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.

FMI: www.nafinet.org