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.