Previously Accredited NAFI Master Instructors (O-U by Last Name)

Albert Obi, MCFI 07/2021-07/2023:

Obi is a flight standards and check pilot for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He began his flying career with the Nigerian Air Force as a young pilot at 19 where he graduated at the top of his class. He was further trained by the United States Air Force as a fighter pilot before continuing his career as an air force pilot in Nigeria.

While Obi says he loves to fly at heart, he is also well educated in other disciplines. He holds an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering, a post graduate degree in aerospace engineering, and a master’s degree in unmanned autonomous systems engineering. Obi also holds a Master of Business Administration from the American Military University. Additionally, he holds several awards including the FAA Gold Seal, air force gold medal, as well as the top international graduating student in academics from the USAF UPT program in Columbus AFB, MS.

Born and bred in Nigeria, Obi is married to Amaka, and they are blessed with a daughter Alexis. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, traveling and intellectual political discourses. Obi is a contributor to the world vision program and is a command pilot for Angel Flight Southeast.

He said he dedicated his Master CFI designation to his mum - Professor Patricia Obi,  who taught him the value of family, determination and self-reliance.

Click to Download Albert's Press Release! 

Jose R. Vargas Otero, MCFI 06/2014-06/2016:

José Vargas was born and raised in a small town in Puerto Rico called Guaynabo.  It was there where his enthusiasm and interest in aviation developed as he observed military fighters flying over his house in Puerto Rico. His full devotion was attained when he experienced a small flight in the Grand Canyon as part of a scenic tour. In 2001, at the age of 19, Vargas received his acceptance to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to pursue his airline pilot career.

At Embry-Riddle, Vargas completed all his flight training along with a Bachelors of Science in Aeronautical Science degree.  In 2012, he completed a Master of Science in Aeronautics degree from the same institution.

Since 2004, Vargas has been serving as an instructor pilot for his alma mater, Embry-Riddle.  He currently holds an ATP with ASEL and AMEL ratings, a Flight Instructor certificate with ASE, AME, & IA ratings, Ground Instructor certificate and over 4,500 hours of total aeronautical experience. In 2008, he became a Part 142 Training Center Evaluator (TCE) for Embry-Riddle; he continuously serves as a designee for the performance of practical tests for all courses.

In 2008 he became the Assistant Training Manager for the Flight Standards team at Embry-Riddle; a job he conducts with passion while hiring and standardizing instructor pilots.  Vargas also is one of three Assistant Chief Flight Instructors and an adjunct professor for the Aeronautical Science Department.

In addition to his work related duties, he is the President of IAMAW Local Lodge 501-Daytona Beach Pilots; a flight instructor union that remains in solidarity since 2001.

He is about to celebrate his 10th anniversary as a flight instructor with the accomplishment of his MCFI and is aspiring to reach new heights in his aeronautical career.   Vargas would like to give his gratitude to his family, especially to his grandfather, Leonides, his grandmother, Cecilia, and his Uncle Papo for their shared dreams of flight.

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Mark Overman, MCFI 11/2019-11/2021:

Overman is serving in the U.S. Air Force as an Instructor Mission Crew Commander on the E-3 AWACS, where he has served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and Inherent Resolve. As an adjunct instructor, Overman teaches collegiate courses in CRM and aircraft performance. Working as a freelance flight instructor in the Oklahoma City area, Overman says he “finds instructing in general aviation incredibly rewarding and truly enjoys it.” He serves in the Civil Air Patrol as assistant Wing Standards and Evaluation Officer, Check Pilot, Instructor Pilot, Glider Orientation Pilot, Tow Pilot and Mission Pilot. Every summer Overman volunteers as an instructor pilot in the CAP Southwest Region Powered Flight Academy. He is also a FAASTeam Representative with the Will Rogers FSDO. In his spare time he enjoy spending time with his wife, son, two dogs and even the cat!

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Eric Paradizo Rivera, MCFI 02/2023-02/2025:

Paradizo Rivera serves as an instructor pilot and director of safety for Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) in Nampa, Idaho. He said, “I have a deep passion dedication for teaching, service, and aviation.” Rivera has been flying for 16 years and teaching for nine years. He has more than 3,100 hours with nearly 2,400 hours dual given.

Rivera’s love of flying began in Ponce, Puerto Rico, where he grew up flying with his grandfather in a Cessna 150. He graduated in 2010 with a degree in aviation management at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, while obtaining his private and instrument rating.

In 2012 Rivera moved to Nashville, Tennessee where he obtained his commercial, ASEL, AMEL, ASES, CFI, CFII, Remote Pilot, and ATP ratings, as well as earning an A&P mechanic certification. He flew Cessna 310s for Dialysis Clinic, Inc. as a contract pilot and became the senior instructor at Tennessee Flight Training.  During this time, Rivera earned his AGI, IGI, and obtained a Gold Seal flight instructor designation. In 2018, he joined Mission Aviation Fellowship as a missionary pilot and mechanic.  

At MAF, Rivera currently trains candidates to fly at high standards, enabling them to serve with MAF in remote places around the world.  He also ensures that MAF headquarters operates with safety and excellence. He enjoys spending time with his lovely wife and three sons, playing music, and flying RC airplanes and rockets.

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Ed Pataky, MCFI 6/2017-7/2021:

Ed Pataky says he has been interested in aviation since he was a kid. He began flying in 1968, soloing on his 16th birthday in 1972 and earning his private certificate a year later. Pataky obtained his basic and advanced ground instructor certificates in 1975 and taught for several years in that capacity. He returned to actively flying in 2002, earning his seaplane rating and instrument ground Instructor certificate in 2003. His instrument rating and commercial and glider ratings soon followed. In 2006, he earned an aircraft dispatcher certificate, and served as a dispatcher at Express Jet airlines for over five years. Pataky has been an active flight instructor since 2006, and has over 1200 hours in that capacity. He hopes to continue to expand his role as an instructor and earn additional instructor ratings in the near future.

Pataky's education consists of two bachelor degrees from the University of Houston, in geography and economics, a master of science degree from Texas A&M, and master degree from the University of Houston in International Relations, as well as an MBA. He has worked a full spectrum of jobs, including 25 years as a broadcast engineer and on-air personality in the Houston market, along with several potions totaling over 10 years with Continental Airlines' operations, and as an aircraft dispatcher again. He teaches political science and economics at Lone Star College, where he has worked for over 30 years. Over the past 4 years, Pataky has formulated and taught ground school classes at several airports and flight schools.

He has owned a 1977 Cessna 150 “M” model since 2004.

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Joseph Perrotta, Associate MCFI 5/2015-5/2017:

Joe Perrotta of Peachtree Georgia was bitten by the aviation bug at an early age. Visits to John F. Kennedy International Airport with his father to watch the takeoffs and landings convinced him that he wanted to fly.

Perrotta attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Aeronautical Science and his flight instructor certificate. He then added his CFII and MEI at the university.  After graduation, he returned to Embry-Riddle as an instructor to share his passion with incoming students.  He honed his piloting skills while flying for a Part 121 carrier.  Due to his commitment to safety and “by the book” approach to flying, he was selected to take part in a risk analysis assessment used to identify threats on the flight deck and design procedures to minimize those threats.  He now instructs under Part 61 at his local airport with a good friend he met while flying the line.  This is where you will find him whenever he isn’t caring for his future student, his son.

Perrotta’s commitment to quality teaching motivated him to obtain his Master’s Degree in Physics Education. He is most proud of the aviation club he formed at a local high school to introduce young adults to the many career paths in the aerospace field.  The club has toured corporate flight departments, aviation museums, and approach control facilities.  He also has a love for warbirds, so he has taken the club to see an AT-11, B-17, B-24, P-51, SBD Dauntless, and Corsair.  In addition, he has helped many of the club members earn their private pilot certificates.   He hopes to see the club grow in size, and to be able to continue to mentor young adults towards successful careers in aerospace.

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Jamie Poppe, MCFI 10/2014-10/2016:

Jamie Poppe was born in West Lafayette, Indiana while her parents attended Purdue University.  Her father graduated when she was 6 months old, and the family moved away from Indiana. When Poppe was 18 years old, she fell in love with flying and returned to West Lafayette to attend Purdue University, where she received a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Technology and a Master of Science in Education.

Poppe is now the chief flight instructor at the Purdue College of Technology.  She has been flying for 23 years and has accumulated over 8,800 hours and given approximately 7,500 hours of dual instruction. She has a gold seal CFI certificate with single, multiengine, and instrument airplane ratings.  She has been training and mentoring new flight instructors for over 18 years and specializes in initial CFI training. In addition to instructing, Poppe has flown corporate transportation in a Beechjet 400 and a Phenom 100. She holds a flight engineer certificate in a B-727.

Jamie is also judge for the International Aerobatic Club (IAC) and emphasizes spin and upset recovery training.  She has several hundred hours teaching basic aerobatics in an American Champion Decathlon and a DeHavilland Chipmunk. Poppe’s son Kevin is 12-years-old and often volunteers at IAC contests.  He hopes to major in aeronautical engineering at Purdue.

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Benjamin Porch, MCFI 04/2019-04/2021:

Porch says he has been fascinated by aviation and airplanes since he was young. Upon graduating high school, he attended LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas, completing a degree in aviation with a concentration in mission aviation. Porch has instructed in Texas and Minnesota across a range of types including single-engine, multi-engine, tailwheel, high performance, and technically advanced aircraft. He is a Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot, FAA Gold Seal Instructor, and has over 3,000 hours, with over 2,500 hours of flight instruction given.

In addition to a relaxed and joyful approach to being a flight instructor, Porch is a certificated airframe & powerplant aircraft mechanic who enjoys working on aircraft as well.

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Tim Reeve, MCFI 8/2016-8/2018:

Tim Reeve is a full-time helicopter air ambulance pilot and safety representative based in Orlando, Florida. He holds a FAA Rotorcraft Helicopter ATP certificate with CFI, CFII and Advanced Ground Instructor ratings, FAA Airplane Commercial/Instrument certificate and European Commercial Pilot License for Helicopter. Reeve retired after 22 years military service in 2005 from the Royal Air Force, where he served as an aircraft maintenance manager. He first began flying helicopters in England in 2000 and gained pilots licenses in Australia and New Zealand. Reeve came to the United States in 2005 and gained his FAA certifications to begin his teaching career at Air Orlando, a Part 61 and Part 141 flight school. He quickly developed a passion for flight instruction as he gained the teaching experience, which resulted in the Gold Seal CFI award in 2007. He became the Air Orlando's Chief Helicopter Pilot and Assistant Chief for the Part 141 program. Full-time jobs flying news and medevac from 2007-8 allowed Reeve to continue his passion for teaching people to safely fly helicopters. He completed an aerospace science master's program in 2014, majoring in safety and human factors at Embry-Riddle Aeronautics University, achieving a GPA of 4.0. Now as a part time CFI for local flight schools in Orlando and Kissimmee, Reeve is still teaching pilots and is a source of knowledge and guidance for those schools as they pursue Part 141 accreditation. He has been a CFI for 11 years, has 3400 hours of flight time of which half has been as a CFI in helicopters. He has recommended more than 50 students for check rides, ranging from private through CFI/CFII and has a first time pass rate of 95 percent. He lives in Orlando with his wife and young son.

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Gary Reeves, MCFI 1/2019-1/2021:

Reeves has over 7,500 hours in over 50 different aircraft including turbo-prop, and turbo-fan most of which is instruction given. In the last two years, he’s taught in over 30 states and is a popular public speaker on aviation safety. Reeves says his goal is to reduce General Aviation accidents through free FAA Safety Classes, video training, and articles. He is chief safety officer and owner of PilotSafety.org and chief flight instructor and owner of Master Flight Training. He was awarded 2016 FAA Instructor of the year for the Western Pacific Region, as well as 2014 Flight Instructor and FAA Safety Team Member of the Year Long Beach District. To learn more about Gary please visit www.PilotSafety.org

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Michael Reichert, MCFI 04/2012-04/2016:

This is Reichert’s third consecutive NAFI Master Instructor accreditation. Michael Reichert is an East Coast CFI specializing in Flight Instructor initial training, G1000 transition training, and Helicopter instruction.  Reichert’s flying “career” started at the age of 8 when his father took him for his first ride in a light twin airplane.  Unbeknownst to him, sliding back and forth across the back seat was just enough for his foot to inadvertently shut off fuel flow to one of the engines.  Crisis averted, it made a lasting impression.  It forever sparked the skyward fever, as well as provided early education for the necessity of good passenger briefings.  Reichert is currently a contract pilot as well as the Chief Flight Instructor for a Part 141 program in Pennsylvania.  He is a Gold Seal Flight Instructor holding CFI A&H, CFII A&H, MEI, and AGI.

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Jeanne Rieck, MCFI 01/2022-01/2024:

Rieck has been an active flight instructor since 2013 and owner of Airplane Rental Ventures in Mesa, Arizona. Her mission is to build confidence and a high skill level in her clients. She says what brings her joy is seeing a student solo successfully in the challenging, busy airport environment where she teaches. It is also rewarding when one of her former clients is able to conduct a flight review for her.

Rieck is a former special education teacher and administrator, she has a master’s degree in Special Education.  After 20 years in the classroom and leadership roles, she decided to take off on a new chapter and fell in love with flying at the first rotation. She says she loves an adventure, and the combination of flying and leading others to accomplish their aviation goals was a natural place for her to land.

Rieck has Commercial Single, Multi-Engine, Instrument, Seaplane, Tailwheel ratings; is a CFI, CFII, AGI; and participant in the Ninety-Nines Professional Pilot Leadership Initiative (PPLI) program. She owns two aircraft at Falcon Field in Mesa, a beautiful and demanding place to fly. When not flying, Rieck is exploring near the Grand Canyon with her husband at their off-grid cabin.

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Tom Rogers, MCFI 4/2022-4/2024:

Rogers began flying at age 16 at the now closed Ramapo airport in New York. His family moved to California where he finished his Private Pilot at age 17 at the El Monte airport. Rogers attended Arizona State University, majoring in Aeronautical Technology. As part of the curriculum he completed his Commercial, Instrument, CFI, CFII, and all levels of ground instructor certificates at the Phoenix Airport and Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona. His first instructor job was in the Phoenix area in 1976 and he has held his CFI ever since, accumulating thousands of hours teaching.

After completing his Bachelor of Science in 1978, he was commissioned in  the U.S. Air Force, where he completed pilot training in 1980. After initial qualifications he became an instructor at Williams AFB, now Williams Gateway airport in Arizona. There he accumulated 1,300 hours instructing in the T-37B primary jet trainer. His next assignment was in the F-15 and he eventually became a four -hip flight lead and instructor. After 10 years on active duty, traveling four continents, he was hired by Alaska Airlines. Rogers continued serving in the Air National Guard and has completed 25 years of service, retiring as a Lt Colonel.

Rogers spent 31 years at Alaska Airlines, over 24 as a senior captain, retiring in 2020. Initially he flew the Boeing 727 as both an engineer and first officer. Rogers upgraded to captain on the 737-200 based in Anchorage.  Finally completing his career on all variants of the B-737 NG Series based in Seattle. One of his accomplishments at Alaska Airlines was establishing Aviation Day where the airline opened its hangar and flight operations buildings to over 1,000 youth for an in-depth view of aviation careers. He managed the program for 10 years before his retirement, working with over 350 volunteers and the youth each year. In 2012 he was selected as an Alaska Airlines legend, an award given to less than 2 percent  the airline’s employees for exceptional service to the airline and community.

Throughout his flying career he continued to stay active in general aviation. While in Arizona he instructed aerobatics at Chandler Air Service in a Great Lakes;  in the Seattle area it was the Boeing Employees Flying Association.  Rogers earned his Single-Engine Sea rating, and after attaining over 100 hours flying all over the Pacific northwest and British Columbia went on to instruct at the Renton Airport in seaplanes. He instructed in the DHC2 Beaver, Cessna 180 and 172XP on floats. Since his retirement from Alaska he has concentrated his flight instruction on tailwheel operations, upset prevention and recovery, CFI candidate spin training and mountain flying courses. His tailwheel instruction is in the Citabria and Super Decathlon. He has built a significant amount of time in the PT17 Stearman and T6 as well as YKS7 Cabin Waco aircraft.

Rogers is a FAASTeam representative and gives presentations around the Pacific northwest on non-towered airport operations, loss of control and spin training. He has accumulated over 24,000 hours in over 50 years of flying.

Click to Download Tom's Press Release!

Christopher Rothe, MCFI 9/2019-9/2021:

Rothe started flying gliders with the Civil Air Patrol, earning his glider instructor rating at 16. A graduate of Metro State University in Denver, he joined the Air Force Reserve as a C-130 Aircraft Commander and instructor at Peterson AFB, transferring to the academy in 2014 as a soaring instructor. He currently flies Airbus A-319/320s for a major airline, and is a USAF Reserve evaluator and instructor for the Air Force Academy soaring-racing team.

Click to Download Chris' Press Release!

Sarah Rovner, MCFI 9/2017-9/2021:

This is Rovner’s second NAFI Master Instructor accreditation.

Rovner is currently a FAA Safety Team Lead Representative and 757/767 pilot for a major U.S. airline. She holds an ATP, CFI, CFII, MEI and has flown over 5300 hours with 1500 hours of instruction given. Rovner has flown over 124 different types of airplanes in 15 different countries including oceanic crossings in small aircraft.

She is the owner and chief pilot of FullThrottle Aviation; which was launched in 2013 as a small flight school and grew to an international business with over 20 pilots moving airplanes around the world today. She continues to stay involved in general aviation through her leadership roles and volunteering for different aviation organizations. Although much of her flying is now in jetliners, she enjoys flying and instructing in her Super Cub, Patches, on her days off. As a regular fly-in attendee of Oshkosh, she says she enjoys the company and camaraderie that General Aviation brings.

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Ted Sanders, MCFI 07/2008-04/2016:

This is Sanders' Third consecutive NAFI Master Instructor accreditation. Sanders’ friends say he wanted to fly before he was born. In first grade Sanders started building and flying U-Line controlled gas powered model airplanes. He was competing in combat and rat race competitions through 4th grade. Sanders joined the United States Marine Corps in 1969 and became a CH-53D Crew Chief flying in excess of 1200 hrs. Upon return to the states in 1972 Sanders took flying lessons at the base flying club earning his Private License on July 4, 1973. He returned home and used his GI benefits to earn his Instrument Rating and Commercial License. In January 2002, Sanders returned to flying and since then he has gone from an 800hr. pilot with those ratings to a Commercial Pilot with ASEL, ASES, AMEL and, Glider. He also is a CFI, CFII, MEI, CFI-G, Gold Seal Instructor, NAFI Master Instructor and FAAST team Representative. For three years Sanders flew freight for Northeast Aviation as a Captain and Training Airman. Sanders has logged in excess of 6000+ hrs.

In addition to joining the NAFI Board, Sanders chairs/participates on several NAFI Committees. Sanders enjoys his obligations as a member of the NAFI Board of Directors. 

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Nick Schmall, MCFI 3/2021-3/2023

While serving as a police officer in Memphis, Schmall began taking flight lessons for fun. The fun eventually morphed into a career change. After earning his commercial single and multi-engine land certificates, Schmall earned his CFI. He went on to earn his CFII, MEI, and AGI certificates. Schmall left the police department in February of 2019 and began working full time for a local flight school in Memphis.

As a full-time flight instructor Schmall has helped over 40 people earn certificates up to and including ATP. Schmall is a FAASTeam representative for the Memphis FSDO where he teaches safety related classes and aviation seminars. He also earned his Gold Seal Instructor from the FAA.

Schmall is active in the warbird community. He is a member of a Memphis based Fairchild PT-19 club where he flies the WWII basic trainer. He is also an active member of the Commemorative Air Force. Schmall flies a North American AT-6 and holds a formation wing card with the North American Training Association. He says he really enjoys taking people for rides in warbirds and flying formation with friends.

Schmall earned a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics with a minor in Aviation Safety from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He is currently working on a Master of Science in Aeronautics and expects to graduate in December of 2021. He holds an ATP multi-engine certificate and flies a Citation Excel for a Part 135 charter company. While flying jets is a new adventure, he says he still enjoys instructing and does so part time when he is home.

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Jerrold Seckler, MGI 8/2015-12/2023:

This is Seckler’s fourth consecutive NAFI Master accreditation. Seckler has been flying for 53 years.  During that time, he has amassed over 7,000 hours in a variety of General Aviation aircraft. Seckler holds an ATP certificate as well as CFII, AGI and IGI certificates.

Seckler is a former Board Member of the Cirrus Owners and PIlot's Association and served as Dean of the College of Flight Operations of COPA University, the training and education arm of that organization, for 5 years. Currently he is the President of the Board of Trustees of the COPA Safety and Education Foundation which supports COPA University and sponsors multiple training events for pilots of Technologically Advanced Aircraft. He regularly teaches at the Cirrus Pilot Proficiency Programs and presents classes on aviation weather, preflight briefings, instrument procedures, regulations, and aeronautical decision making. He has also flown over 100 flights for Angel Flight Central and serves on AFC’s Safety Committee.

Two years ago, he was honored to receive the FAA’s Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award for 50 years of safe flying.

In a previous life Seckler was a urologic surgeon as well as a FAA Aviation Medical Examiner. Seckler owns a 2001 Cirrus SR22 which he has flown for over 3,000 hours.

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Sean Stephenson, MGI 03/2020-03/2022/ Associate MCFI 11/2020-11/2022:

Stephenson began his aviation career as a military flight student in the United States Marine Corps. Over the past 18 years he has flown aboard Navy vessels, served in combat, and instructed in multiple military and civilian aircraft. He has accumulated almost 1,800 flight hours in the T-34C Mentor, T-45C Goshawk, AV-8B Harrier, and numerous general aviation aircraft. He currently holds ATP, CFII, and MEI certificates with high-performance and tailwheel endorsements. In addition to his current active military duties, Stephenson works as flight instructor at Tradewind Flight Services in New Bern, North Carolina.

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Click to Download Stephen's Press Release!

Brian Schultz, MCFI 6/2018-6/2020:

Schultz has been flying since 2000 and has been flight instructing since 2002. He said he has a strong passion for teaching and loves passing along his knowledge. Schultz holds an ATP certificate in both airplane single engine and multi-engine land, type ratings in the CE-500, CE-510S, CE-525/CE525S, and Lear Jet, a commercial single engine sea certificate, Gold Seal certified flight instructor rating, certified instrument instructor rating, multi-engine instructor rating, and advanced ground instructor rating. Schultz has flown corporate Part 91 in aircraft from a PA-32 to a CE525 all over world, Part 135 charter service in a CE-500 in North America and was an instructor at numerous flight schools, including Flight Safety where he instructed on the LR-jet.

Schultz currently is teaching students from private to ATP. He specializes in turbine transitions for owner pilots. He is also involved with his local airport advisory board, as check pilot for the 501 Squadron of Civil Air Patrol, the local airport AOPA ASN, is a FAAST Representative and Beechcraft Pilot Proficiency Program Instructor.

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Michael Schwahn, MCFI 12/2014-12/2016:

Schwahn is a born and raised Montana resident who was first introduced to aviation at the age of 16.  Aviation was always been a part of his life growing up, but the decision to make it into a career didn’t come until September 2006.  While studying mechanical engineering at Montana State University, Schwahn decided to pursue aviation as a full-time major.  His first flight lesson ensued through Summit Aviation and he soloed in October 2006.  He received his Private, Instrument and Commercial ratings at Summit Aviation and added Airplane Single Engine Sea in south Florida.  Schwahn’s drive for knowledge kept pushing him towards CFI, CFI-I and eventually through MEI, at which point he was hired by Summit Aviation in 2010.

With only 300 hours total time, Schwahn began instructing.  From the beginning of his CFI training until today, he has stood out from his peers with his ability to relate to any individual.  This ability to adapt to all learning styles is one of the many reasons he was chosen to be an Assistant Chief Instructor for Summit Aviation.

Schwahn is also a captain for Summit Aviation’s charter service and crews a Phenom 100 jet. His ratings include: ATP Multi-Engine, Commercial Single-Engine Land and Sea, CFI, CFI-I, MEI, EMB-500 type and Instrument Ground Instructor. Schwahn has also been recognized by AOPA two years in a row for the Flight Training Excellence Honor Roll.

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Jay Seward, MCFI 2/2005-2/2023:

Jay Seward is a retired U.S. Air Force pilot with 3600 hours in the T-37, B-52, T-38 and FB-111A. In the latter two, he served as an instructor pilot. In 1983 he earned his CFI through the Andrews AFB Aero Club. In 1992, he left the Strategic Air Command for duty as Chief of Safety and then Operational Support Squadron Commander in the newly reorganized Air Education and Training Command Flying Training Wing structure. In these roles he became immersed in airfield operations, TRACON and Tower operations, and academic instruction.

After a 15-year non-flying diversion into other Air Force command and staff jobs he rekindled his love of “slipping the surly bonds” while running an Air Force ROTC unit. Upon 30-year retirement from active duty, he taught high school classes for nine years as an Air Force JROTC instructor in Irmo, SC. In both these ROTC jobs he flew pro bono flights with his students and taught private pilot ground school. In 2008 he added CFII to his ticket and began flight instructing on a more routine basis, becoming essentially a full-time independent contract instructor in 2018. He has ratings in gliders and seaplanes in addition to his multiengine experience. His GA instruction is in C-172’s, PA-28s, PA-38s, M-20s, and AA5s, several of which he has owned. Before COVID he was flying with private pilot and advanced students and doing CFI/CFII training.

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Michael "Todd" Shellnut, MCFI 11/2018-11/2020:

Shellnut has been working in the flight training industry for 18 years now, and although he has performed many duties in his field from corporate pilot to FAA Designated Pilot Examiner, he has always found his way back to his true passion of flight instruction. This is Todd's second nomination as a Master CFI, and he also has received other awards such as AOPA's Best Instructor for 2015 and Distinguished Flight Instructor for 2017 and 2018. Todd is a published author of aviation training texts, an active FAASTeam member for the Atlanta FSDO, and is currently working for ATP Flight School as the CFI Academy Standardization Manager where he is responsible for the multiple training locations across the country for CFI initial training.

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Gregory Smith, MCFI 04/2008-05/2018:

This is Smith’s Fifth consecutive NAFI Master Instructor accreditation. Smith began flying 17 years ago while working as a sales executive for the WD-40 company. After earning his CFI certificate in 2002 he began instructing part time. In 2004 he made the career jump to full-time instructor.

He currently flies a G-58 Baron and C441 Conquest II out of Waukegan, IL for Aldridge Electric. He instructs part-time at the Westosha Flying Club in Wilmot, WI where he is also on the Board of Directors and serves as the club treasurer.

He completed his ATP in March of this year, is a FAASTeam representative and a FAA Gold Seal Instructor holding CFII, MEI, and AGI privileges. He has given over 6,000 hours of dual instruction.

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Jack Stevens, MCFI 9/2006-9/2020:

This is Stevens’ second consecutive NAFI Master Instructor accreditation.

Initially mentored by Alby Cornell, CFI & FBO owner at Warrington Airport in Bucks County, Pennsylvania (8N9) Stevens obtained his private pilot certificate in a PA 22-108 in 1969. Sadly, the airport has long since succumbed to stone quarry and homes, he said. His initial CFI was obtained under the tutelage of CFI David Orr in 1981, flying out of Mt. Sterling Airport (KIOB) in Montgomery County, Kentucky.

Stevens serves as chief CFI for Total Flight Solutions at its Pinehurst, North Carolina location. TFS is in final phase of accomplishing Part 141 Certification and is providing flight training for the Sandhills Community College Part 141 Aviation Degree Program.

“I'm passionate about mentoring others in aviation and keep in close contact with past clients. It is so rewarding to receive a call, an e-mail or text from a past student telling me about a new job, obtaining an additional rating or successfully and safely dealing with an untoward situation. As instructor pilots we know that there are four stages of learning: Rote, Understanding, Application and Correlation. I contend that the fifth and highest level is Teaching.”

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Jedediah Stone, Associate MCFI 3/2021-3/2023:

Stone was raised in North Pole, Alaska. It was there, working as a wildland firefighter where he says he discovered the joys and possibilities of aviation, specifically involved with flying helicopters. He then spent the next several years working in the summers to save up so he could fly in the winters and inch closer to his goals.

In the summer of 2018 Stone received his CFII rating and started his career as a flight instructor north of New Mexico and slightly south of Wyoming. He has thus far spent a year and a half teaching the newest crop of helicopter pilots the finer points of aviation, safety, and professionalism.

Stone says he enjoys helping the next generation learn to be safe, knowledgeable, and competent pilots because we all know we will someday somewhere share the airspace with them. He hopes that everyone achieves their dreams of flying because all of us understand just how amazing it really is. He adds that he is committed to continuing his learning and growth as a pilot, instructor, mentor, and person so that he may help as many of them as possible.

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Thomas Summers, MCFI 3/2021-3/2023:

In the spring of 2015, while working as a grocery store manager, Summers’ wife bought him an introductory flight in Maryland, setting him on the path of aviation. He and his family moved to the Louisville area, where he began flight school in October of 2017. As a student, he learned to fly at ATP, where he earned his private and commercial ASEL and AMEL with an instrument rating. He also earned his CFI, CFI-I, and MEI.

After finishing the program, he continued with ATP as an instructor, where he earned a Gold Seal on his flight instructor certificate and was promoted to Standardization Instructor for his training center, flying the Piper Archer and Seminole. There, he had the opportunity to work with a number of talented pilots training them from student pilots through MEI. While instructing, Summers also obtained his AGI and IGI.

Summers then accepted a job with ATP as a CFI Academy Ground School Instructor, training initial CFI initial applicants to become instructors. He says tyhe fun part of that job is working with students not just from his local region, but with pilots from across the country who bring different experiences and perspectives to the classroom.

Summers is now in training for a Part 121 first officer position, and says he is loving the classroom experience again, but is excited to be able to get back to instructing when the time is right.

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Earnest Templeton, MCFI 10/2020-10/2022:

This is Templeton’s second consecutive NAFI Master Flight Instructor award. Templeton’s love for aviation started as a young dreamer watching U.S. Navy P-2V Neptune submarine hunters in Adak, Alaska. He began U.S. Navy flight training at VT-1 Pensacola, Florida in August 1973. Templeton flew the T-34B (Beechcraft Mentor), T-28C (North American Trojan) and the TS-2A (Grumman Tracker), a multiengine submarine hunter. He is now a retired U.S. Naval Reserve Captain.

For the past eight years Templeton has enjoyed working as a flight instructor at the Travis AFB Aero Club in Fairfield, California, where he provides assistance and instruction to many young enlisted USAF air crew personnel who desire to obtain a private certificate or more to enhance their ability to compete for selection to active duty USAF officer pilot training programs.

Templeton’s eldest son served in the U.S. Navy as an Aviation Boatswain Mate onboard several aircraft carriers launching aircraft and his number two son recently left active duty after serving as a H-60 Sea Hawk helicopter pilot.

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Shane Terpstra, MCFI 10/2015-1/2020:

This is Terpstra’s second NAFI Master Accreditation. Terpstra started flying at the age of 16 in Orange County, Calif. and says he has had the flying bug ever since. After nearly 20 years as owner of an IT company, Terpstra decided to pursue aviation full time, earning his instructor rating and changing careers to become an airline pilot. When not flying for the airlines, he is a full-time instructor specializing in accelerated courses. Terpstra is a passionate aviation enthusiast, FAA FAASTeam Member, safety officer and board member of Plus One Flyers, the largest flight club in the United States, as well as an aircraft owner.

Terpstra has been an active member of the Civil Air Patrol in California for almost 30 years, holds numerous ratings in the organization and currently serves as Director of Emergency Services for California. Terpstra has helped locate dozens of missing aircraft over the years and uses these experiences when teaching other pilots.

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Ron Timmermans, MCFI/MGI 11/2019-11/2021:

This is Timmermans’ second Master Flight as well as his second Master Ground Instructor Accreditation.

Timmermans earned his Private Pilot Certificate in 1972 and went on to add Commercial, Instrument, CFI/MEI, ATP, and Remote Pilot to his credentials.

Shortly after he became a CFI-IA/MEI-IA, he began working with the Beechcraft Pilot Proficiency Program providing ground and flight instruction to owners of Beech Bonanzas and Barons. He also began a part-time independent flight instruction practice in the North Texas area. Now established in central Florida, Timmermans has a sizable following of Beechcraft clients who seek his professional ground and flight training services for recurrent training, transition to high-performance aircraft, instrument training and IPCs, multiengine and other specialized training.

Selected by AOPA to become one of a select group of professional ground instructors for the AOPA Rusty Pilots program, Timmermans is now making presentations around the United States as an ambassador to encourage and re-train inactive pilots in an attempt to help them experience the thrill of flying once again. Timmermans continues his aviation education and self-development through online and in person training opportunities like the NAFI Professional Development Center. He has earned FAA WINGS validation at the Basic, Advanced, and Masters levels on multiple occasions. He is a FAASTeam Lead Representative and frequently makes presentations at WINGS seminars.

In his pro bono work for the Florida Aviation Network, he has helped disseminate the knowledge and experience of his fellow aviation professionals through YouTube and other channels. Over the years at Sun ‘n Fun, Timmermans has conducted many live interviews, more than 20 in 2019 alone. He has interviewed NAFI Board Chairman Bob Meder several times.

Timmermans has also hosted several NAFI MentorLIVE broadcasts. Timmermans is a dedicated leader in the WINGS Industry Advisory Committee—a coalition of NAFI and other industry members as well as FAA personnel dedicated to improving the WINGS program and encouraging more pilots and CFIs to earn a phase of WINGS and improve aviation safety.

Timmermans was selected as the 2017 CFI of the Year for the Orlando, Florida FAA Flight Standards District Office and also for the FAA Southern Region. In addition, he was the recipient of the first Larry D. Enlow Award for his contributions to aviation safety and training in the Orlando FSDO.

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Timothy Timmons, MCFI 10/2016-10/2018, AMCFI 2/2015-2/2017:

This is Timmons’ second NAFI Master Accreditation. Timmons started flying in 2005 and earned his CFI certificate in 2012. After a 21-year career in the U.S. Army he retired from the military in 2013 and began to pursue his love for aviation and flight instruction full-time. He currently serves as the Assistant Chief Flight Instructor for Cochise College’s Aviation Department (Part 141) in Douglas, Arizona. In 2015 he received honor roll instructor recognition as part of AOPA’s Flight Training Excellence Awards.

Timmons earned his ATP AMEL earlier this year and also holds commercial privileges for single engine and private privileges for seaplane and glider. He is an FAA Gold Seal Instructor with CFII, MEI, AGI and IGI certificates. His education includes a masters degree in Aerospace Operations from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Timmons says he believes strongly in serving his community through aviation. He serves as AOPA's Airport Support Network representative for Tombstone Airport (P29), in Arizona and as a volunteer pilot for Flights for Life, LightHawk, and EAA’s Young Eagles program. He also recently became a FAASTeam representative for the Scottsdale FSDO. He has accumulated more than 2,300 pilot-in-command hours with over 1,100 hours of dual instruction given. He lives in Anthem, Arizona.

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