JANUARY 2011 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 January are:
Michael Edwin “Mike” CASSADY, Master CFI-Helicopter
Arlington TX
E-mail: HelicopterTraining@att.net, MCassady@BellHelicopter.textron.com
Michael E Cassady, a 2-time Master and SAFE member, recently became the second aviation educator to earn Master CFI-Helicopter accreditation. Mike is a longtime helicopter flight and ground instructor with Bell Helicopter’s factory school (http://www.BellHelicopter.textron.com/) at Fort Worth Alliance Airport (AFW). A member of the Helicopter Association International (HAI), he also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Fort Worth FSDO area.
Andrew David “Drew” CHITIEA, Master CFI
Aurora CO
E-mail: Drew@ColoradoSkymaster.com
Andrew D Chitiea, a 7-time Master and charter SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Drew is a corporate pilot as well as the chief pilot and owner of Colorado Skymaster LLC ( www.ColoradoSkymaster.com ) at Centennial Airport (APA). He also serves as a pilot examiner and a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Denver FSDO area.
Nanette “Nan” GAYLORD, Master Ground Instructor
Tulsa OK
E-mail: NanGaylord@aol.com
Master CFI Nan Gaylord, a 2-time Master and SAFE member, recently earned her Master Ground Instructor (MGI) accreditation. Nan (http://www.NanGaylord.com/index2.html) is a designated pilot examiner at Tulsa’s Richard L Jones Riverside Airport (RVS). She also teaches aviation classes for Tulsa Community College and serves as a FAASTeam representative for the FAA’s Oklahoma City FSDO area.
Jameson Richard “James” HILLIARD, Master CFI
Lincoln NE
E-mail: JRH.Pilot@gmail.com
James Hilliard, a 2-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. James is the lead flight instructor, a ground instructor, and the manager of Performance Flight Training (http://www.FlyPerformance.com/Training/), a Cessna Pilot Center at Lincoln Airport (LNK). He specializes in technically advanced aircraft and transition training.
Daniel Paul “Dan” MAHONEY, Master CFI
Key Colony Beach FL
E-mail: DM2953@aol.com
Daniel P Mahoney, a 5-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Dan is an aviation instructor with Everglades University as well as an independent flight instructor specializing in training older pilots at Marathon Airport (MTH). A US Airways A-330 captain, he also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the Miami / South Florida FSDO area.
Judy Ann PHELPS, Master CFI-Aerobatic
Santa Paula CA
E-mail: Judy@CPAviation.com
Judy Phelps, a 3-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 (http://CPAviation.com/) at Santa Paula Airport (SZP). The 2010 Western Pacific Region CFI of the Year, she also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Van Nuys FSDO area.
Orlando Raimundo VILLAVERDE, Master CFI
Miami FL
E-mail: SkyKingVillage@aol.com
Orlando R Villaverde, a 4-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Orlando is an airplane and helicopter flight and ground instructor at Kendall-Tamiami Airport (TMB). He is also a professor of aviation at the Miami Dade College School of Aviation (www.MDC.edu/Homestead/Aviation) and serves as a FAASTeam representative in the Miami FSDO area.
Joel David WEANER, Master CFI
Jacksonville FL
E-mail: Joel@BeachBanners.com
Joel D Weaner, a 5-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. Joel is the owner of Beach Banners (http://BeachBanners.com/) where he specializes in aerial advertising, aircraft rental, and flight instruction at Craig Municipal Airport (CRG). He also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Orlando / North Florida FSDO area.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Alexander “Sandy” & JoAnn Hill, MCFIs
Master Instructors LLC, Longmont CO
Cells: 303-475-6008 (S) / 303-709-6862 (J)
Phone: 303-485-8136
www.MasterInstructors.org
“Serving Master Instructors since 1995“