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Meet the NAFI Board of Directors
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Ken Hoffman, Chairman
Ken’s first job as a CFI was in 1962 for Kensair Corporation at Jeffco Airport near Denver. In 1963, he became an instructor and then Flight Training Clinic Director for the AOPA and wrote the original AOPA Mountain Flying Course. He was a part of the group who conceived the idea of forming a professional organization representing flight instructors that became the birth of NAFI. Ken has over 19,000 hours flight time and his ATPshows eight type ratings (Fairchild FA-27, Learjet, Gulfstream G159, Cessna Citation CE 500, Westwind IA-JET, Hawker HS-125, Gulfstream G-1159, and Beechcraft 1900).His Commercial Privileges include ASEL,ASES, Rotorcraft-Helicopter, L-B34 type rating |
(Howard Super Ventura), and Glider. In his 49th year as a CFI with over 6,000 instruction hours given, his certificate shows Gold Seal, ASME, Instrument-Airplane, Rotorcraft-Helicopter, and Glider. Ken served as a Designated Pilot Examiner for over 25 years, which included approvals for Private, Commercial, ATP, CFI, ASEL, AMEL (with as many as 5 LOAs for different models), Helicopter, and Learjet. He has owned or operated flight schools under FAR Part 61, 141, and 142 and served as Evaluator in the Beechcraft 1900 for the 142 training center he founded.
Ken is serving his second (non consecutive) stint as chairman of the board for NAFI. He also has an active consulting practice and currently has a primary student in a Cessna 152. He enjoys sailing his 22 foot Catalina (vintage 1976) at his home in Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas and his 29 foot Ericson sailboat (1974 vintage) that he keeps at NAFI’s founder Jack Eggspuehler’s home in Cape Coral, Florida. Ken says, “I find that I now spend almost as much time reading sailing magazines as I do aviation magazines.”
“NAFI has a proud past and we have a very talented and dedicated board of directors and staff who are working hard to take our organization to the next level. I am proud to be a part of that effort.”
Photo: Ken Hoffman and favorite student Kristin Nicole Hoffman flying Harry Mertz's Varga. |
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Carl Fry
Biography Coming Soon! |
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Robert Meder
Robert Meder is a CFI with single- and multi-engine and instrument privileges. He was recently named the St. Louis FSDO 2009 CFI of the year, the Lincoln 2010 FSDO CFI of the year, and the 2010 Central Region CFI of the Year. He has been a check airman for a 141 operation, an active FAASTeam Lead Rep. He is active in volunteer activities at EAA AirVenture each year. Robert serves on the board of the National Association of Flight Instructors and is also an operating department manager with one of the largest railroads in the United States.
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Phillip Poynor
Phillip Poynor is a Professor of Aviation at Daniel Webster College in Nashua, NH and is a 41 year veteran in the aviation industry. After spending eleven years with a major international airline in a variety of capacities including industrial engineer, attorney, labor negotiator and manager in flight operations, he began a second career in aviation education that has included flight training and college teaching. For 22 years he owned, managed and actively instructed at Nassau Flyers, Inc., a large, Long Island based flight school specializing in training for the business and professional aviation enthusiast, collegiate training and aircraft management and operations. He was part 135 captain qualified
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for a number of years.
Professor Poynor was the FAA/Industry National Flight Instructor of the year in 2001 and has been recognized by the National Air Transportation Association with award of its Excellence in Pilot Training Award. While at the State University of New York he was recognized for his teaching ability with the SUNY Chancellor’s award for Excellence in Teaching. He is an Airline Transport rated pilot with over 11,000 flight hours and a Gold Seal instructor. He is co author of the text Air Carrier Operations.
Phillip has been designated a NAFI Master Instructor seven times. |
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Harry L. Riggs Jr.
Harry earned his Private Pilot’s license in 1953 while at Centre College of Kentucky. Upon graduation in 1952 and after completing a two year tour on active duty with the Navy as a Commissioned Officer, he entered the University of Cincinnati Law School and graduated in 1957. He is a lifelong resident to Northern Kentucky and retired after fifty years in the full time practice of law. He is currently “Of Counsel” with the Cincinnati bases law firm of Dinsmore & Shohl. He is one of the original founders of NAFI and has been active in its operations since its inception. He currently serves on it’s Board of Directors. Harry holds an Airline Transport Rating and is type rated in a Cessna 500. He formerly held an Instrument Flight Instructor certificate and currently holds an Instrument
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Ground Instructor’s rating. He served as a flight instructor and course supervisor in the AOPA Flight Training Clinics held throughout the United States during the ‘60s, ‘70s and into the ‘80s. He was also on of the founders of the AOPA’s Private and Commercial Pilots Written Exam courses taught on weekends during that same period of time.
"Almost everyone agrees that the future of this great country lies with the education of our children-----and that means with their TEACHERS. I also believe that the future of aviation in this country lies with the quality of the teachers of flight-------and that means with FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS. That is what NAFI is all about." |
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Ted Sanders
Ted’s friends say he wanted to fly before he was born. In first grade Ted started building and flying U-Line controlled gas powered model airplanes. He was competing in combat and rat race competitions through 4ht grade. Ted 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 Ted 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. Fast forward to January 2002. Ted returned to flying and since then he has gone from an 800hr. pilot with those ratings to a
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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 Ted flew freight for Northeast Aviation as a Captain and Training Airman. Ted has logged in excess of 5000+ hrs.
In addition to joining the NAFI Board, Ted chairs the Learn to Fly Center for NAFI and EAA at AirVenture and participated on several NAFI Committees. Ted enjoys his obligations as a member of the NAFI Board of Directors.
Photo: Ted Sanders and his dog Snaproll in a Switzer S-233. |
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Robert Snyder
Biography Coming Soon! |
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