FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New “Master Aviation Educator” Designation Now Available
Master Instructors LLC, creators of the nationally acclaimed Master Instructor Accreditation Program(tm) and the FAA-approved Master Instructor Continuing Education Program(tm), has launched a new Master designation to better serve the needs of the nation’s aviation educators with diverse backgrounds.
The Master Aviation Educator(tm) (MAE) accreditation was developed to recognize those individuals who are working as aviation educators in industry, government, or the private sector but who do not hold FAA instructor certifications such as a CFI, BGI, AGI, or IGI. For example, there are many who hold teaching credentials issued by state or federal agencies, the military, or industry and who teach aviation related subjects to high school, technical school, and college students, CAP cadets, simulator clients, mechanics, IAs, avionics technicians, and others, but who do not possess any FAA-issued instructor credentials.
The first person to earn the new Master Aviation Educator (MAE) accreditation is James “Jim” Martone of Gilbert, Arizona. Martone (JMart162@cox.net) is a senior consultant with Williams Aviation Consultants (www.WilliamsAviationConsultants.com) in Gilbert, AZ. A retired Air Force officer, he is a ground and simulator instructor with Flight Safety Services handling KC-10 training and is the managing director of Trinity V1, an aviation and management consulting firm. He is also a FAASTeam representative in the FAA’s Scottsdale FSDO area.
Master Instructors LLC was motivated to develop its Master Aviation Educator accreditation in an effort to be inclusive of all aviation educators rather than focusing exclusively on FAA certificated flight and ground instructors as well as industry-accredited aerobatic instructors. This commitment to inclusiveness has long been a goal of Master Instructor Program creators Sandy and JoAnn Hill. The concept of inclusiveness is also consistent with the founding principles of SAFE, the Society of Aviation & Flight Educators (SafePilots.org), whose members receive a $20 discount from Master Instructors LLC when applying for Master designations.
Like the original Master Instructor accreditations dating back to the mid 1990s, the Master Aviation Educator is an international accreditation that qualified candidates earn by demonstrating an ongoing commitment to excellence, professional growth, and service to the aviation community.
Candidates must pass a rigorous review and evaluation process conducted by a peer review board. The review 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’. In addition, the designation establishes professional standards to which anyone involved in any facet of aviation education can aspire.
To promote continuous involvement in the aviation community, designees must remain active aviation educators and must renew their Master accreditations every 24-calendar months. Unlike one-time awards for past achievements (i.e., “Teacher of the Year,” or “FAASTeam Representative of the Year,” etc), the Master Aviation Educator designation acknowledges an individual’s continuing professional growth and involvement in a broad spectrum of aviation endeavors on an ongoing basis.
Questions regarding the Master Aviation Educator program or any of the other Master Instructor designations may be directed to 303-485-8136 or MasterInstrs@aol.com. Additional information about the FAA-approved Master Instructor Continuing Education Program(tm)along with the application packets containing eligibility requirements are available at MasterInstructors.org
