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News Release

SEPTEMBER 2014

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 September 2014 are:

David Paul SAINT GEORGE, Master CFI
David Paul SAINT GEORGE, Master CFI

David Paul SAINT GEORGE, Master CFI    
Ithaca  NY
E-mail:   DavidSaintGeorge@gmail.com

David St George, a 9-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. 

David is the Part 141 chief flight instructor with East Hill Flying Club at Ithaca’s Tompkins County Regional Airport (ITH) specializing in advanced training. 

He also serves as a designated pilot examiner and a FAASTeam representative in the Rochester FSDO area.    (Photo:  MCFI David St George of Ithaca, NY)  


Michael Gerard "Mike" GAFFNEY, Master CFI
Michael Gerard “Mike” GAFFNEY, Master CFI

Michael Gerard “Mike” GAFFNEY, Master CFI  
Bedford  TX
E-mail:    FlightLogics@gmail.com

Michael G Gaffney, a 6-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. 

Mike is currently the interim general manager of CAE Oxford Aviation Academy in Gondia, India where he specializes in technically advanced aircraft operations. 

The 2007 National CFI of the Year, he also serves as a FAASTeam lead representative in the North Texas (Dallas / Fort Worth) FSDO area.      (Photo:  MCFI Mike Gaffney of Bedford, TX)   


William George "Bill" GREGORY, Master CFI-Aerobatic
William George “Bill” GREGORY, Master CFI-Aerobatic

William George “Bill” GREGORY, Master CFI-Aerobatic
Gilbert  AZ
E-mail:  
Bill.Gregory@APSTraining.com

William G Gregory, a 1st-time Master as well as a member of IAC and SAFE, recently earned his Master CFI-Aerobatic accreditation. 

A graduate of the US Air Force Academy, Bill is an instructor pilot with APS Emergency Maneuver Training, a Part 141 flight school at Mesa’s Williams Gateway Airport (IWA). 

A retired USAF instructor pilot and NASA astronaut, he specializes in upset recovery, spin, and aerobatic training.   (Photo:  MCFI-A Bill Gregory of Gilbert, AZ) 


John CLARE-PANTON, Master CFI
John CLARE-PANTON, Master CFI

John CLARE-PANTON, Master CFI
Pueblo West  CO
E-mail:  
Panton238@q.com

John Clare-Panton, a 1st time Master and SAFE member, recently earned his initial Master CFI accreditation. 

John serves as chief flight instructor with Peak Aviation Center at Colorado Springs Airport (COS)

A former pilot in the Royal Air Force, he specializes in military and civilian flight and ground training for the full range of single-engine and multi-engine FAA certifications.   (Photo:  MCFI John Panton of Pueblo West, CO)  


Donald Ellis "Don" KAYE, Master CFI
Donald Ellis “Don” KAYE, Master CFI

Donald Ellis “Don” KAYE, Master CFI
Santa Clara  CA
E-mail:   DonKaye@earthlink.net

Donald E Kaye, a 7-time Master and SAFE member, recently renewed his Master CFI accreditation. 

Don is an independent San Francisco Bay area flight instructor specializing in avionics, instrument, recurrency, and complex aircraft training (http://www.DonKaye.com/ ). 

The majority of his teaching is done in higher performance Mooneys, Cessnas, and Pipers.  (Photo: MCFI Don Kaye of Santa Clara, CA)


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/