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.

To help put this achievement in its proper perspective, there are approximately 90,000 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 twelve 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 May are:

RENEWALS

William Edward "Bill" Cornick, Master CFI & Master CFI-Aerobatic
Thousand Oaks, CA
E-mail: AkroPilot@BillCornick.com
William E Cornick recently renewed his Master CFI and Master CFI-Aerobatic accreditations. Bill is an airshow performer and judge as well as an independent aerobatic flight instructor at Camarillo Airport (CMA). The holder of IAC's "All Ten" Aerobatic Achievement Award, he also serves as a FAASTeam representative for the Van Nuys FSDO.

Aaron Michael Glassman, Master CFI
Norfolk, VA
E-mail: AGlassman@Fly-AEI.com
Aaron Glassman recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Aaron is the director of education with Aviation Education Institute (www.Fly-AEI.com) where he provides safety seminars and ground training at Hampton Roads Executive Airport (PVG). He also serves as an Angel Flight pilot and a FAASTeam rep with the FAA's Richmond FSDO.

Cathleen Moira "Cathy" Steele, Master CFI
Severna Park, MD
E-mail: C.M.Steele@juno.com
Cathleen Steele recently renewed her Master CFI accreditation. Cathy is the chief flight instructor at Chesapeake Proflight (www.LearnToFlyAtBWI.com), a Part 141 flight school at Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI). She also serves as a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Baltimore FSDO.

INITIALS

Charles Tuckerman "Charlie" Fitzgerald Jr, Master CFI
Bellevue, WA
E-mail: Fitzgerald42@msn.com
Charles Fitzgerald recently earned his Master CFI accreditation. Charlie is a flight instructor specializing in primary and instrument training with Galvin Flying Services at Boeing Field (BFI). He also serves as a docent with Seattle's Museum of Flight and is a member of the Boeing Field Pilot's Resource Working Group.

Lowell James Hinchee, Master CFI-Aerobatic
Umatilla, FL
E-mail: LHinchee@aol.com
Lowell Hinchee recently earned his Master CFI-Aerobatic accreditation. Lowell is an independent aerobatic flight instructor specializing in unusual attitude recovery training at Winter Haven Municipal Airport (GIF). He also serves as president of Foundation Flyers (www.FoundationFlyers.com) and is a FAASTeam rep for the FAA's Orlando FSDO.

Andrew Michael "Andy" McCabe, Master CFI
Livermore CA
E-mail: StanfordFlying@gmail.com
Andrew McCabe recently earned his Master CFI accreditation. Andy is a senior flight instructor with the Stanford Flying Club (www.FlyStanford.com), a Cessna Pilot Center at the Palo Alto Airport (PAO). He is also a Cessna factory authorized instructor specializing in instrument and G1000 training.

Craig Lee Thighe, Master CFI
Parker CO
E-mail: CThighe@gmail.com
Craig Thighe recently earned his Master CFI accreditation. Craig is a Denver area flight and ground instructor working primarily at Centennial Airport (APA). He also serves in the Civil Air Patrol's Colorado Wing and is an Angel Flight pilot as well as a FAASTeam representative with the FAA's Denver FSDO.

FMI: www.nafimasters.org/