Organization Confers Second Helicopter Master Instructor
Accreditation
There's a new Master Helicopter Instructor in Arlington, TX, as
eight aviation eduators renewed their Master Instructor ratings in
January.
Master Instructors LLC says that, of the approximately 93,000
CFIs in the United States, fewer than 700 of them have earned
Master accreditation thus far. As a measure of the prestige
conferred by this title, the last 15 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 January
are:
Michael Edwin "Mike" Cassady, Master
CFI-Helicopter, Arlington TX. Mike is a 2-time Master and
SAFE member who recently became the second aviation educator to
earn Master CFI-Helicopter accreditation. He is a longtime
helicopter flight and ground instructor with Bell
Helicopter's factory school at Fort Worth
Alliance Airport (KAFW). A member of the Helicopter Association
International (HAI), he also serves as a FAASTeam representative in
the FAA's Fort Worth FSDO area. E-mail: HelicopterTraining@att.net,
MCassady@BellHelicopter.textron.com
Andrew David "Drew" Chitiea, Master CFI,
Aurora CO. Drew is a 7-time Master and charter SAFE member
who recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Drew is a
corporate pilot as well as the chief pilot and owner of Colorado
Skymaster LLC at Centennial Airport (KAPA). He
also serves as a pilot examiner and a FAASTeam representative in
the FAA's Denver FSDO area. E-mail: Drew@ColoradoSkymaster.com
Nanette "Nan" Gaylord, Master Ground
Instructor, Tulsa, OK, CFI Nan Gaylord, a 2-time Master and SAFE
member, recently earned her Master Ground Instructor (MGI)
accreditation. Nan is a designated pilot examiner 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. E-mail: NanGaylord@aol.com
Jameson Richard "James" Hilliard, Master CFI
Lincoln, NE. James is a 2-time Master and SAFE member, and he
recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. James is the lead
flight instructor, a ground instructor, and the manager of Performance Flight
Training, a Cessna Pilot Center at Lincoln Airport
(KLNK). He specializes in technically advanced aircraft and
transition training. E-mail: JRH.Pilot@gmail.com
Daniel Paul "Dan" Mahoney, Master CFI, Key Colony
Beach, FL. Dan is a 5-time Master and SAFE member who recently
renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Dan is an aviation instructor
with Everglades University as well as an independent flight
instructor specializing in training older pilots at Marathon
Airport (KMTH). A US Airways A-330 captain, he also serves as a
FAASTeam representative in the Miami / South Florida FSDO area.
E-mail: DM2953@aol.com
Judy Ann Phelps, Master CFI-Aerobatic, Santa
Paula, CA. This is Judy's third Master accreditation. A 3-time
Master and a member of IAC as well as SAFE, she recently renewed
her Master CFI-Aerobatic accreditation. Judy specializes in
aerobatic and emergency maneuver training with CP Aviation at
Santa Paula Airport (KSZP). The 2010 Western Pacific Region CFI of
the Year, she also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA's
Van Nuys FSDO area. E-mail: Judy@CPAviation.com
Orlando Raimundo Villaverde, Master CFI, Miami,
FL. Orlando is a 4-time Master and SAFE member, having recently
renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Orlando is an airplane and
helicopter flight and ground instructor at Kendall-Tamiami Airport
(KTMB). He is also a professor of aviation at the Miami
Dade College School of
Aviation and serves as a
FAASTeam representative in the Miami FSDO area. E-mail: SkyKingVillage@aol.com
Joel David Weaner, Master CFI Jacksonville, FL.
Joel is a 5-time Master and SAFE member who recently renewed his
Master CFI accreditation. Joel is the owner of Beach Banners
where he specializes in aerial advertising, aircraft rental, and
flight instruction at Craig Municipal Airport (KCRG). He also
serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA's Orlando / North
Florida FSDO area. E-mail: Joel@BeachBanners.com
NTSB Prelim: Piper PA-23
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