Recognizing The Best Of The Best

The National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI) takes pride in announcing a significant aviation accomplishment on the part of these very special aviation educators.  Recently, they were all designated Master Instructors by NAFI, their professional aviation organization.

To help put this achievement in its proper perspective, there are approximately 85,000 CFIs in the United States. Fewer than 500 of them have earned the Master designation thus far. As a measure of the prestige conferred by this title, the last ten FAA National Flight Instructors of the Year were Master CFIs.  In addition, the FAA has approved the designation as an alternate means for CFIs to renew their flight instructor certificates.

The Master Instructor designation is a national accreditation recognized by the FAA that is earned by a candidate through a rigorous process of continuing education and peer review.  Much like a flight instructor's certificate, it must be renewed biennially.  This process parallels continuing education regimens used by other professionals to enhance their knowledge base while increasing their professionalism. Simply put, the Master Instructor designation is a means by which to identify those outstanding aviation educators, those "Teachers of Flight," who are demonstrating an ongoing commitment to excellence, professional growth, and service to the aviation community. 

Through their dedication to excellence, Master Instructors have earned their "black belts" in aviation education. They truly represent the cr�me de la cr�me of the aviation industry!

Aviation educators who earned the "Master" title during March are:

Renewals

• Alberto BERNABEO, Master CFI 
  Bologna  Italy
  E-mail:   Alberto.Bernabeo@myair.com
  Alberto Bernabeo recently renewed his Master Instructor designation.  Alberto is a flight and ground instructor for Flight Safety International where he specializes in primary, instrument, and airline transition training.  He holds both USA and Italian ATP certificates and serves as a type rating examiner.
• William Edward "Bill" CORNICK, Master CFI & Master CFI-Aerobatic    
  Thousand Oaks  CA
  E-mail:    AkroPilot@BillCornick.com
  William E Cornick recently renewed both his Master CFI and Master CFI-Aerobatic designations.  Bill is an airshow performer and an independent flight instructor specializing in aerobatic, instrument and high performance training at Camarillo Airport (CMA).  He also serves as a safety counselor for the Van Nuys FSDO.
• Linda Margaret DOWDY, Master CFI 
  Bethel  MN
  E-mail:  LinDowdy@visi.com
  Linda Dowdy recently renewed her Master Instructor designation.  Linda is the chief CFI for Knowlton Flight Instruction Services at Anoka County Airport (ANE) where she specializes in Instrument, multi-engine and simulator training.  She also works with The 99s and the Minnesota Association of Professional Flight Instructors (MAPFI).
• Thomas Michael "Mike" GARRISON, Master CFI
  Leawood  KS
  E-mail:  MGarrison8@sbcglobal.net
  Michael Garrison recently renewed his Master CFI designation.  Mike instructs with the Crown Flying Club at New Century Aircenter (IXD) and Air Associates, a Cessna Pilot Center at Johnson County Executive Airport (OJC).  He also serves as a designated pilot examiner for the Kansas City FSDO.
• John Robert MORROW, Master CFI
  Kingston  NY
  E-mail:   MasterCFI@yahoo.com
  John Morrow recently renewed his Master CFI designation.  John is an independent flight instructor with the Hudson Valley Flying Club at Kingston-Ulster Airport (20N).    He also serves as an EAA flight advisor, president of EAA Chapter 1359 and is an Aviation Safety Counselor for the Albany FSDO.
• Timothy Douglas "Tim" PEREZ, Master CFI
  Griffin  GA
  E-mail:   MasterCFI@VerticalSpecialties.com
  Timothy Perez recently renewed his Master CFI designation.  Tim is an independent CFI and chief pilot for Metro Engineering & Surveying at Tara Field (4A7) in Hampton.  He is also a pilot for Angel Flight and the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation and serves as an Aviation Safety Counselor for the Atlanta FSDO.     

Initials

• John Mark "Jack" MC GOLDRICK, Master CFI
  Seattle  WA    
  E-mail:  Jack@McGoldrick.com
  Jack McGoldrick recently earned his Master Instructor designation.  Jack is a flight instructor at Galvin Flying Service, a Part 141 flight school at Seattle's Boeing Field (BFI).  He has served as state president of the Washington Pilots Association and is currently the association's director of legislative affairs.

• Ronald Loren "Ron" MELE, Master CFI     
  Spearfish  SD
  E-mail:  Learn2Fly@Rushmore.com
  Ronald Mele recently earned his Master CFI designation.  Ron is a flight and ground instructor with Eagle Aviation (www.EagleAviationInc.com) at Black Hills Airport-Clyde Ice Field (SPF).  A retired Air Force officer, he now works with Civil Air Patrol cadets and serves as a standardization officer in the CAP's South Dakota Wing.

FMI: www.nafinet.org