'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 December
are:
RENEWALS
Eric Joseph Shappee, Master
CFI
Salina, KS
E-mail: wjfpmd@ksu.edu
Eric J Shappee recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Eric
is a Kansas State University flight and ground instructor as well
as an associate professor of aviation at Salina Airport (SLN). He
also serves with the Kansas Wing of the Civil Air Patrol and is a
FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Wichita FSDO.
Randal Rock "Randy" Rowles, Master
CFI
Fort Worth, TX
E-mail: Randy-Rowles@SSHeli.com
Randal R Rowles recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.
Randy is a flight instructor and vice president of training
operations with Silver State Helicopters (www.ssheli.com) at
Fort Worth Alliance Airport (AFW). He also serves as a pilot
examiner and FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Fort Worth
FSDO.
Timm Preusser, Master CFI
Kleinwallstadt Germany
E-mail: TimmPreusser@t-online.de
Timm Preusser recently earned his Master CFI accreditation for the
5th time. Timm is a board member, chief CFI, and training officer
at the Darmstadt Flying Club (www.flydfc.com). He
also serves on the Cirrus Owners & Pilots Association (COPA)
board of directors and is a Cirrus standardized instructor.
Craig Michael Patterson, Master
CFI
Midland, TX
E-mail: CPatterson@Midland.edu
Craig M Patterson recently renewed his Master CFI
accreditation. Craig is an assistant professor and chief flight
instructor with Midland College's Part 141 professional pilot
preparation program at Midland Airpark (MDD). He also serves as a
FAASTeam representative with the FAA's Lubbock FSDO and is the
FSDO's 2007 CFI of the Year.
David Allen Koehn, Master
CFI
Tulsa, OK
E-mail: David@FastForwardAviation.com
David A Koehn recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. David
is a flight instructor and co-owner of Fast Forward Aviation (www.fastforwardaviation.com)
at Tulsa's Richard L Jones Riverside Airport (RVS). He specializes
in primary through advanced flight training as well as accelerated
private through ATP ground training.
Gregory "Greg" Keshishian, Master
CFI
New York, NY
E-mail: GregKesh@att.net
Gregory Keshishian recently renewed his Master CFI
accreditation. Greg is an instructor with the Beechcraft Pilot
Proficience Program (BPPP) and is a director of the American
Bonanza Society (ABS). He also serves as an EAA flight advisor and
a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Farmingdale FSDO.
Cleon Joseph Biter, Master
CFI
Lyons, CO
E-mail: CJBiter@earthlink.net
Cleon J Biter recently earned his Master CFI accreditation for the
5th time. Cleon is a flight instructor in Boulder (www.specialtyflight.com)
and Longmont (www.airwestinc.net)
as well as a nationally known aviation weather consultant,
researcher, and writer. He also serves as a FAASTeam rep for the
FAA's Denver FSDO.
INITIALS
Steven Michael "Steve" Smith, Master
CFI
Saint Charles IL
E-mail: StevenMSmith@mindspring.com
Steven M Smith recently earned his Master CFI accreditation. Steve
is a DuPage area flight instructor specializing in high performance
and technically advanced aircraft training. A veteran of the US Air
Force, he also instructs with Travel Express Aviation (www.flytea.com) at the
DuPage County Airport (DPA).