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 these achievements in their proper perspective, there are approximately 98,000 CFIs in the United States. Fewer than 800 of them have earned Master accreditation thus far. As a measure of the significance and prestige associated with this title, the last 20 National Flight Instructors of the Year or National FAASTeam Representatives 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.
Aviation educators who earned the “Master” title during February 2015 are:
Judy Ann PHELPS, Master CFI-Aerobatic (Renew: 31Jan15)
Santa Paula CA
E-mail: Judy@CPAviation.com
Judy Phelps, a 5-time Master and a member of IAC as well as SAFE, recently renewed her Master CFI-Aerobatic accreditation.
Judy specializes in aerobatic and emergency maneuver training with CP Aviation at Santa Paula Airport (SZP).
The 2011 National CFI of the Year, she also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Van Nuys FSDO area.
(Photo: MCFI-A Judy Phelps of Santa Paula, CA)
Edward John “Ed” MURPHY, Master CFI-Helicopter (Renew: 5Feb15)
Palm Beach Gardens FL
E-mail: Edward.Murphy@FlightSafety.com
Edward J Murphy, a 3-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI-Helicopter accreditation.
Ed is the lead Sikorski SK-92 instructor pilot with FlightSafety International at their West Palm Beach training center.
A retired US Army helicopter pilot and instructor, he specializes in initial and recurrent helicopter training as well as serving as a pilot examiner in both simulators and aircraft.
(Photo: MCFI -H Ed Murphy of Palm Beach Gardens, FL)
Charles Ray “Chuck” MC GILL, Master CFI (Renew: 13Feb15)
San Diego CA
E-mail: Chuck.SafeFlight@gmail.com
Charles R McGill, a 7-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.
Chuck is an independent Montgomery Field (MYF) flight instructor specializing in high performance and technically advanced aircraft training.
A retired United States Marine, he also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s San Diego FSDO area.
(Photo: MCFI Chuck McGill of San Diego, CA)
Michael J “Mike” LENTS, Master CFI-Aerobatic (Renewal: 20Feb15)
Grand Forks ND
E-mail: Lents@Aero.UND.edu
Michael J Lents, a 2-time Master and a member of IAC as well as SAFE, recently renewed his Master CFI-Aerobatic accreditation.
Mike is an aerobatic flight and ground instructor as well as an aviation lecturer at the University of North Dakota’s John D Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences.
He also serves as the coach of the university’s national championship aerobatic flight team.
(Photo: MCFI-A Mike Lents of Grand Forks, ND)
John Gardner DYE, Master CFI-Aerobatic (Renew: 22Feb15)
Lisbon OH
E-mail: BadAttitude.LLC@gmail.com
John Dye, a 4-time Master and a member of IAC as well as a SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI-Aerobatic accreditation.
John is also a flight instructor specializing in spin, aerobatic, and emergency upset recovery training with Bad Attitude Aviator Training at Ohio’s Salem Airpark (38D).
A longtime United Airlines pilot, he also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Cleveland FSDO area.
(Photo: MCFI-A John Dye of Lisbon, OH)
The Master Instructor designation is a national accreditation recognized by the FAA and revered by industry. It 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, Masters have earned their “black belts” in aviation education. They truly represent the crème de la crème of the aviation industry! High and low resolution photos are available upon request.
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/