Master Instructors LLC and its Board of Review take pride in announcing a significant aviation accomplishment on the part of these very special aviation educators. Recently, they were all accredited as Masters by Master Instructors LLC, the international Master Instructor accrediting authority (US Copyright Office registration number TX0006987479).
To help put this achievement in its proper perspective, there are approximately 96,000 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 17 National Flight Instructors of the Year were Master CFIs (see: http://www.GeneralAviationAwards.org/). 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. 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!
Questions regarding the Master Instructor Programä may be directed to 303-485-8136 or MasterInstrs@aol.com For more information about the Master Instructor Programä and to locate other Masters, please visit the “Find a Master Instructor” section of www.MasterInstructors.org To learn more about the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE), visit http://SafePilots.org/ The International Aerobatic Club (IAC) can be reached through their website at http://IAC.org/
Aviation educators who earned the “Master” title during August are:
William Goodwin “Bill CASTLEN, Master CFI
Dothan AL
E-mail: OldCFII@me.com
William G Castlen, a 4-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.
Bill teaches with the Mooney Aircraft Pilots Association.
He also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Birmingham FSDO area and is a certified Cirrus instructor at Dothan Regional Airport (DHN) specializing in technically advanced aircraft training.
Stephen Frank “Steve” RIETHOF, Master Instructor Emeritus
Englewood NJ
E-mail: Steve@Riethof.net
Stephen F Riethof, a 4-time Master and charter SAFE member, was recently granted Master Instructor Emeritus status in recognition of his many years of commitment to excellence, professional growth, service to the aviation community, and quality aviation education.
A retired US Air Force veteran, Steve is a vice president and recent inductee into the Aviation Hall of Fame & Museum of New Jersey as well as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Teterboro FSDO area.
David Alan “Dave” SIMPSON, Master CFI
San Diego CA
E-mail: Dave@TakeFlightSanDiego.com
David A Simpson, a 3-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.
Dave owns and operates Take Flight San Diego at Gillespie Field (SEE) where he specializes in primary, commercial, and instrument flight training.
He also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s San Diego FSDO area.
David Paul ST GEORGE, Master CFI
Ithaca NY
E-mail: DavidSaintGeorge@gmail.com
David St George, an 8-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.
David is the chief flight instructor with East Hill Flying Club, a Part 141 flight school at Ithaca’s Tompkins County Regional Airport (ITH).
He also serves as a designated pilot examiner and a FAASTeam representative in the Rochester FSDO area.
Richard Kingston “Rick” WRIGHT, Master CFI
Phoenix AZ
E-mail: Rick@WrightAviation.net
Richard K Wright, a 3-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.
Rick is the chief pilot and general manager of Alliance Flight Schools in Scottsdale where he specializes in Cirrus transitions and technically advanced aircraft training.
A Marine Corps veteran, he also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Scottsdale FSDO area.