Pat Knight, a 7-time Master and a SAFE board member, recently renewed her Master CFI accreditation. Pat is a Citation captain with Sterling Aviation as well as an instructor with Travel Express Aviation at DuPage Airport (DPA). She also serves as a pilot examiner and FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s DuPage FSDO area. (Photo: MCFI Pat Knight of Naperville, IL)
Master Instructors LLC takes great pride in announcing a significant aviation accomplishment on the part of Helen D “Pat” Knight, a pilot with Sterling Aviation and resident of Naperville, Illinois. Recently, Pat’s accreditation as a Master CFI (Certificated Flight Instructor) was renewed by Master Instructors LLC, the international accrediting authority for Master Instructor designations as well as the FAA-approved “Master Instructor Continuing Education Programä.” She first earned this national professional accreditation in 1997 and has held it continuously for twelve years.
To help put these achievements in their proper perspective, there are approximately 93,000 CFIs in the United States. Fewer than 700 of those aviation educators have achieved that distinction thus far. The last 14 national Flight Instructors of the Year were Master CFIs while Pat is one of only 13 Illinois teachers of flight to earn this prestigious “Master” title. In the words of former FAA Administrator Marion Blakey, “The Master Instructor accreditation singles out the best that the right seat has to offer.”
The Master Instructor designation is a national accreditation recognized by the FAA. Candidates must demonstrate an ongoing commitment to excellence, professional growth, and service to the aviation community, and must pass a rigorous evaluation by a peer Board of Review. The process parallels the continuing education regimen used by other professionals to enhance their knowledge base while increasing their professionalism. Designees are recognized as outstanding aviation educators for not only their excellence in teaching, but for their engagement in the continuous process of learning — both their own, and their students’. The designation must be renewed biennially and significantly surpasses the FAA requirements for renewal of the candidate’s flight instructor certificate.
Please feel free to disseminate this information. Questions regarding the Master Instructor program may be directed to 303-485-8136 or MasterInstrs@aol.com Additional information is available at www.MasterInstructors.org and at the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) website, www.SafePilots.org
