October 2008 Master Instructors   

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 92,000 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 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 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.   

Through their dedication to excellence, Master Instructors have earned their "black belts" in aviation education. They truly represent the crème de la crème of the aviation industry!  Additional information about the accreditation program is available at: http://www.NAFIMasters.org/  

Aviation educators who earned the "Master" title during October are:

RENEWALS

Kenneth Francis "Ken" WITTEKIEND, Master CFI     
Burnet  TX
E-mail:   Ken@ProMarkAviation.net
Kenneth F Wittekiend recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.  Ken owns and operates ProMark Aviation Services (ProMarkAviation.net) that specializes in flight training, continuing aviation education, and air tours at Burnet Municipal Airport (BMQ).  He also serves as a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's San Antonio FSDO area.

Steven William "Steve" TKACHUK, Master CFI       
Portage  MI  
E-mail:   S.Tkachuk@WMich.edu
Steven Tkachuk recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.  Steve is a Western Michigan University lead flight instructor (www.WMich.edu/Aviation) at Kellogg Airport (BTL) in Battle Creek.  He also serves as a coach for the University's flight team as well as a FAASTeam representative for the FAA's Grand Rapids FSDO area.

Steve Thaddeus THIBODAUX, Master CFI & MGI   
Bellbrook  OH
E-mail:   SteveWOW@donet.com
Steve T Thibodaux recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation and is also an accredited Master Ground Instructor (MGI).  Steve owns Wings on Wheels (www.WingsEdu.com) specializing in glider training at Greene County Regional Airport (I19).  He also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA's Cincinnati FSDO area.

David Paul ST GEORGE, Master CFI & Master GI     
Ithica  NY
E-mail:   David@MyFBO.com
David St George recently renewed his Master CFI and earned a Master Ground Instructor accreditation.  David is the chief flight and ground instructor at East Hill Flying Club, a Part 141 flight school at Ithaca's Tompkins County Airport (ITH).  He also serves as a pilot examiner and a FAASTeam representative with the FAA's Rochester FSDO area.

Donna Martha STEVENS, Master CFI       
Chesterton  IN
E-mail:   DonnAir_Aviation@hotmail.com    
Donna M Stevens recently renewed her Master CFI accreditation.  Donna is the lead flight and ground instructor as well as owner of DonnAir Aviation (www.DonnAirAviation.com) at Porter County Airport (VPZ) in Valparaiso.  She also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA's South Bend FSDO area. 

Alan Chester DAVIS, Master Instructor Emeritus    
Thornton  CO
E-mail:   ADavis@IASAir.com
Alan C Davis was recently granted Master Instructor Emeritus status in recognition of his many years as an accredited Master CFI.  Alan, an independent flight instructor, is the manager of safety and training at Integrated Airline Services (www.IASAir.com) and also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA's Denver FSDO area.


INITIALS

Brian Allan SITCER, Master CFI          
Carlsbad  CA
E-mail:   BrianSitcer@msn.com
Brian A Sitcer recently earned his Master CFI accreditation.  Brian in a flight and ground instructor with Grey Eagle Flight Academy (www.GreyEagleAviation.com) at McCellan-Palomar Airport (CRQ) in Carlsbad.  He also serves as a DeHavilland DHC-8 pilot, simulator instructor, and check airman for Mesa Airlines.

John Clarke MC NEACE, Master CFI-Aerobatic         
Queen Creek  AZ
E-mail:  Clarke.McNeace@APSTraining.com    
Clarke McNeace recently earned his Master CFI-Aerobatic accreditation.  Clarke is the chief CFI with Aviation Performance Solutions (APSTraining.com) at Williams Gateway Airport (IWA) where he specializes in upset and aerobatic training.  A former naval aviator and combat veteran, he also serves as a FAASTeam rep in the Scottsdale FSDO area.

Richard Milton "Rick" HENRY III, Master CFI          
Anchorage  AK 
E-mail:    Rick@RickHenry.com
Richard M Henry recently earned his Master CFI accreditation.  Rick is a Memphis-based FedEx simulator instructor, check airman, and MD-11 pilot.  He is also an airframe & powerplant mechanic, an active Young Eagles pilot, and serves as the finance officer / webmaster for the Alaska Wing of the Commemorative Air Force (www.AlaskaWingCAF.org).