From NAFI's Chair |
What's Your Passion?I've recently started working with a returning pilot, or what AOPA likes to call "Rusty Pilots." Such pilots are always an intriguing challenge for me because there is such a mix of remembered information, varying skills, and gaps in knowledge. In both ground and flight instruction, I find that there are areas where we sail right through the lesson, while in others we find rough going. A case in point last weekend was that we really had to concentrate on control coordination, yet, when we did several full stop landings, not one was unacceptable, and most were very good. That's why I enjoy flight instruction so much. Along with the sheer enjoyment of flight, there is an endless variety of people who we encounter, all with different styles of learning, ways of perceiving the world around them, and things they can teach me as I teach them. That is why I consider it a privilege to be chair of NAFI's Board of Directors, because I get to learn from you while you learn from each other. This leads me to a question: Why are you passionate about flight instruction? NAFI's membership is extremely engaged, as evidenced by your participation in MentorLive, our presence on social media, letters and emails to Mentor and eMentor, and your participation in the NAFI Professional Development Program. Because you are so engaged, your thoughts about your passion to teach are welcomed. Please take some time to email your comments. This will help inform us as we work toward building a better organization for you. And, yes, there is a bit of a catch to this. Creating and presenting the educational programs for NAFI takes resources. Much of the work is done by dedicated, hard-working volunteers, but there are fixed costs for magazine production, internet connectivity, website maintenance, rent, and staff salaries that must be met. There is a donate button at the top left of this eMentor newsletter, or if you go to NAFI's webpage, you'll notice a donate button on the menu to the right. These both give you an opportunity to donate to the NAFI Foundation, a 501 (c )(3) organization. When donated via these links, the funds will be used to help NAFI continue to maintain and improve its educational programs. Your assistance would be appreciated and will benefit not only your fellow instructors but, through your dedication to excellence, aviation as a whole. Bob Meder,
NAFI Board Chair
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