U.S. Department
of Transportation
Federal Aviation
Administration
Advisory
Circular
Subject: WINGS—Pilot Proficiency Program Date: 2/16/11
Initiated by: AFS-800
AC No: AC 61-91J
Change:
1. PURPOSE. The objective of the WINGS—Pilot Proficiency Program is to reduce the
number of accidents in General Aviation (GA) by assisting airmen to find educational
opportunities designed to help them apply the principles of risk assessment and risk management
(RM). When properly applied, these principles will help mitigate accident causal factors
associated with common pilot errors, lack of proficiency, and faulty knowledge. The Federal
Aviation Administration’s (FAA) purpose is to encourage the majority of GA pilots, through
WINGS, to engage in ongoing, targeted flying tasks and learning activities keyed to identified
risks and which are designed to mitigate those risks. The FAA continually collects and assesses
its databases to identify the risks associated with GA flying and incorporates risk mitigation
strategies into initial and ongoing pilot education.
2. CANCELLATION. This advisory circular (AC) cancels AC 61-91H, Pilot Proficiency
Award Program, dated April 26, 1996. The FAA accepted applications for awards under the
discontinued program through January 31, 2008.
3. BACKGROUND. To address accident causal factors associated with common pilot errors,
lack of proficiency, and faulty knowledge, the FAA developed a voluntary pilot education and
proficiency program (i.e., WINGS) and made it available via the Internet to all pilots at all
certificate levels. The WINGS Program consists of learning activities and tasks selected to
address the documented causal factors of aircraft accidents. Accomplishment of a phase of
WINGS requires the participating pilot to demonstrate proficiency in specified knowledge and
skill tasks. The FAA encourages pilots to participate in ongoing aviation educational learning
and skill-building events with an instructor. The WINGS Program provides the opportunity, the
structure, and the recognition for pilots to continue their aviation education. This ongoing effort
fosters new learning, review, and flight proficiency in the areas of operation found in current
practical test standards (PTS). The FAA further encourages pilots to maintain proficiency by
using the WINGS Program. To this end, the WINGS Program has three levels of participation:
Basic WINGS, Advanced WINGS, and Master WINGS. Within each level, a pilot may earn
phases of WINGS as explained below and at www.FAASafety.gov.
4. DISCUSSION. Accident data point to specific areas of pilot operations where knowledge,
skill, or decisionmaking ability are causal factors in the accidents or incidents. Aviation experts
have identified hazards associated with GA flying. Accident and incident data indicate the most
common situations where hazards become risks. The WINGS Program targets flying situations
and knowledge areas where unmitigated risk is most likely to result in an accident. Prior to the
implementation of this new WINGS Program, a review of all aircraft accidents in the
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