National Certificated Flight Instructor of the Year

 Since 1962, the General Aviation Awards Program has recognized a small group of aviation professionals in the fields of flight instruction, aviation maintenance, avionics, and flight safety for their important contributions to the aviation community.

This awards program is a partnership and a cooperative effort between more than a dozen sponsoring organizations from the aviation industry and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The selection process begins with local offices. Panels of aviation professionals from within those four fields then select national winners from the pool of regional winners.

The FAA administrator annually has presented the national awards in July during a “Theater in the Woods” program at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Included in the prize packages for each national winner is an all-expense paid trip to Oshkosh for the recipient and a guest to attend the awards presentation and other GA Awards activities. Generous contributions from industry sponsors pay for the winners’ expenses, while the FAA provides the support and structure for nominations to proceed from local to national levels. Hard working volunteers within the industry provide the various administrative tasks.

The General Aviation Awards Program is a cooperative effort between the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and aviation industry sponsors to recognize annually outstanding individuals in the fields of Avionics, Flight Instruction, and Maintenance. In addition, the program recognizes outstanding individuals serving the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) as representatives.

The awards highlight the important roles these individuals play in promoting aviation safety, education, and professionalism. Winners will be recognized locally, regionally and nationally. National winners will be recognized during AirVenture-Oshkosh each July. There, they will also receive gifts and merchandise provided by sponsors and contributors. 

For More information about GA Awards, please visit their webpage http://www.generalaviationawards.com/

2024 National CFI of the Year

Adam Magee (NAFI#220218) of Swisher, Iowa is the “2024 National Flight Instructor of the Year”. Adam is an aviation professional who, through the Balloon Training Academy, teaches over 100 students per year and runs Lighter than Air (LTA) webinars. His aviation experience includes flight instruction, check ride prep, and instruction in Private and Commercial Ground School. He has organized annual safety seminars, designed private and commercial training syllabi, created an online flight instructor refresher course for balloon instructors and the Elite Balloon Instructor program. Adam is an LTA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) for the Des Moines FSDO. He holds multiple FAA Basic, Advanced, and Master WINGS. Adam is a member of the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI) Board of Directors. He serves as the Treasurer, and Finance Committee Chair for the association. He was the 2021 General Aviation Awards National FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year.

Past National CFI of the Year Recipients: