EAA announced Friday that its affiliate, the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI), will become an independent organization no later than March 1, 2011. The move will create “a cleaner operating structure” for both organizations and the ability for each to focus on their core strengths, according to EAA Chairman and President Tom Poberezny. The two organizations have operated together since 1995, in which time NAFI has doubled its members. “We truly appreciate all that EAA has done for NAFI,” Ken Hoffman, the association’s board chairman, said. He pledged to work with EAA to serve each organization’s common interests and said that going forward, NAFI will continue to work for the benefit of professional flight instructors “and other teachers of flight.” According to EAA communications director Dick Knapinski, the transition to independence is already under way.
NAFI’s focus now becomes that of an independent professional association for the flight instructor community. EAA will continue to engage in events and initiatives aimed at growing participation from all sources across the aviation community. The groups will work together to ensure an orderly separation of currently shared resources such as administrative functions and office space. While the final separation is set for March of 2011, the practical separation may come sooner.
