel reserve.
    4. All IFR flights shall meet requirements of FAR Part 91.
  8. Minimum Altitudes:
    1. All flights except as listed below and for take off and landing: 1000 AGL or above the highest obstacle within 2000 FT horizontal distance from the aircraft.
    2. Ground Reference Maneuvers: Non-populated areas only, not less than 800′ AGL or above the highest obstacle within a 2000 FT horizontal distance of the aircraft.
    3. Stalls: Non-populated areas only, not less than 2000 AGL or above the highest obstacle within a 2000 horizontal distance of the aircraft.
    4. Simulated Emergency Landings: Dual Instructional Flights Only, to not less than 500 AGL or 1000 FT above the highest obstacle within a 2000 FT horizontal distance of the aircraft over non-populated areas. Simulated Engine Failures may be exercised to the surface of an approved airport at the discretion of the CFI. Solo flights are prohibited from practicing simulated engine emergencies.
  9. All flights shall exercise collision and wake turbulence avoidance procedures in flight and on the ground.
  10. Practice Area: The “Practice Area” is that area that is Northwest of the St Augustine Airport bounded on the East side by Interstate 95; on the North side by the NAS Jacksonville traffic area which extends to approximately the mouth of Julington Creek on the St Johns River; on the West side by the St Johns River; on the South side by a line running due East from the Shands bridge at Green Cove Springs back to I-95.