FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Master Instructors LLC takes great pride in announcing a significant aviation accomplishment on the part of John S Mahany, a Los Angeles area flight instructor and a resident of Long Beach, California.

Recently, John’s accreditation as a Master CFI (Certificated Flight Instructor) was renewed by Master Instructors LLC, the international accrediting authority for the six (6) Master Instructor designations as well as the industry acclaimed and FAA-approved “Master Instructor Continuing Education Program (MICEP).”  He first earned this national professional accreditation in 2003 and is one of only 40 worldwide to earn one or more of these credentials six (6) times.

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 achieved that distinction thus far.  Twenty-three of the last National Flight Instructors of the Year, National FAASTeam Representatives of the Year, or National AMTs of the Year were Masters (see: http://www.GeneralAviationAwards.org/) while John is one of only 56 California aviation educators to earn one or more of these prestigious “Master” titles.

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.

For more information about the Master Instructor Program visit www.MasterInstructors.org  To learn more about the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE), visit http://SafePilots.org/

Alexander “Sandy” & JoAnn Hill, MCFI-Es
Master Instructors LLC,  Longmont  CO

Palm Springs, California. Under partly cloudy skies on Friday morning, October 15, 2015, I attended the 2^nd annual Flying Magazine Expo. While it was ok overall, the attendance seemed smaller this year, and the number of exhibitors was down, as well. There were fewer than 100 exhibitors. Some of the biggest players in the industry were not there, including Textron (Beechcraft/Cessna), King Schools, and Piper, to name three.

The speaker line-up was generally good, but again some of the big names in the business were not there. In the morning I attended two, one-hour seminars. Both were excellent. The first addressed ‘The Fundamentals of Flight Control Maximum Confidence/Minimum Workload”, which was all about basic flying skills (pitch & power) and aircraft control. The second was “iPad Basics”, and covered the gamut of the many operational considerations when using an iPad. In the afternoon, I attended a one-hour presentation on thunderstorm hazards, presented by a meteorologist from Jeppesen, which was very interesting.

Checking out the aircraft on display outside the convention center, there seemed to be fewer on display this year. Of course, with Textron being absent, Beechcraft and Cessna were not there displaying any aircraft.

This event is really a ‘mini’ expo, and runs Thursday through Saturday afternoon. It is a regional affair. Many of the exhibitors have a smaller display for this show, as a result. It was worth attending, for one day, for myself, but not for all of it. I will have to see what happens with this next year, before deciding whether to attend again.

On Saturday, June 6, 2015, I flew myself and 3 friends to Flabob Airport (KRIR), which is a privately owned airport located in Riverside, California, 38 NM east of Long Beach, as the crow flies. The occasion was the 3^rd annual ‘Flying Circus’, which is really an open house, and many antique and vintage aircraft were on display.

This is not an airshow. There are some ‘unofficial’ low fly-bys’, and the traffic pattern was full most of the morning with a variety of aircraft. Officially, all of the aircraft are on ‘static display’. The airports ‘diner’, Flabob Café had a steady flow of diners’ as there was a really good turnout for this. Also, EAA Chapter 1, which calls Flabob Airport home, also hosted its’ own pancake breakfast for the occasion.

It was a fun morning spent with the camaraderie of fellow aviators, as well as being a brief step back to the roots of aviation…as many of the aircraft on display were built during the 1920’s and 1930’s.