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 19 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 2014 are:
Gary Michael “Mike” BARNES, Master CFI (Initial: 11Feb14)
Bixby OK
E-mail: Mike@DestinationsEFC.com
Mike Barnes, a 1st-time Master and SAFE member, recently earned his Master CFI accreditation.
Mike instructs with Destinations Executive Flight Center at Tulsa’s Riverside Airport (RVS) where he specializes in technically advanced aircraft and avionics training.
He also serves in the Civil Air Patrol and is a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Oklahoma City FSDO area. (Photo: MCFI Gary Barnes of Bixby, OK)
John Kent EARLYWINE, Master Instructor Emeritus (MIE) (Renew: 1Feb14)
Fort Wayne IN
E-mail: JKE4034@aol.com
John K Earlywine, a 7-time Master and a SAFE member, was recently granted Master Instructor Emeritus (MIE) status in recognition of his many years of commitment to excellence, professional growth, service to the aviation community, and quality aviation education.
John is Central Indiana Soaring Society’s lead CFI at Alexandria Airport (I99).
He also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s South Bend FSDO area. (Photo: MCFI Emeritus John Earlywine of Fort Wayne, IN)
Lonnie Lee HILKEMEIER, Master CFI (Renew: 20Feb12)
Boulder CO
E-mail: Lonnie@SpecialtyFlight.com
Lonnie L Hilkemeier, a 9-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.
Colorado’s first Master Instructor in 1998, Lonnie is the senior flight instructor and president of Specialty Flight Training, a Cessna Pilot Center at Boulder Airport (BDU).
He also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Denver FSDO area. (Photo: MCFI Lonnie Hilkemeier of Boulder, CO)
William Scott O’BRIEN, Master CFI (Renew: 20Feb14)
Tallahassee FL
E-mail: ScottOB37@gmail.com
Scott O’Brien, a 5-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.
Scott is a flight instructor who specializes in primary and instrument flight training with Florida Aviation Center at Tallahassee Regional Airport (TLH).
A practicing attorney, he also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Tampa FSDO area. (Photo: MCFI Scott O”Brien of Tallahassee, FL)
Timm PREUSSER, Master CFI (Renew: 31ec13)
Kleinwallstadt Germany
E-mail: TimmPreusser@gmail.com
Timm Preusser, a 8-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.
Timm is the chief flight instructor and president of the Darmstadt Flying Club as well as the chief instructor for the Cirrus Owners & Pilots Association (COPA) in Europe.
He also serves on COPA’s board of directors and is a Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot (CSIP). (Photo: MCFI Timm Preusser of Kleinwallstadt, Germany)
Stewart Douglas “Doug” STEWART, Master CFI (Renew: 1Feb14)
South Egremont MA
E-mail: Doug@DSFlight.com
Douglas Stewart, an 8-time Master and charter SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.
Doug is the executive director of SAFE, the Society of Aviation & Flight Educators and operates Doug Stewart Flight Instruction.
He also serves as a pilot examiner and FAASTeam rep in the FAA’s Albany FSDO area and was named the 2004 Nat’l CFI of the Year. (Photo: MCFI Doug Stewart of South Egremont, MA)
James Leighton “Jim” STOVER, Master CFI (Renew: 1Feb14)
Fredericksburg VA
E-mail: StoverJL@cox.net
James L Stover, a 7-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.
Jim is the chief CFI and owner of JLS Aviation, a Part 141 flight school at Shannon Airport (EZF).
A retired Army infantry officer, he also serves as a representative of AOPA’s Airport Surveillance Network (ASN) and is a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Richmond FSDO area. (Photo: MCFI Jim Stover of Fredericksburg, VA)
Brian Nathaniel WILLETT, Master CFI (Initial: 12Feb14)
Gilbert AZ
E-mail: Brian.Willett@cox.net
Brian Willett, a 2-time Master and a member of SAFE, recently earned his Master CFI accreditation.
Brian is involved with international flight screening (IFS), undergraduate pilot training (UPT), and pilot instructor training (PIT) for the Afghan Air Force student pilot training programs.
A retired US Air Force instructor pilot, he specializes in upset prevention and recovery as well as spin training. (Photo: MCFI Brian Willett of Gilbert, AZ)
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/