"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 accredited as Master Instructors by NAFI, their professional aviation education association.

NAFI notes there are approximately 92,000 CFIs in the United States. Fewer than 600 of them have earned Master accreditation thus far. As a measure of the prestige conferred by this title, the last 13 FAA National Flight Instructors of the Year were Master CFIs. In addition, the FAA has approved the accreditation 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 professional activity 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 September are:

RENEWALS

Mark Richard Adams, Master CFI
El Paso, TX
E-mail: AdamsMark@earthlink.net
Mark R Adams recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Mark is an independent El Paso-area flight instructor specializing in Cessna 300 & 400 series initial and recurrent training. He is also a Federal Express Airbus check airman and serves as a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Albuquerque FSDO area.

Alfred Dell "Al" Cannin, Master CFI
Toms River, NJ
E-mail: ACannin@aol.com
Alfred D Cannin recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Al is the chief pilot with Nett Aviation (www.NettAviation.com) at Old Bridge Airport (3N6) as well as an independent central New Jersey flight instructor. A US Air Force veteran, he specializes in training initial CFI candidates, young adults, and students with learning difficulties.

Michael Gerard "Mike" Gaffney, Master CFI & Master GI
Lake Saint Louis, MO
E-mail: MGGaffney@SkylineAero.com
Michael G Gaffney recently renewed his Master CFI and Master Ground Instructor accreditations. Mike is the chief flight instructor at Skyline Aeronautics, a Part 141 flight school at Spirit of St Louis Airport (SUS). The 2007 National CFI of the Year, he also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA's Saint Louis FSDO area.

Paul Edward Jurgens II, Master CFI
Williamsburg, OH
E-mail: PJurgens@Sportys.com
Paul E Jurgens recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Paul is the chief flight instructor for glider and multiengine operations with Sporty's Academy (www.Sportys.com), at Clermont County Airport (I69). He also serves as an aviation merit badge counselor and is the vice president of publishing at Sporty's.

Donald Ellis "Don" Kaye, Master CFI
Santa Clara, CA
E-mail: DonKaye@earthlink.net
Donald E Kaye recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Don is an independent flight instructor specializing in instrument, recurrency, and complex aircraft training at numerous San Jose area airports. He also teaches with the Mooney Pilot Proficiency Program and serves as a FAASTeam representative with the FAA's San Jose FSDO area.

Bret Patrick Koebbe, Master CFI
Mason, OH
E-mail: BKoebbe@gmail.com
Bret P Koebbe recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Bret is a flight instructor specializing in advanced and transition training with Sporty's Academy (www.Sportys.com) at Clermont County Airport (I69). He also serves as an aviation merit badge counselor and is the vice president responsible for video production at Sporty's.

Robin Henry "Rob" Lindstrom, Master CFI & Master GI
Huntsville, AL
E-mail: RobinHLindstrom@hotmail.com
Robin H Lindstrom recently renewed his Master CFI and Master Ground Instructor accreditations. Rob is an assistant chief flight instructor and ground instructor with the Redstone Arsenal Flying Activity at Redstone Army Airfield (HUA). He also serves as a FAASTeam representative with the FAA's Birmingham FSDO area.

Lynnwood Karl "Woody" Minar, Master CFI
Dresser, WI
E-mail: Woody.Minar@centurytel.net
Lynnwood K Minar recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Woody is the chief flight instructor with Osceola AeroSport (www.OsceolaAero.com), a full service FBO and flight school at Osceola's Simenstad Municipal Airport (OEO). He also serves as a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Minneapolis FSDO area.

Gary Eure Odom, Master CFI
Ruston, LA
E-mail: GOdom@LATech.edu
Gary E Odom recently earned his Master CFI accreditation for the 5th time. Gary is head of the Professional Aviation Department at Louisiana Tech University (www.LATech.edu/Aviation) in Ruston (RSN). He also serves on the University Aviation Association board of trustees and is a member of the Aviation Accreditation Board.

James Steve Rutland, Master CFI
Enterprise, AL
E-mail: SRutland@roadrunner.com
James Steve Rutland recently earned his Master CFI accreditation for the 5th time. Steve is a UH60 Blackhawk helicopter instructor at the Army's Fort Rucker training facility (LOR). He also provides flight training with Double Bridges Aviation (www.DoubleBridgesAviation.com), a Part 141 school at Enterprise Municipal Airport (EDN).

Steven William "Steve" Tkachuk, Master CFI
Portage, MI
E-mail: S.Tkachuk@WMich.edu
Steven Tkachuk recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Steve is a Western Michigan University lead flight instructor (www.WMich.edu/Aviation) at Kellogg Airport (BTL) in Battle Creek. He also serves as a coach for the University's flight team as well as a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Grand Rapids FSDO area.

INITIALS

William Craig "Bill" Dunaway, Master CFI
Owasso, OK
E-mail: BDunaway4@cox.net
William C Dunaway recently earned his Master CFI accreditation. Bill is an independent flight and ground instructor at Tulsa's Richard L Jones Riverside Airport (RVS). He also taught aviation classes for Tulsa Community College (www.TulsaCC.edu) and mentors newly certificated flight instructors.

Clinton Anthony "Clint" Festa, Master CFI
Raleigh, NC
E-mail: ClintonFesta@hotmail.com
Clinton A Festa recently earned his Master CFI accreditation. Clint is the chief pilot and company flight instructor with Ram Air Freight (www.RamAirFreight.com) at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU). He also serves as a FAASTeam representative with the FAA's Greensboro FSDO area.

Nanette "Nan" Gaylord, Master CFI
Tulsa, OK
E-mail: NanGaylord@aol.com
Nanette Gaylord recently earned her Master CFI accreditation. Nan is a designated pilot examiner as well as a flight and ground instructor at Tulsa's Richard L Jones Riverside Airport (RVS). She also teaches aviation classes for Tulsa Community College and serves as a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Oklahoma City FSDO area.

Keith Joseph Landrum, Master CFI
Batavia, OH
E-mail: KLandrum@Sportys.com
Keith J Landrum recently earned his Master CFI accreditation. Keith is an assistant chief flight instructor with Sporty's Academy (www.Sportys.com), a Part 141 flight school at Clermont County Airport (I69). He also serves as a coach for the University of Cincinnati's intercollegiate flight team

FMI: www.nafimasters.org