"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 91,000 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 March are:

RENEWALS

William Goodwin "Bill" Castlen, Master CFI  
Destin, FL
E-mail: OldCFII@cox.net
William G Castlen recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Bill is an independent flight instructor specializing in technically advanced aircraft training with Miracle Strip Aviation at Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (DTS). He also serves as a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Birmingham FSDO.

James Arnold "Jim" Covington, Master CFI  
Huntsville, AL
E-mail: Covingto@hiwaay.net
James A Covington recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Jim is an independent Huntsville-area flight and ground instructor specializing in primary and instrument training. He also works with Boy Scouts interested in aviation, offers safety seminars, and serves as a WINGS instructor for the FAA's Birmingham FSDO.

Bridgette Lynn Doremire, Master CFI  
Van Nuys, CA
E-mail: Jedinein@gmail.com
Bridgette Doremire recently renewed her Master CFI accreditation. Bridgette owns and operates Silver Wings flight school (www.SilverWings.aero) at Van Nuys Airport (VNY). She specializes in technically advanced aircraft instruction, primary through advanced, and serves as a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Van Nuys FSDO.

John Kent Earlywine, Master CFI  
Fort Wayne, IN
E-mail: JKE4034@aol.com
John K Earlywine recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. John is an airplane and glider flight instructor with Kendallville Flying Service (www.kendallvilleflyingservice.com) at the Kendallville Airport (C62). The holder of an SAA Silver Badge as well as two Indiana soaring records, he is also a Soaring Society of America instructor.

A drian Allen Eichhorn, Master CFI & Master GI  
Alexandria, VA
E-mail: Adrian.Eichhorn@JetBlue.com
Adrian Eichhorn recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Adrian is an independent flight and ground instructor with the Beechcraft Pilot Proficiency Program (BPPP) and provides training at Leesburg Executive Airport (JYO). He is also a first officer with JetBlue and serves as a FAASTeam representative with the Washington FSDO.

David Hall Faile Jr, Master CFI  
Fairfield, CT
E-mail: DFaile@aol.com
David H Faile recently earned his Master CFI accreditation for the 6th time. The 1999 National CFI of the Year, David instructs at Bridgeport's Sikorsky Airport (BDR). He is also an AOPA Airport Support Network representative, an EAA Flight Advisor/Tech Counselor, and a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Windsor Locks FSDO.

Linda Maria Scully, Master CFI  
Kinnelon, NJ
E-mail: LScully@LPAWings.com
Linda M Scully recently earned her Master CFI accreditation for the 5th time. Linda is the chief flight instructor and president of Aero Safety Training (LPAWings.com), a Part 141 flight school and Cessna Pilot Center at Lincoln Park Airport (N07). She also serves as a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Teterboro FSDO.

Allan Jerome "Al" Skramstad, Master CFI  
West Fargo, ND
E-mail: Skramsta@Aero.UND.edu
Allan J Skramstad recently earned his Master CFI accreditation for the 6th time. Al is a professor of aviation at the University of North Dakota's John D Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences (www.aero.und.edu). He is also a past president of the University Aviation Association (UAA) and serves as a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Fargo FSDO.

Kyle Vincent Thomas, Master CFI   
Durant, OK
E-mail: KThomas@SOSU.edu
Kyle V Thomas recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Kyle is an aviation professor and chief flight instructor with Southeastern Oklahoma State University aviation institute (http://Aviation.SOSU.edu/) at Durant's Eaker Field (DUA). He also serves as a coach and faculty advisor for the university's NIFA flight team, the Flying Savages.

INITIALS

Tab Michael Hornburg, Master CFI   
Sullivan, WI
E-mail: HornburgTab@charter.net
Tab M Hornburg recently earned his Master CFI accreditation. A factory trained Cirrus, Cessna, and Columbia instructor, Tab works as a flight and ground instructor at several Waukesha-area airports. He is also a pilot with Stein's Aircraft Services at Waukesha County Airport (UES).

Naoya "Tama" Tamanaha, Master CFI  
Okinawa, Japan
E-mail: NaoyaTamanaha@hotmail.com
Naoya Tamanaha recently earned his Master CFI accreditation. Tama is the manager and chief flight instructor of Okinawa's Kadena Aero Club Flight Training Center (RODN). He also serves as a designated pilot examiner as well as a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's San Francisco International Field Office (IFO).

FMI: www.nafimasters.org