NAFI Lauds November's Masters

NAFI has shared with ANN their 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 81,000 CFIs in the United States. Fewer than four hundred of them have earned the Master designation thus far. As a measure of the prestige conferred by this title, the last eight FAA National Flight Instructors of the Year were Master CFIs. In addition, the FAA recently 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 November are:

RENEWALS

Eric Joseph SHAPPEE, Master CFI
Salina KS
E-mail: wjfpmd@ksu.edu
Eric Shappee recently renewed his Master Instructor designation. Eric is a Kansas State University assistant professor of aviation at Salina Airport (SLN). He also serves in the Civil Air Patrol's Kansas Wing and is an Aviation Safety Counselor for the FAA's Wichita FSDO.

Rusty SACHS, Master CFI
Norwich VT
E-mail: RSachs@SignalAviation.com
Rusty Sachs recently earned his Master Instructor designation for the fourth time. He is the director of flight training and chief pilot for Signal Aviation Services, a Cessna Pilot Center at Lebanon Municipal Airport (LEB). Rusty also serves as a pilot examiner and safety counselor for the Portland FSDO.

Edward William "Bill" OTWAY, Master CFI
Long Beach CA
E-mail: BillOtway@hotmail.com
William Otway recently earned his Master Instructor designation for the fourth time. Bill an instructor with Flight Safety and specializes in EMB-120 & CE-500 ATP type ratings. He also serves in the Civil Air Patrol and is as an Aviation Safety Counselor for the Long Beach FSDO.

David James "Dave" MC VINNIE, Master CFI
Albuquerque NM
E-mail: DJMcvinnie@aol.com
David McVinnie recently renewed his Master CFI designation. Dave was New Mexico's first Master CFI in 1997 and is now the chief flight instructor for Bode Aviation's Part 141 operations at Double Eagle II Airport (AEG). He also serves as an Aviation Safety Counselor for the Albuquerque FSDO.

Helen Dalman "Pat" KNIGHT, Master CFI
Naperville IL
E-mail: PKnight@earthlink.net
Pat Knight recently renewed her Master CFI designation. Pat was Illinois' first Master CFI in 1997 and is now director of operations for Rubloff Aviation at Clow International Airport (1C5) in Bolingbrook. She also serves as a pilot examiner and safety counselor for the DuPage FSDO.

Thomas Franklin "Tom" HENDRICKS, Master CFI
Portland OR
E-mail: True_Flight@juno.com
Thomas Hendricks recently earned his Master Instructor designation for the third time. Tom is active in the Oregon Pilot's Association and is the director of training with Aero Air at Portland-Hillsboro Airport (HIO). He also serves as an Aviation Safety Counselor for the Portland FSDO.

Edgar Melville "Ed" FINK, Master CFI
Cape Coral FL
E-mail: EdFink@earthlinknet
Edgar Fink recently earned his Master Instructor designation for the fourth time. Ed is an independent flight and ground instructor at Page Field Airport (FMY) in Fort Myers. He also serves as a US Coast Guard Auxiliary pilot and is an Aviation Safety Counselor for the Tampa FSDO.

Pamela Christina DE CASTRO, Master CFI
Oakland CA
E-mail: Pamela@Wingover.com
Pamela de Castro recently renewed her Master CFI designation. Pamela was the 2002 Western Pacific Region CFI of the Year and is an independent flight instructor at the Oakland (OAK) and Hayward (HWD) airports. She is also an Aviation Safety Counselor for the Oakland FSDO.

INITIALS

James Ernest "Jim" TREADWELL, Master CFI
Longwood FL
E-mail: Jim@DrSmart.com
James Treadwell recently earned his Master Instructor designation. Jim is a flight instructor and MU-2 program coordinator for SimCom International at Orlando Executive Airport (ORL). He specializes in initial and recurrent training in MU-2s, Pilatus, Cessnas and Barons.

Anton Ivanov SABEV, Master CFI
Mountain View CA
E-mail: Anton@PilotRatings.com
Anton Sabev recently earned his Master Instructor designation. Anton is an independent flight instructor specializing in multiengine, instrument and tailwheel training at Santa Clara County's Reid-Hillview Airport (RHV). He also serves as an Aviation Safety Counselor for the San Jose FSDO.

Sandra Anita "Sandi" MC CLURE, Master CFI
Mount Laurel NJ
E-mail: SMcClure@netcarrier.com
Sandra McClure recently earned her Master Instructor designation. Sandi flies with Central Virginia Aviation in Petersburg (PTB) and is an independent CFI at Medford's Flying W Airport (N14). She also serves as an Aviation Safety Counselor for the Philadelphia FSDO.

Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" FULCHER, Master CFI
Boise ID
E-mail: JSFulcher@velocitus.net
Jeffrey Fulcher recently earned his Master Instructor designation. Jeff is an independent flight instructor at Nampa Municipal Airport (S67) where he specializes in primary and instrument training. He also serves as president of the T-Craft Aero Club.

FMI: www.nafi.org