National Accreditation Recognized By The FAA

Five CFIs completed Master Instructors course to receive the prestigious designation in the month of June. The title has been eared by fewer than 700 of the 91,000 CFIs currently active in the country. The last 17 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 and industry 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

Aviation educators who earned the "Master" title during July are:

Clifton O'Neal "Cliff" Walters, a 4-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.  A US Air Force veteran, Cliff is a flight and ground instructor with North Star Aviation, a full service FBO at Hamilton's Ravalli County Airport (6S5) in Hamilton, MT.  He specializes in primary, instrument, multiengine, and aerobatic flight training. E-mail: CW@LostHorizon.us

Lance Michael Vaculin, a 3-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.  Lance is an assistant chief flight instructor, a ground instructor, and director of flight operations with Westminster College at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) in Utah.  He also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA's Salt Lake FSDO area. E-mail: LVaculin@WestminsterCollege.edu 

Stephen Frank "Steve" Riethof, a 4-time Master and charter SAFE member, was recently granted Master Instructor Emeritus status in recognition of his many years of commitment to excellence, professional growth, service to the aviation community, and quality aviation education.  A retired US Air Force veteran, Steve is a vice president and recent inductee into the Aviation Hall of Fame & Museum of New Jersey as well as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA's Teterboro FSDO area. E-mail: Steve@Riethof.net

Susan Kirstein Parson, a 5-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed her Master CFI accreditation.  Susan is a special assistant to the FAA's Flight Standards director and editor of FAA Safety Briefing magazine as well as is an independent flight instructor in the Leesburg, VA, area.  She also serves with the Civil Air Patrol's Virginia Wing and is a FAASTeam representative in the Washington FSDO area. E-mail: Avi8rix@gmail.com

Timothy John "Tim" Brill, a 1st time Master as well as a member of IAC and SAFE, recently earned his Master CFI-Aerobatic accreditation.  Tim is the owner of The Aerobatic Company, a flight school specializing in emergency maneuver and aerobatic training at Reno Stead Airport (RTS) in Nevada.  He also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA's Reno FSDO area. E-mail: Tim@AerobaticCompany.com

FMI: www.MasterInstructors.org