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 97,000 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 (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.
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 January are:
Judy Ann PHELPS, Master CFI-Aerobatic
Santa Paula CA
E-mail: Judy@CPAviation.com
Judy Phelps, a 4-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 2010 National CFI of the Year, she also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Van Nuys FSDO area.
William Henry “Hank” GIBSON, Master CFI
Rosenberg TX
E-mail: Hank@FlyHPA.com
William H Gibson, a 1st-time Master and SAFE member, recently earned his Master CFI accreditation.
Hank is a flight and ground instructor specializing in high performance transition training with High Performance Aviation at Houston’s Sugar Land Regional Airport (SGR).
He also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Houston FSDO area.
Kelby Scott FERWERDA, Master CFI
Rochester NH
E-mail: Kelby@FlySkyhaven.com
Kelby S Ferwerda, a 1st-time Master and SAFE member, recently earned his Master CFI accreditation.
Kelby is a flight and ground instructor as well as the owner of Rochester Aviation, a general aviation flight school at Skyhaven Airport (DAW) in Rochester, New Hampshire.
He also serves as a FAASTeam representative for the FAA’s Portland (Maine) FSDO area.
Andrew David “Drew” CHITIEA, Master CFI
Aurora CO
E-mail: Drew@ColoradoSkymaster.com
Andrew D Chitiea, an 8-time Master and charter SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation.
Drew is an author as well as a corporate pilot, chief pilot, and owner of Colorado Skymaster LLC at Centennial Airport (APA).
He also serves as a pilot examiner and a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Denver FSDO area.
David Alan “Dave” CARROLL, Master CFI-Aerobatic
Scottsdale AZ
E-mail: David.Carroll@APSTraining.com
David A Carroll, a 1st-time Master and a member of IAC as well as SAFE, recently earned his Master CFI-Aerobatic accreditation.
A retired US Air Force instructor pilot, Dave teaches with Aviation Performance Solutions at Mesa’s Gateway Airport (IWA).
He specializes in upset recovery, spin, and aerobatic training and is active in the Commemorative Air Force (CAF).
Craig Roy BAILEY, Master CFI
Poplar Grove IL
E-mail: CraigBailey@FoxValley.net
Craig R Bailey, a 1st-time Master and SAFE member, recently earned his Master CFI accreditation.
Craig was a board member with the Beechcraft Pilot Proficiency Program and works as a flight and ground instructor specializing Bonanza and Baron training.
He also serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s DuPage FSDO area.