Pre-Conference Professional Courses

July 16 - 19, 2008
George R. Brown Convention Center, Hall E
Houston, Texas

Pre-Conference Courses are not included with your payment for full registration. The Pre-Conference Courses are offered the beginning of that week Monday, July 14th through Wednesday, July 16th and require separate registration forms and additional payment.

These are specialized sessions (ranging from 16 x 24 contact hours) taught by subject matter experts, offering the most up-to-date information on a variety of operational and safety procedures. You may not enroll in more than one pre-conference courses as they all overlap. Tuition for each course is listed and those attending are obligated for travel, lodging, and per diem.

All Pre-Conference Courses will be conducted at the George R. Brown Convention Center, Third Floor, in the rooms indicated.

Advanced Thermal Imaging  & Tactics Course
Cost: $300 members; $375 non-members
Mon. July 14 – Wed. July 16, 2008, 8:00-5:00
Houston CC Rm 360A

This course offers an in-depth study of thermal imagery use in the areas of tactics and technology. The course is designed and presented by airborne thermal imagery experts, featuring Kevin Means as the lead instructor, specifically for ALEA members to meet the needs of airborne thermal imaging use. This course is designed to benefit not only the TFO, but the police pilot as well, as Kevin explains and demonstrates the tactics of successful thermal imagery searches. This is an advanced course that covers everything the user needs to know including technology, theory, tactics, downlink technology and legal issues. Maximum enrollment is 60. Sponsored by FLIR Systems, Inc.

Aircraft Accident Investigation Course
Cost: $300 members; $375 non-members
Mon. July 14 – Wed. July 16, 2008, 8:00 – 5:00
Houston CC Rm 350B

This course is designed to provide valuable insights and introductory information into aircraft accident investigations, whether the accident is internal or involving general aviation, and guidance to first responders responsible for accident scene preservation. Doug Cunzeman, current Accident Investigator and Instructor at the University of Southern California Aviation Safety School joins experienced law enforcement accident investigators to explain the investigative process including scene management, responsibilities of federal accident investigation agencies, investigative techniques and tips on setting up internal accident investigation teams and Pre-Accident Plans. This course promises to be one of the most valuable pre-conference courses offered by ALEA. Maximum enrollment is 50.

Aviation Safety Management Course
Cost: $300 members; $375 non-members
Mon. July 14 – Wed. July 16, 2008, 8:00-5:00
Houston CC Rm 360B

Taught by the renowned aviation safety expert Craig Geis and our own ALEA Safety Program Manager, Keith Johnson, this course combines management and unit level responsibilities in providing the SMS formula for setting-up and maintaining a unit safety program. In addition to management responsibilities, this course will provide the “tools” for the unit safety officer’s “tool kit” on safety program oversight, evaluation tools, implementation of policy, regulatory compliance, safety inspections and audits and establishment of effective safety councils. For Unit Commanders, this course is an excellent follow-on to the Unit Manager’s Course. This course is a must for unit safety officers and unit managers/commanders. Maximum enrollment is 50. This course is sponsored by Flight Safety International.

Aviation Unit Managers' Course
Cost: $300 members; $375 non-members
Mon. July 14 – Wed. July 16, 2008, 8:00-5:00
Houston CC Rm 350F

This is ALEA’s premier course for Aviation Unit Managers. Once again, your ALEA Board of Director’s has offered to subsidize the cost of course tuition and conference registration to the first 20 unit managers and supervisors who register for this course. (Prior attendees who have attended within the past 5 years are not eligible for this offer). This Course is designed to provide both the newly assigned and/or experienced aviation unit managers and supervisors with the latest tools, tips, and techniques to effectively manage, lead and supervise their organization. Specific topics include personnel selection, unit administration, training, creative finance and cost cutting, legal responsibilities, maintenance, safety, and SOPs - all geared toward what the manager and supervisor need to know. Maximum enrollment is 65.

Flight Instructor Refresher - Train-the-Trainer Course
Cost: $300 members; $375 non-members
Mon. July 14 – Weds. July 16, 2008, 8:00-5:00
Houston CC Rm 350E

ALEA is delighted to team up with the Bell Training Academy to offer this unique three-day course that includes an FAA approved Flight Instructor Refresher Course (FIRC) followed by a one-day, Train-the-Trainer Course. All of the training will be provided by a team of professional instructors from the Bell Training Academy. The FIRC course is designed for flight instructors who wish to renew their current Flight Instructor Certificates under Federal Aviation Regulation Part 61, while honing their knowledge and skills with the latest developments in standards, regulations, and helicopter flight instructional techniques. The Train-the-Trainer class will cover the topics of Crew Resource Management, a regulatory review of training requirements for helicopter initial and additional ratings, and a review of airborne law enforcement training accidents with specific focus on training safety with "how to teach" maneuvers to include day & night VFR, IFR, NVG and multi-engine procedures. The one day Train-the-Trainer class is included in the FIRC and is free to ALEA member CFI’s who wish to attend the one-day class only.

Maintenance IA Renewal Course
No Charge to Members, $100.00 for Non-Members
Wed. July 16, 2007, 8:00-5:00
Houston CC Rm 350C

This course meets the 8-hour FAA requirement and is guaranteed to be the most interesting one you’ve ever attended. This courses features outstanding instructors who are directly involved in maintenance and related issues from all over North America. This is a great opportunity to not only renew your Inspection Authorization certificate, but to sit in on some excellent instruction and meet others in the airborne law enforcement family of aviation technicians. We are honored to have FDC/aerofilter and SkyBooks Inc co-sponsor this course. Maximum enrollment is 20.

NEWLY REVISED THIS YEAR
NVG Operations and Refresher Course
Cost: $300 members; $375 non-members
Mon. July 14 – Wed. July 16, 2008, 8:00-5:00
Houston CC Rm 350A

The Bell Training Academy has teamed with Night Vision Concepts and REB Technologies to offer a completely revised NVG course that focuses on pilot refresher training and law enforcement missions and applications. This course has been completely updated and revised and expanded to three days. It is no longer an introductory course, but a pilot refresher ground school in addition to offering insights into NVG use in law enforcement missions in both urban and rural environments. The course covers all of the essentials of Night Vision Device use including goggle maintenance and cockpit lighting The entire team of expert instructors will also cover theory, program development, and maintenance issues, as well as pragmatic tips and personal anecdotes. Sign up early for this one as it promises to be better than ever! Maximum enrollment is 40.

Tactical Flight Officers' Course
Cost: $300 members; $375 non-members
Mon. July 14 – Wed. July 16, 2008, 8:00-5:00
Houston CC Rm 350D

The Tactical Flight Officers' Course has been redesigned to provide aircrew members the tactical skills and information necessary to safely and successfully support ground units engaged in a variety of law enforcement missions. Although specifically designed for Tactical Flight Officers, this course is applicable to pilots and crewmembers alike. Learn how to set up a perimeter, direct a scene from the air, call a vehicle pursuit or conduct a FLIR search using the latest in airborne tactics. Find out what specialized equipment is available and how to properly use the most common tools. This class is essential to your professional aviation law enforcement development. Maximum enrollment is 70. ALEA is delighted that Bell Helicopter and Shadin Avionics will co-sponsor this course this year.

ALEA IS DELIGHTED TO HAVE STEVE BASSETT AND THE COMMUNICATIONS WORKSHOP, LLC., JOIN OUR SCHEDULE OF PRE-CONFERENCE EDUCATION OFFERINGS

Coping With Crisis 101- Disaster Response Training
Cost: $100 for Members; $175 for Non-members
Tues., July 15th, 2008, 8:00-5:00
Houston CC Rm 360C

ALEA is very fortunate to have the opportunity to present to its members the outstanding training presented by Steve Bassett who has been presenting this and his Internal Communications Workshop throughout the country in concert with HAI to rave reviews from all who have attended. This course is especially useful to all of us in law enforcement aviation who have either suffered from the devastation of a serious aircraft accident or have had the responsibility of either assisting or investigating a serious or fatal aircraft accident. This one-day course places emphasis on crisis management plan development, conducting training exercises, media relations and public speaking. The training is designed for Far Part 91, 121, and 135 operators flying fixed wing or rotorcraft on corporate, air taxi/charter, scheduled carrier, medevac, law enforcement, and air tour flights as well as for airport operators, flight schools, training centers and repair stations. This training presented elsewhere would cost several hundred dollars more than is being charged here. Thanks to Steve’s generosity and affinity for law enforcement, we are able to offer this course to our members at a significant discount of only $100.

Flight Ops – Improving Internal Communications
Cost: $100 for Members; $175 for Non-members
Wed., July 16th, 2008, 8:00-5:00
Houston CC Rm 360C

Flight Ops - Improving Internal Communications provides practical, common sense guidance on topics such as effective listening, barriers to the communications process, overcoming turf battles, the impact of  bureaucracy, apathy among communicators, how to design quality face time into your day, how to conduct more useful meetings, and much more. This is an essential course for unit managers, supervisors, maintenance managers and supervisors, instructor pilots, training officers, crew chiefs, and aircrew members regardless of rank or assignment. This course applies to any aviation operation that wants to get a better handle on how to manage its internal communications process more effectively and efficiently. This course is also being offered at a significant discount to law enforcement.