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 90,000 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 eleven 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.
Aviation educators who earned the "Master" title during June
are:
RENEWALS
Gregory Neal "Greg"
BROWN, Master CFI
Fountain Hills, AZ
E-mail: PJ@paperjet.net
Gregory Brown recently earned his Master CFI accreditation for the
6th time. Greg is an independent Phoenix-area flight instructor,
lecturer and author who writes for numerous aviation publications
including AOPA's Flight Training Magazine. The National Flight
Instructor of the Year in 2000, he was the first CFI ever to earn
Master Instructor accreditation and has held it continuously since
1997.
Alfred Dell "Al" CANNIN, Master CFI
Toms River NJ
E-mail: ACannin@aol.com
Alfred Cannin recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Al is
chief pilot for Eagles View Flight School at New Jersey's Monmouth
Executive Airport (BLM). He also mentors new CFIs, is active in
youth aviation education programs and serves as an Aviation Safety
Counselor for the FAA's Teterboro FSDO.
Michael Cheever CHURCH, Master CFI & Master
CFI-Aerobatic
Costa Mesa, CA
E-mail: MC@SunriseAviation.com
Michael Church recently renewed both his Master CFI and Master
CFI-Aerobatic accreditations. Michael is the chief CFI, manager and
president of Sunrise Aviation, a Cessna Pilot Center at Orange
County Airport (SNA). He is a safety counselor for the Long Beach
FSDO and was the FAA's 2005 Nat'l Aviation Safety Counselor of the
Year.
Richard Michael "Mike" COLIGNY, Master
CFI
Oceanside, CA
E-mail: MasterCFII@hotmail.com
Mike Coligny recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Mike is
the chief executive officer of AeroSimulators USA (www.AeroSimulators.com)
in Oceanside, CA. He also works as an independent flight instructor
offering advanced, instrument and simulator training at
McClellan-Palomar Airport (CRQ).
Gregory Gordon "Greg" GORAK, Master
CFI
Milwaukee, WI
E-mail: GGG@GaitsAviation.com
Gregory Gorak recently earned his Master CFI accreditation for the
5th time. Greg is the president and chief instructor of Gaits
Aviation Seminars (www.GaitsAviation.com)
offering CFI revalidation clinics throughout the Midwest. He was
the 1976 National CFI of the Year and serves as a safety counselor
for the FAA's Milwaukee FSDO.
Claire Eugenia "Geni" GRANT, Master
CFI
Bay City, MI
E-mail: FlyInstr1@chartermi.net
Claire Grant recently renewed her Master CFI accreditation. Geni is
the chief flight instructor and director of aviation flight
technology at Bay City's Delta College. She is also an independent
CFI at Saginaw's H. W. Browne Airport (HYX) and serves as an
Aviation Safety Counselor for the FAA's Grand Rapids FSDO.
Robert Vernon "Bob" KINTNER Jr, Master CFI
Jasper, GA
E-mail: BKintner@SuperiorFlight.com
Robert V Kintner recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Bob
is the chief flight instructor, owner and founder of Superior
Flight School, a Cessna Pilot Center at Cobb County Airport (RYY)
in Kennesaw. He also serves as an Angel Flight pilot and flew
several relief missions after Hurricane Katrina.
Susan Kirstein PARSON, Master
CFI
Falls Church, VA
E-mail: Avi8rix@hotmail.com
Susan Parson recently renewed her Master CFI accreditation. Susan
is as an instructor, check pilot and deputy safety director for the
CAP's Virginia Wing. She also works with the FAA, is an independent
flight and ground instructor in northeastern Virginia and serves as
a safety counselor with the Washington FSDO.
Janice Wray "Jan" WALTON, Master
CFI
Marion, IA
E-mail: JanWalton@earthlink.net
Janice Walton recently renewed her Master Instructor designation.
Jan is the chief flight instructor and owner of P & N Flight
and Charter at Marion Airport (C17). She is active in the 99s as
well as the Whirly Girls, she serves as a safety counselor for the
Des Moines FSDO and is the FAA's 2006 Central Region Flight
Instructor of the Year.
Richard Otis "Dick" WHEELER, Master
CFI
Winter Haven, FL
E-mail: RWhe783174@aol.com
Richard Wheeler recently renewed his Master Instructor
accreditation. Dick is an independent central Florida flight
instructor who works part time with SimCom at their Orlando
training center. He also holds an A&P certificate, serves on
the FAA's Sun 'n Fun production crew and is a safety counselor for
the Orlando FSDO.
INITIALS
Gregory Stephen "Greg"
COLLINS, Master CFI
Dana, NC
E-mail: SmokiesCFI@att.net
Gregory Collins recently earned his Master CFI accreditation. Greg
owns and operates Blue Ridge Sport Flight (www.BlueRidgeSportFlight.com)
at Hendersonville Airport (0A7) where he provides flight training
as well as aircraft maintenance. He also instructs with Aerolina,
Hendersonville's full service FBO.
Gordon William FENN Jr, Master CFI
Manteo, NC
E-mail: GWFenn@yahoo.com
Gordon Fenn recently earned his Master CFI accreditation. Gordon is
a flight instructor with Barrier Island Aviation at Dare County
Regional Airport (MQI) where he specializes in instrument training.
He is also a Part 135 line pilot with AirNow and served as a safety
counselor with the FAA's Orlando FSDO.
Jeanne Elizabeth MAC PHERSON, Master
CFI
Helena, MT
E-mail: JEMacPherson@mt.gov
Jeanne MacPherson recently earned her Master CFI accreditation.
Jeanne is the chief of the Montana Aeronautics Division's Safety
and Education Bureau. She specializes in mountain training and was
the 2003 recipient of EAA's Freedon of Flight Award for having
flown more then 3400 Young Eagles.
Susan Kirstein PARSON, Master
GI
Falls Church, VA
E-mail: Avi8rix@hotmail.com
Susan Parson recently earned her Master Ground Instructor
accreditation. Susan is as an instructor, check pilot and deputy
safety director for the CAP's Virginia Wing. She also works with
the FAA, is an independent flight and ground instructor in
northeastern Virginia and serves as a safety counselor with the
Washington FSDO.
Joseph DeLeon "Joe" SUAREZ, Master
CFI
Dubuque, IA
E-mail: JSuarez@dbq.edu
Joseph Suarez recently earned his Master CFI accreditation. Joe is
an aviation professor, assistant chief flight instructor and chief
ground instructor with the University of Dubuque's Part 141
aviation program. He also serves on the University Aviation
Association's (UAA) scholarship committee.
Clifton O'Neal "Cliff" WALTERS, Master
CFI
Hamilton, MT
E-mail: Instruction@NorthStarAviation.net
Clifton Walters recently earned his Master Instructor
accreditation. Cliff is the chief flight instructor with North Star
Aviation (www.NorthStarAviation.net
) a full service FBO at Hamilton's Ravalli County Airport
(6S5). He specializes in primary, instrument, multiengine and
ground training.
Lee Armour WEDLAKE III, Master CFI
Fort Myers, FL
E-mail: LeeWedlake@comcast.net
Lee Wedlake recently earned his Master CFI accreditation. Lee is an
independent flight instructor working primarily at Punta Gorda's
Charlotte County Airport (PGD). He is also serves as a check pilot
with the Civil Air Patrol's Florida Wing and is an Aviation Safety
Counselor for the FAA's Tampa FSDO.