Now more than ever, the aviation industry needs flight instructors to conduct themselves as aviation educators. As the training pipeline accelerates and quality of instruction suffers in measurable ways, a cultural shift is required in how we view the profession, how we mentor new instructors, and how we conduct ourselves with and around students. "Good enough" isn't really good enough, and leaves little to no margin for safety or performance.
Join career aviation educator Jason Archer for a solution-oriented discussion about how we can improve the culture of flight instruction by combating professional apathy, one instructor, and one interaction at a time.
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Jason Archer is a seasoned educator with a deep passion for aviation. He serves as Chief Flight Instructor for Berkshire Aviation in Great Barrington, MA. There, he prides himself on mentoring a cadre of instructors and sharing distinctive, effective instructional techniques. Jason is particularly passionate about teaching in tailwheels. Jason holds a CFI-I, CFI-G, MEI, AGI, and IGI.
Shortly after completing his bachelor's degree in astronomy from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst he became a member of the senior management team at the Children's Museum in West Hartford, CT. Later in his career, Jason became the Director of Floor Programs at the New England Air Museum. Today, Jason serves as the Coordinator of Planetarium Operations at the Glastonbury/East Hartford Magnet School.
He also works as a freelance aviation writer, providing inspirational and technical content for Redbird Aviation Simulations' online landing page.
Aaron Dabney earned his Flight Instructor certificate in 2009, and has been an active instructor ever since. He has provided more than 5,000 hours of instruction in more than 30 models of aircraft, mentoring pilots from their first hour through becoming accomplished instructors themselves, and all points in between.
Dabney grew up in an aviation family. His maternal grandfather Joe was a World War II fighter pilot, and much of his childhood was spent in the family J-3 Cub with his grandfather or his uncle Mark. Aaron completed his first solo in that Cub in 1999 and is now its caretaker.
Aaron is a 6-time NAFI Master Flight Instructor, owns a small flight school, and has served as an adjunct lecturer for Baylor University's Aviation Sciences program since 2010. He serves on NAFI's Board of Directors and serves in several volunteer roles including coordinating MentorLIVE
Aaron lives in Waco, Texas with his wife of 20 years Alisa.
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