On September 13, 2022, I was honored to be awarded the FAA’s prestigious “Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award” for fifty years of safe flying, by Ernest Copeland, FAA Safety Team Program Manager from the Scottsdale FSDO (Flight Standards District Office).
Special thanks to my longtime friend, Jim Pitman, CFI and DPE, who nominated me for the award, to Paul Cowdrey and Warren Smith, who provided reference letters supporting me for this honor, and to all the wonderful people I’ve had the privilege of flying with over the past 50 years.
Finally, I appreciate your many congratulatory messages!
Ever wonder how today’s incredible digital flight displays and simulators developed?
Well as a relatively new private pilot back in 1975, I was enlisted to participate in a new-technology experiment to test the feasibility of using electronic flight displays for instrument flight and training.
The technology of the day allowed me to “fly” a simulator employing an ~8″ CRT (read “old-TV set”) driven by a roomful of computers delivering half a dozen moving lines to convey flight data.
I was intrigued by the experience, and as a University of Illinois Industrial Design grad student, applied to my grad committee to participate as a display designer on the project, which was being conducted by U of I’s Aviation Research Lab (ARL) under US Office of Naval Research (ONR) sponsorship.
My assignment was to address symbology and human factors design for some future time when computers became compact and powerful enough to drive more sophisticated displays like today’s.
Well yesterday I came upon my following 1976 presentation slides from that project, which I predict you’ll find interesting. (Click the first image to see it full-size, and then advance using the left-right arrows.)
Let me know what you think!
Greg
PS: That simulator pilot appears to be my fellow grad student, Bruce Artwick. You may be familiar with a personal side-project he was working on at the time, now known as MS Flight Simulator!
Flight simulator, 1976. And yes, that computer bank powered it!The control station.Only this much data could be displayed with near-real-time motion...Okay, let’s fly the sim!Yep, that’s the digital flight display atop the dash!Back then this was called a VSD (vertical situation display), versus today’s PFD (primary flight display).Design parameters for the various planned cockpit displays.My part of the project: designing tomorrow’s display symbology.To nail display perspective, I shot slides from the Flying Illini club Cherokee, projected and traced them off a wall.Graphics were hand-drawn or applied with adhesive film and press-type.Envisioning “tomorrow’s flight displays” in 1976 cockpits…
Kudos to John Niehaus and the National Association of Flight Instructors for coordinating the judging and execution of this national award. And what an honor to be inducted alongside legendary flight instructors John and Martha King.
Special thanks to my longtime friend, airline Captain Christopher Sis, who nominated me to the Hall of Fame. (Read my 1999 column about how Chris first nominated me as a 16-year-old!)
Thanks also to my friends who provided reference letters and videos supporting me for this honor, and to those who posted messages of support on my web page, which I shared with the judging committee.
Finally, I appreciate your many congratulatory messages!
Hear some of my flight instructing tips, philosophy, and stories in this great interview by John Niehaus of the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI). Thanks, John!
I had the pleasure of being Bob Meder’s guest on this month’s NAFI Chairman’s Webinar. (National Association of Flight Instructors)
As you’d expect, we spoke primarily on flight training and flight instructor topics, with emphasis on key marketing, motivational, and pricing ideas and insights from my new book, The Savvy Flight Instructor Second Edition.
CFIs and flight school operators should find this material particularly relevant.
So if those topics interest you, please have a listen by clicking below! (Also available as MP3.)
Thanks to Bob and NAFI for inviting me to participate!
For you Airplane Geeks podcast fans, I had the pleasure of being their guest this week.
We spoke mostly on flight training and flight instructor topics, along with their usual news and industry features. Here’s the link for those interested in listening.
Jean and I were walking Kachina Wetlands near sunset a few weeks ago, when up rode this kid, stunting on his bike like you’ve never seen from 5-year-old.
Turns out his beloved grandfather recently passed away, and the only thing he wanted of his grandpa’s belongings was his hat.
The young man told us he wants to be a cowboy, just like his grandpa. Is there any doubt that he’ll make it?!
And yes, he’s wearing “Grandpa’s Hat.”
Greg
(Thanks, “Mom,” for letting me share your son’s pic and story!)
See p. 63 of the February/March print edition, their prestigious “Visions of the West” Annual Photography issue, currently on newsstands nationwide. (I purchased mine at Barnes & Noble.)
This is my first serious press outside the aviation world, confirming you needn’t be an aviator to appreciate Views from the Flying Carpet.
I’m particularly pleased because this coverage shares the aerial vistas we pilots so treasure with those on the ground. May it inspire a bunch more aviators!
Many thanks to Dana Joseph, Nancy Franzen, Hunter Hauk, and the entire Cowboys and Indians team, for featuring my work, and to you many friends who have encouraged my small successes to date.
Jean and I have just returned from the 2013 Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Summit in Ft. Worth, where I was honored to receive this year’s Let’s Go Flying Award. (For those who aren’t familiar: a previous recipient is Harrison Ford!)
Says the organization:
AOPA has named Greg Brown, a noted flight instructor and general aviation advocate, as the 2013 recipient of its Let’s Go Flying Award, which recognizes the individual or organization that best demonstrates a passion and commitment to the future of general aviation.
Brown was presented with the award during AOPA Aviation Summit 2013 in Fort Worth, Texas.
A certificated flight instructor since 1979, Brown was the 2000 Industry/FAA National Flight Instructor of the Year and was also the first-ever “Master Flight Instructor.” He is the author of numerous books on aviation, including The Savvy Instructor and You Can Fly!
AOPA members will recognize Brown as the author of the Flying Carpet column in the association’s Flight Training magazine. Brown is also well-known for his aerial photography.
Serving as a mentor to numerous student pilots, Brown is the creator of a Facebook group called “Greg Brown’s Student Pilot Pep Talk Group.” The group is used by participants to share flight training experiences and challenges, and to encourage others.
Many thanks to AOPA and all involved, for honoring my work with this award!
