The National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI) has announced that Thomas P. Turner has won the 2021 Jack J. Eggspuehler Service Award. Named in honor of NAFI’s founder, the award is granted annually to individuals or organizations that make “a significant contribution to flight instructors, flight instruction or aviation education.” Turner’s endeavors include leading the education and training efforts at the American Bonanza Society, publishing six books and numerous articles on flying technique and safety and producing the FLYING LESSONS Weekly blog.
“Mr. Turner is a great educator, author, presenter, flight instructor and good friend,” said NAFI Board Chair Bob Meder. “His dedication to NAFI and flight instruction overall is an inspiration. Sharing his time, experience and good nature to NAFI is just one of the many things that makes us proud to select him for this award.”
Turner, who has been instructing for more than 30 years, is based in Wichita, Kansas, and specializes in type specific transition and recurrent training in Beechcraft Bonanzas and Barons. He has recently served as a presenter for NAFI’s MentorLIVE program along with teaching two of the organization’s professional development program courses. Along with the Eggspuehler Service Award, Turner was named the 2008 FAA Central Region Flight Instructor of the Year, 2010 National FAASTeam Representative of the Year and was inducted into the Flight Instructor Hall of Fame in 2015.
