A California court has denied an injunction application (PDF) by JoAnn and Sandy Hill that would have stopped the National Association of Flight Instructors from using curriculum the Hills say they created. The Hills have filed a lawsuit claiming NAFI is violating their copyright on the instructional material. Rich Stowell, who authored the aerobatics section of the material, has also filed suit. They sought the injunction to stop NAFI from using the material while the suit moves through the courts. In denying the application, U.S. District Court Judge Christina A. Snyder ruled that the circumstances of the case do not meet the test of whether an injunction is appropriate. “It’s what we expected,” said NAFI President Jason Blair. JoAnn Hill told AVweb a press release would be forthcoming from their group after it’s been discussed among them.
The Hills lost their positions on the NAFI board of directors in 2008. They had been on the board for more than 15 years and were active in the development of the Masters Instructors program, which was run through NAFI during that time. After their departure from NAFI, the Hills created Masters Instructors LLC and their court actions are an attempt to claim the curriculum they developed while at NAFI as their own intellectual property.
