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News Release

OCTOBER 2015

Master Instructors LLC (MI 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 through MI LLC’s https://MICEP.FluidReview.com/ 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 101,000 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, 21 of the last 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.

Professional aviation educators who earned or renewed their “Master” title during October 2015 are:

Charles Arthur "Charlie" SKELTON, Master CFI
Charles Arthur “Charlie” SKELTON, Master CFI

Charles Arthur “Charlie” SKELTON, Master CFI 
Branford  CT
E-mail:  RBOCAS@comcast.net

Colonel Charles A Skelton (USMC, Ret), an 8-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation through https://MICEP.FluidReview.com/

Charlie is the chief pilot for CAS Aviation and president of Yale Aviation, a flying club at Tweed-New Haven Airport (HVN), where he provides training in airplanes, helicopters, gliders, and gyroplanes.

Additionally, he serves as a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Windsor Locks FSDO area.

(Photo: MCFI Charlie Skelton of Branford, CT)  


Robert Michael "Rob" SCHAPIRO, Master CFI
Robert Michael “Rob” SCHAPIRO, Master CFI

Robert Michael “Rob” SCHAPIRO, Master CFI
Tampa  FL
E-mail:   RMSchapiro@BootCampHelicopters.com

Robert M Schapiro, a 1st-time Master and SAFE member, recently earned his initial Master CFI accreditation through https://MICEP.FluidReview.com/

Rob is a US Army helicopter aviator and instructor pilot at Clearwater, Florida.

Additionally, he provides civilian fixed wing and rotorcraft flight training with Middle River Aviation at Maryland’s Martin State Airport (MTN) along with some other airports / heliports.

(Photo: MCFI Rob Schapiro of Tampa, FL)


David James "Dave" MC VINNIE, Master CFI
David James “Dave” MC VINNIE, Master CFI

David James “Dave” MC VINNIE, Master CFI
Albuquerque  NM
E-mail:     DJM@McVinnieAviation.com

David J McVinnie, a 10-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation through https://MICEP.FluidReview.com/

A retired US Air Force veteran, Dave is the president of McVinnie Aviation LLC where he specializes in technically advanced aircraft flight and ground training.

He also serves as a pilot examiner (DPE) and FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Albuquerque FSDO area.

He was only the seventh (7th) aviation educator to earn the Master designation when the accreditation program was introduced by then-FAA Administrator Barry Valentine during Oshkosh AirVenture 1997.

(Photo: MCFI Dave McVinnie of Albuquerque, NM)


Helen Dalman "Pat" KNIGHT, Master CFI
Helen Dalman “Pat” KNIGHT, Master CFI

Helen Dalman “Pat” KNIGHT, Master CFI  
Flower Mound  TX
E-mail:  PKnight@earthlink.net

Pat Knight, a 10-time Master and a founding member of SAFE, recently renewed her Master CFI accreditation through https://MICEP.FluidReview.com/

A retired US Air Force officer, a longtime pilot examiner (DPE) and flight instructor, Pat is currently an Aviation Safety Inspector (ASI) with the FAA Flight Standards program at Alliance Airport (AFW) in Fort Worth where she specializes in human factors in aviation, accident prevention and investigation, and glider as well as multiengine flight training.

She was only the second (2nd) aviation educator to earn the Master designation when the accreditation program was first introduced by then-FAA Administrator Barry Valentine at Oshkosh AirVenture 1997.

(Photo: MCFI Pat Knight of Flower Mound, TX) 


William Ralph "Bill" GROSS, Master CFI
William Ralph “Bill” GROSS, Master CFI

William Ralph “Bill” GROSS, Master CFI
Salina  KS
E-mail:  BGross@KSU.edu

William R Gross, a 7-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation through https://MICEP.FluidReview.com/

Specializing in flight and ground training as well as classroom instruction, Bill is a professor of aviation and the chief flight instructor in Kansas State University’s College of Technology and Aviation at Salina Municipal Airport (SLN).

He also serves as a pilot examiner (DPE) and FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Wichita FSDO area.

(Photo:  MCFI Bill Gross of Salina, KS) 


Lara Zook GAERTE, Master CFI
Lara Zook GAERTE, Master CFI

Lara Zook GAERTE, Master CFI
Fort Wayne  IN
E-mail:   LaraGaerte@gmail.com

Lara Gaerte, a 5-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed her Master CFI accreditation through  https://MICEP.FluidReview.com/

Lara is the CEO, manager, and chief pilot of Century Aviation, a full-service FBO at DeKalb County Airport (GWB).

She also serves as the president as well as airplane division director of the Air Race Classic and is a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s South Bend FSDO area.

(Photo:  M  Lara Gaerte of Fort Wayne, IN)


Edgar Melville "Ed" FINK, Master CFI
Edgar Melville “Ed” FINK, Master CFI

Edgar Melville “Ed” FINK, Master CFI
Fort Myers  FL
E-mail:    EdMFink@comcast.net

Edgar M Fink, a 10-time Master and a SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation through https://MICEP.FluidReview.com/

A retired US Army officer, Ed is an independent flight and ground instructor at Page Field Airport (FMY) in Fort Myers.

He also serves with the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Sundowners Search & Rescue Flying Club, and was a longtime FAASTeam representative for the FAA’s Tampa FSDO area.

He was only the fifth (5th) aviation educator to earn the Master designation when the accreditation program was first introduced by then-FAA Administrator Barry Valentine at Oshkosh AirVenture 1997.

(Photo:  MCFI Ed Fink of Fort Myers, FL) 


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.

Please feel free to disseminate this information widely.  Questions regarding the Master Instructor Continuing Education Programä may be directed to 303-485-8136 or MasterInstrs@aol.com    For more information about the Master Instructor Continuing Education Programä ( https://MICEP.FluidReview.com/ ) and to locate other Masters, please visit www.MasterInstructors.org   To learn more about the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE), visit http://SafePilots.org/