Take Flight Aviation of Orange County Airport in New York and Blue Skies Flying Services flight instructor Mike Biewenga from The Lake in the Hills Airport in Illinois received national recognition in the 2018 Flight Training Experience Awards at the Redbird Migration Flight Training Conference, held at the AOPA You Can Fly Academy in Frederick, Maryland.
The survey received 6,310 responses. From that feedback, 954 flight schools and 1,849 flight instructors were reviewed by their customers. Awards were chosen for standout schools and for instructors with at least five independent reviews and consistently superior ratings. Customers highlighted educational quality, customer service, information sharing, and community among the 78 distinguished flight schools and 123 distinguished instructors. A committee of industry experts awarded the top scoring flight school and instructor in each of five regions—West, Southwest, Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast. A sixth award was presented to the overall national award winners.
Red Bull racer Goulian inspires
Red Bull Air Race World Championship points leader Michael Goulian, hot off his Indianapolis Motor Speedway win, reminded Redbird Migration flight instruction professionals that they were “setting the hook” for future aviators.
Goulian drew comparisons between air racing and flight instruction during the opening keynote for the two-day learning seminar at the AOPA You Can Fly Academy. The airshow pilot and AOPA member said he never forgot his roots as a flight instructor. He added that a positive attitude, confidence, preparation, and teamwork were the keys to his competitive success and the secrets to an effective learning experience for students. “That magic just works miracles with students,” he told the 350 flight instructors, aviation educators, and college teachers who participated in the eighth annual conference.
“Remember, flying is a dream for a lot of people,” he said. “Our students want to fly with someone who is confident, and we have to inspire trust and faith in them.”
David Tulis
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