Yeah, I'm the arsehole for thinking that a free public presentation marketed by the government contains a document that is public. Sorry.
I think you figured out that part. Now let's flip the coin.
Many of the Wings-approved seminars are put on by people who are using them to provide a little information along with a whole lot of sales pitch to come to one of their bigger seminars... or take their "advanced class". Or buy a product with plenty of product placement or even just a little.
They've "gamed" the free seminar a bit into free advertising and marketing for other stuff they do and sell.
So... maybe you ran into one of those. You didn't provide the seminar number, so we can't look it up, but if you search by presenter you can often see the pattern. Same seminar over and over and always a link to their company on the announcement and you go read about the company and see what they really sell.
So yup. The dude is kinda a prick not to share his presentation. No argument there. But it's his to do with as he pleases.
Honestly there's an ethics line being crossed there somewhere... maybe... or not... on some of the author's use of the system as their own personal sales lead generator, but I don't know where the line is crossed.
I wouldn't fault a CFI who wanted more local recognition from finding all the resources (mostly the venue - large meeting spaces aren't always easy to come by on airports) to do these and to give solid presentations where they end with "here's how to reach me if you'd like to go flying or learn more...". It's a lot of work to put one on.
I've seen a NUMBER of clubs use these as ways to get local pilots in their doors too. By far the most common one of those here is the local club that pushes that they're mostly Cirrus. They got some Cirrus award for best club of the year or something too.
I think they're legitimately giving back to the community but it also keeps their name in lights, and they get great speakers for their Wings approved events. Not always their CFIs but experts on weather, etc. And it gets pilots in their front door who might wander around and see their Redbird or ask about a checkout in an SR-20/22 etc. They do a lot of them and it adds to the feel that they care about their club members when they can say they put one on regularly. Community. That's about as close as it gets to the old "sitting around the airport on a Saturday talking with all the other pilots" feel anymore.
Alternatively here locally, Colorado Pilots Assn always makes sure their mountain flying ground school is Wings approved, but their material is also considered copyrighted and close held and not available for public distribution. They want people to come in person and learn. They then will pair folks up by ability level with local CFIs for the flying portion but they get nothing from that business transaction. They charge a bit for the class.
At the national level on the webinars, Mike Busch does them monthly and keeps his SAAVY service in the footlights, as well as a few meteorology types. Someone by the name of Delia Colvin (sp?) also does similar for weather topics. Same seminar over and over.
I'm honestly curious which one you asked. If it's one of the national ones they're often just doing the Wings thing as a nice "taste" of their bigger seminars.
Whether that's wrong or right, I don't know. It gets pilots to show up and learn and they get some credits for it toward their Wings stuff if they like that system for meeting flight review requirements.
One of my favorite local Wings approved things is my home airport holds a "fireside chat with ATC" and the Tower manager and some of his controllers come down and talk for a while about problems they see happening from the Tower cab and then they open up a Q&A session. That one is worth attending every year.
And like I said, I've known a couple CFIs who do it for self-promotion. (It also doesn't hurt your relationship with the FSDO either, and many get appointed as FAASTeam members along that path.)
Or maybe they're just addicted to giving public presentations. One I know is definitely that type. Did a couple of safety presentations after a widely publicized engine-out and liked it so much, they write new presentations every quarter or so. I could see the appeal if you don't mind public speaking.
Or in the case of one, he's a high time mountain pilot who's already already involved in all the CPA courses but also volunteers to give a shorter presentation on mountain flying every year at Oshkosh in the FAA building. He just likes sharing. Adds another reason to go to OSH every year for him too, since there's a "job" to be done.
So there ya go. Maybe you ran into a self-promoter who's pitching a bigger meteorology course who doesn't release their material but prefers folks come in person. Or the material isn't even theirs to email and they only have permission to use it at in person sessions.
It's an interesting system. I think it creates more good than harm but it's definitely a method some use for marketing and mild sales pitches to the assembled crowd.
