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News Release

April 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

APRIL 2010 MASTER INSTRUCTORS

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 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. 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 Program may be directed to 303-485-8136 or MasterInstrs@aol.com To learn more about the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE), visit http://www.SafePilots.org/ For more information about the Program and to locate other Master Instructors, please visit the “Find a Master Instructor” section of www.MasterInstructors.org

Aviation educators who earned the “Master” title during April are:

Philip Terry “Phil” CORBELL, Master CFI (Renew:  31Mar10)
Sun City West  AZ
E-mail:   USAPilot@cox.net

Philip T Corbell, a 5-time Master and charter SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.  Phil is an independent glider instructor specializing in youth glider training at several central-Arizona airports.  He also serves as an AOPA Airport Support Network (ASN) representative and is a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Scottsdale FSDO area.

Daniel Max “Dan” KEEN, Master CFI (Renew:  30Apr10)
Lafayette  IN
E-mail:   DanielKeen@aol.com
Daniel M Keen, a 6-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.  Dan is an aviation safety inspector (ASI) and safety officer with the FAA’s Indianapolis FSDO where he specializes in initial flight instructor practical tests.  He also teaches CFI ground schools at Purdue University and assists with the FSDO’s FAASTeam activities.

Kyle Vincent THOMAS, Master CFI (Renew:  31Mar10)
Durant  OK
E-mail:  KThomas@SE.edu

Kyle V Thomas, a 3-time Master and a SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.   Kyle is an aviation professor and chief flight instructor with Southeastern Oklahoma State University’s aviation institute ( http://Aviation.SE.edu/ ) at Durant’s Eaker Field (DUA).  He also serves as a coach for the university’s NIFA flight team and is a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Oklahoma City FSDO area.

Michael Bruce “Mike” TRAUD, Master CFI (Renew:  1May10)
Gold River  CA
E-mail:   Traud@hotmail.com

Michael B Traud, a 4-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.  Mike owns MTAviation Services at Sacramento Executive Airport (SAC) and is the safety officer for the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Air Squadron.  He also serves as a pilot examiner (DPE) in the FAA’s Sacramento FSDO area.

Michael Taylor “Mike” VIVION, Master CFI (Renew:  20Apr10) `
Crookston  MN
E-mail:   MVivion@gra.midco.net
Michael T Vivion, a 5-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.  Mike is a teaching specialist and check airman in the aviation program at the University of Minnesota, Crookston (CKN).  The 1998 National Aviation Safety Counselor of the Year, he also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Minneapolis FSDO area.

Ludwig Joseph “Lou” WIPOTNIK, Master CFI (Renew:  15Apr10)
Mount Prospect  IL
E-mail:   Jan.Lou@comcast.net

Lou Wipotnik, a 7-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.  The 1996 Nat’l Flight Instructor of the Year, Lou teaches with Leading Edge Flying Club at Chicago Executive Airport (PWK).  A recipient of the FAA’s Wright Brothers Master Pilot award, he also serves in the CAP’s Illinois Wing and is a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s DuPage FSDO area

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