'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 January
are:
RENEWALS
Terry Lee Claussen, Master
CFI
Phoenix, AZ
E-mail: Terry.Claussen@gmail.com
Terry Claussen recently earned his Master CFI accreditation for the
5th time. Terry is a flight operations analyst with US Airways as
well as an independent glider instructor at Estrella Sailport (E68)
and Chandler Municipal Airport (CHD). He also serves as an AOPA
Airport Support Network volunteer and is a pilot examiner for the
FAA's Scottsdale FSDO.
Thomas Monroe "Tom" Evans, Master
CFI
Tampa, FL
E-mail: TomLindaEvans@TampaBay.rr.com
Thomas M Evans recently renewed his Master CFI
accreditation. Tom is a flight and ground instructor with Atlas
Aviation (www.atlasaviationinc.com),
a Cessna Pilot Center at Tampa's Peter O Knight Field (TPF). He
also serves as president of the Florida Ass'n of Flight Instructors
and is a FAASTeam rep for the FAA's North Florida FSDO.
Robert Kloman "Bob" Gawler, Master
CFI
Bethesda, MD
E-mail: TreborAV8@starpower.net
Robert K Gawler recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation for
the 5th time. Bob operates Trebor Aviation at Montgomery County
Airpark (GAI) in Gaithersburg where he specializes in instrument
training. He also serves with the Maryland Wing of the CAP and is a
designated pilot examiner (DPE) for the FAA's Baltimore FSDO.
David Randall "Dave" Hensley, Master
CFI
DeLand FL
E-mail: DHensley@RAAjobs.com
David R Hensley recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Dave
is the chief flight instructor and director of standardization at
Regional Airline Academy (www.raajobs.com) at
DeLand Municipal Airport (DED). He also serves in the Civil Air
Patrol's Florida Wing and is a FAASTeam representative for the
FAA's North Florida FSDO.
Mark Alan "Mordechai" Levin, Master
CFI
Richmond, IL
E-mail: MordechaiLevin@hotmail.com
Mark A Levin recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.
Mordechai is an independent Chicago-area flight and ground
instructor specializing in primary and advanced training. He also
serves as an instructor pilot with the Illinois Wing of the Civil
Air Patrol and is the executive director of the Masterflight
Foundation.
Beverly Jean Runner, Master
CFI
Lakeside, CA
E-mail: HWRunner@earthlink.net
Jean Runner recently renewed her Master CFI accreditation. Jean is
an independent flight instructor at El Cajon's Gillespie Field
(SEE) and was the founder of Jean's Flight Training. She also
serves as a judge for the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate Flying
Association (PCIFA) and is a FAASTeam rep for the FAA's San Diego
FSDO.
James Leighton "Jim" Stover, Master
CFI
Fredericksburg, VA
E-mail: StoverJL@cox.net
James L Stover recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Jim
is the chief flight instructor and owner of JLS Aviation (www.jlsaviation.info),
a flight school located at Fredericksburg's Shannon Airport (EZF).
He also serves in the Civil Air Patrol's Virginia Wing as a mission
pilot/check pilot and is director of emergency services.
John Wesley "Jack" Vandeventer, Master
CFI
Zionsville, IN
E-mail: JWVandeventer@hotmail.com
Jack Vandeventer recently renewed his Master CFI
accreditation. Jack is an independent CFI who also instructs with
Eagle Flyers (EagleFlyers.net) at Indianapolis Executive Airport
(TYQ) where he specializes in tailwheel, instrument, and sport
pilot training. He also serves as a FAASTeam representative for the
FAA's Indianapolis FSDO.
INITIALS
Richard Michael "Rich" Funcheon, Master CFI
Vero Beach, FL
E-mail: Funcheon@yahoo.com
Richard M Funcheon recently earned his Master CFI accreditation.
Rich is the director of academics for FlightSafety Academy at Vero
Beach Municipal Airport (VRB). A past NAFI Flight Specialist of the
Year, he is also a FAASTeam rep for the FAA's North Florida FSDO
and was recently named the FAA's 2008 Southern Region CFI of the
Year.
Christopher John "Chris" Hope, Master
CFI
Kansas City, MO
E-mail: TheHopes-Chris@kc.rr.com
Christopher J Hope recently earned his Master CFI accreditation.
Chris is a volunteer Angel Flight pilot and is the president and
chief flight instructor of the Flying Club of Kansas City at Lee's
Summit Airport (LXT). A graduate of the Air Force Academy, he
specializes in primary and instrument flight training.
Erin Christine Owen, Master CFI
Branson West, MO
E-mail: Erin@WingsOfTheOzarks.com
Erin Christine Owen recently earned her Master CFI
accreditation. Erin is the senior flight instructor with Wings of
the Ozarks flight school (www.wingsoftheozarks.com)
located at Graham Clark-Taney County Airport (PLK) in Lookout
Point. She also serves as a FAASTeam representative with the FAA's
Kansas City FSDO.
John Urban "Rock" Rockcastle, Master
CFI
Oxford, FL
E-mail: Rancher@digital.net
John U Rockcastle recently earned his Master CFI accreditation.
Rock is a flight and ground instructor at SimCom training center in
Orlando. The 1989 National Flight Instructor of the Year, he is
also a FAASTeam representative and production crew member with the
FAA's National Resource Center in Lakeland (LAL).
Radek Roman Wyrzykowski, Master
CFI
East Providence, RI
E-mail: Radek@HorizonAviation.com
Radek Wyrzykowski recently earned his Master CFI
accreditation. Radek is the chief flight instructor for Horizon
Aviation (www.horizonaviation.com),
a Part 141 flight school at Warwick's Providence Airport (PVD). He
also serves as an Angel Flight pilot and a FAASTeam representative
for the FAA's Windsor Locks FSDO.