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. 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 February are:
John Kent EARLYWINE, Master CFI
Fort Wayne IN
E-mail: JKE4034@aol.com
John K Earlywine, a 6-time Master and a SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.
John is Central Indiana Soaring Society’s lead flight instructor at Alexandria Airport (I99).
The holder of an SAA Silver Badge as well as three Indiana soaring records, and serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s South Bend FSDO area.
Lloyd John “Buddy” EVANS, Master Aviation Educator
Irving TX
E-mail: Buddy.Evans@SafetyOfFlight.com, Marow09@yahoo.com
Lloyd J Evans, a 1st-time Master and a SAFE member, recently earned his Master Aviation Educator (MAE) accreditation.
Buddy is an airframe & powerplant technician (A&P) with inspection authorization (IA) who specializes in maintenance training and IA renewals.
He also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Fort Worth FSDO area.
Lonnie Lee HILKEMEIER, Master CFI
Boulder CO
E-mail: Lonnie@SpecialtyFlight.com
Lonnie L Hilkemeier, an 8-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.
A mentor to new CFIs, Lonnie is the senior flight instructor and president of Specialty Flight Training, a Cessna Pilot Center at Boulder Airport (BDU).
Colorado’s first Master Instructor, he also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Denver FSDO area.
JoAnn K HILL, Master Instructor Emeritus
Longmont CO
E-mail: TwoHillsAviation@aol.com
JoAnn K Hill, a 7-time Master and charter SAFE member, was recently granted Master Instructor Emeritus status in recognition of her many years of commitment to excellence, professional growth, service to the aviation community, and quality aviation education.
JoAnn is the co-creator and an administrator of the Master Instructor program.
She also serves as a national FAASTeam representative and is the national chairperson of the General Aviation Awards program.
William Scott O’BRIEN, Master CFI
Tallahassee FL
E-mail: ScottOB37@gmail.com
Scott O’Brien, a 4-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.
Scott is an attorney as well as an independent flight instructor who specializes in primary and instrument flight training at Tallahassee Regional Airport (TLH).
He also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Tampa FSDO area.
Michael Louis PHILLIPS, Master CFI
Ventura CA
E-mail: MCFIMLP@gmail.com
Michael L Phillips, a 3-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.
Michael is a flight and ground instructor with CP Aviation, a Cessna Pilot Center at Santa Paula Airport (SZP).
A Marine Corps veteran, he also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Van Nuys FSDO area.
Eric Joseph SHAPPEE, Master CFI
Salina KS
E-mail: Wjfpmd@KSU.edu, ShappeeKSU@gmail.com
Eric J Shappee, a 6-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.
Eric is a Kansas State University College of Technology and Aviation associate professor at Salina Municipal Airport (SLN).
The vice commander of the Civil Air Patrol’s Kansas Wing, he also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Wichita FSDO area.
Stewart Douglas “Doug” STEWART, Master CFI
South Egremont MA
E-mail: Doug@DSFlight.com
Douglas Stewart, a 7-time Master and charter SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.
Doug operates Doug Stewart Flight Instruction and is the executive director of SAFE, the Society of Aviation & Flight Educators.
The 2004 Nat’l CFI of the Year, he also serves as a pilot examiner (DPE) and a FAASTeam rep in the FAA’s Albany FSDO area.
John Wesley “Jack” VANDEVENTER, Master CFI
Zionsville IN
E-mail: Jack@MasterInstruction.com
John W Vandeventer, a 4-time Master and a SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.
Jack is an independent CFI who instructs with Eagle Flyers at Indianapolis Executive Airport (TYQ) where he specializes in primary, instrument, LSA, and tailwheel training.
He also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Indianapolis FSDO area.