David McVinnie, 13 Time MCFI, FAA DPE
Suzanne and I started McVinnie Aviation, focusing on flight instruction for owner flown community. We quickly learned being your own boss meant business licenses, taxes, marketing, accounting, insurance and so on. In New Mexico, legal instruction involves all that and more which explains the dismal flight training environment in the state, despite its exceptional weather/airspace. Fortunately, between military retirement, Social Security and Medicare, we still have choices and I’m proud to say McVinnie Aviation has been in the black for 15-plus years.
The Master Instructor Program:
NAFI (Sandy & JoAnn Hill) introduced the Master CFI Program in 1997. This was and still is a step-up from the FAA’s Gold Seal program. It demands instructional activity, community service, continuing education, authorship, and participation. This represents a commitment that few airline-minded CFIs care for. Suzanne and I were already active as FAA Safety Counselors/FAASTeam members and traveled extensively with the FSDO program manager, presenting seminars throughout the state. I applied under the Master program and received recognition in November 1997 as the 7th MCFI. Industry turmoil effected a spinoff MCFI program called the Master Instructors LLC which transitioned to the Society of Flight Educators organization (SAFE) earlier this year. Both programs are exceptional.
The initial response to “Master Instructor” recognition was tepid at best. Nobody really knew what it involved or what it might do for them, and it was considered by other CFIs as pretentious or self-aggrandizing. I even had one acquaintance boast in public “I am not a MCFI, SO WHAT! Call it a lack of information or jealousy or whatever.
I am proud to be a MCFI and my clients do realize the difference once they fly with me. I charge many times what the local schools charge. I don’t apologize and to the point, no client has ever balked at the price.