Mentor System

Requesting a Mentor

From any briefing page, tap the Mentor button in the header. You'll see two options:

Eligibility

To protect mentors from abuse and ensure quality interactions, you must meet these requirements before requesting a mentor:

• •Account age — your account must be at least 21 days old
• •Briefing history — you must have generated at least 5 briefings
• •Phone number — required in your profile so the mentor can contact you
• •PIC acknowledgment — confirming the mentor is a volunteer peer, not a flight instructor
• •For Need Help Now, a completed PAVE Risk Assessment (if within the departure window)

Pro subscribers bypass the account age and briefing history requirements.

Tips for a Successful Session

Mentors are volunteers who donate their time and expertise. Come prepared to make the most of your conversation:

• •Review your briefing first — Know your GO Score and what's driving it. Don't ask a mentor to read the briefing to you.
• •Prepare specific questions — "What do you think about the crosswind at my destination?" is more productive than "Is it safe to fly?" Come with 2-3 focused concerns.
• •Complete your PAVE checklist — This gives the mentor a complete picture of your situation beyond just the weather.
• •Have your charts and plates ready — If your questions involve airspace, approaches, or terrain, have them pulled up before the call.
• •Be mindful of time — Aim for a focused 10-15 minute conversation. If you need more time, ask if the mentor is available.
• •Share your experience level — Let your mentor know your certificate, ratings, and recent flying experience. It helps them tailor their advice.
• •Remember: you are PIC — Mentor advice is one input in your decision. The final go/no-go call is always yours.

After a Mentor Accepts

• •You'll be notified by email and SMS with the mentor's name, credentials, and phone number.
• •The Mentor button on your briefing will pulse to indicate a match.
• •Depending on the mentor's call preference, either you or the mentor will initiate the call. The notification will tell you who should call first.
• •After the conversation, either you or the mentor can mark the session complete.
• •You'll be asked to rate the experience (1-5 stars) and optionally leave feedback.

Cancelling a Request

You can cancel an open request at any time from the Mentor dialog on your briefing page. If no mentor accepts within the time limit (24 hours for broadcast, 48 hours for direct), the request expires automatically.

Signing Up

Go to Profile → Mentor tab. Fill out your:

• •Display name — how you appear to pilots browsing mentors (e.g. first name, callsign)
• •Bio — your experience, what you can help with
• •Aircraft types — what you fly (mentees see you highlighted if you share their type, but all mentors are visible)
• •Specialties — mountain flying, icing, IFR in IMC, international, etc.
• •Phone number — for pilots to contact you after you accept

You'll also need to accept the Volunteer Mentor Agreement, which clarifies that you're providing peer guidance — not flight instruction — regardless of any certificates you hold.

Availability & Notifications

You control when and how you're contacted:

• •Available days & hours — set your window (e.g. Mon-Fri, 7 AM - 9 PM)
• •Timezone — all availability is based on your local time
• •Contact method — choose Text & Email (default), Text Only, or Email Only
• •Who calls first — set your preference: "Mentee calls me," "I'll call the mentee," or "Either way." This is shown to the mentee after you accept.
• •Do Not Disturb — toggle to pause all requests (e.g. when you're on vacation)

SMS notifications are never sent outside your availability hours. If a request comes in while you're off-hours, you'll receive an email instead.

Your Mentor Dashboard

Access your dashboard at /mentor or from the link in your notification email. The dashboard shows:

• •Requests — incoming requests waiting for you to accept or decline
• •Active — sessions you've accepted (click "View Briefing" to see the pilot's full briefing)
• •History — completed sessions with ratings and feedback

Viewing a Briefing

When you click "View Briefing" from a request or your dashboard, you'll see the pilot's exact briefing — including their GO Score, weather analysis, personal minimums, and aircraft profile. A sticky panel at the top shows the pilot's info and a notes area where you can record call details, duration, and your recommendation.

Session Notes

After speaking with a pilot, you can record:

• •Recommendation — Go, No-Go, Delay, Alternate Route, Recheck Later
• •Call duration — how long you spoke
• •Notes — free-form details about the conversation

These notes are private to you and help protect you by documenting what was discussed. A snapshot of the briefing at the time you accepted is also preserved.