Latest Acceditations Come As Organization Faces Crossroads

The National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI) announced last week eight new accredited Master Instructors.

"To help put this achievement in its proper perspective, there are approximately 84,000 CFIs in the United States. Fewer than 300 currently maintain the Master accreditation," the group writes. "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 latest honors come as the instructor organization appears to be at a crossroads... and they may even be a portent of more troubling times ahead for NAFI.

As ANN has reported, the organization has seen several of its former members leave the organization in the past six months over a slew differences, including in the way the Master Instructor program had been conducted. Many have since joined a rival organization created by those disgruntled instructors, the Society of Aviation & Flight Educators.

The impact NAFI's current state of affairs should have on these latest honors is debatable, even lamentable... but it's worth pointing out these accreditations used to number in the high teens, with reports from NAFI on a monthly basis.

Aviation educators who earned the "Master" title during February and March of 2009 are:

NEW DESIGNATIONS

Brandon Joel Ray, Master CFI
Bend, OR
Brandon is currently an instructor for the Cessna Aircraft Company. He is actively involved with FAASTeam.

Kyle Warren Tucker, Master CFI
Gary, MN
Kyle is currently a Lecturer for the Dept of Aviation and the University of North Dakota Center for Aerospace and Sciences.

Megan Roberta Sayre, Master CFI
Bennett, CO
Meagan is the Director of Operations for Daedalus Aviation LLC. She is also Colorado 99's FAA Rep and actively involved with Colorado Pilots Association.

Charles Henry Ebbecke, Master CFI
Mullica, Hill NJ
Chuck is a Director and Instructor for MAPA Safety Foundation. He is also actively involved with Mooney Aircraft Pilots Association.

Robert Scott Tekell, Master CFI
Azle, TX
Scott is an independent instructor and DPE. He is actively involved with the Army Aviation Association of America and Seaplane Pilots Association.

RENEWALS

Raymond Francis Spengler Jr, Master CFI & Master Ground Instructor
Sonoma, CA
Raymond is the Owner, President and Chief Flight Instructor of Skypark Aviation LLC. He has served as an FAA Aviation Safety Counselor on the FAASTeam for over nine years. Currently he is serving as USAF Auxiliary, California Wing Civil Air Patrol NORCAL Group Commander.

Arthur H Hayssen, Master CFI
Sebastopol, CA
Arthur is the Owner, President and Chief Flight Instructor for North Coast Air, Inc. His is also the Chief Ground Instructor at Santa Rosa Junior College. He has been a Lead FAA FAASTeam Representative in the Northern California District for 20 years.

Linda M Dowdy, Master CFI
Bethel, MN
Linda formed the company Sim Flite Minnesota, LLC in 2006. She has flown for the Wings of Mercy Minnesota and has been on their Board of Directors. She was selected as the Minnesota Flight Instructor of the Year in 2007 by the Great Lakes Minneapolis FSDO.

FMI: www.nafinet.org