"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