Class of 2021 inducted into Flight Instructor Hall of Fame

John and Martha King and Greg Brown have been inducted into the Flight Instructor Hall of Fame as the Class of 2021.

Administered by the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI), inductees into the Flight Instructor Hall of Fame “represent individuals who have made significant contributions to aviation education and flight instruction while reflecting credit upon themselves and their profession,” according to NAFI officials.

“The honor highlights the important role flight instructors play as a foundation for the safety of the entire national air transportation system,” officials add.

Greg Brown

A pilot since 1972 and flight instructor since 1979, Brown’s awards include being named 2000 Industry/FAA National Flight Instructor of the Year, 1999 NATA Excellence in Pilot Training Award, 2013 AOPA Let’s Go Flying Award, and Barnes & Noble Arizona Author of the Month. In 1997 he was designated the first-ever NAFI Master Flight Instructor.

He also has written many books, including “The Savvy Flight Instructor,” “The Turbine Pilot’s Flight Manual,” “Flying Carpet: The Soul of an Airplane,” “You Can Fly!,” and “Job Hunting for Pilots.”

Along with thousands of flight training hours, Brown has contributed countless articles to aviation publications, and taught NATA’s Flight Training Business Success Seminars. He pioneered use of social media to support flight training with AOL pilot forums in 1997, continuing today with Greg Brown’s Student Pilot Pep Talk Facebook Group.

Brown holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate with Boeing 737 type rating, and flight instructor certificate with all fixed-wing aircraft ratings. In addition to flight training, he has flown professionally in scheduled and corporate aviation. He also flies his Cessna Skylane, “The Flying Carpet,” extensively for personal business and pleasure.

“Throughout my career I’ve strived to empower pilots at every level of aviation to achieve their aviation goals and dreams,” he said. “The best ways to do that? Make flying fun and inspire pilots to take command of both their cockpits and their careers.”

John and Martha King

John and Martha King, founders and co-chairs of King Schools, are the first and only husband and wife to hold every category and class of FAA pilot and instructor certificates. Their use of technology and clear, simple, and fun teaching have made aviation knowledge more accessible to pilots throughout the world, NAFI officials noted.

After a dismal failure in a business for which they did not have a passion, John and Martha King decided to relax and indulge their love of flying for a while. In the early 1970s, they began teaching flying to mark time while looking for a “serious business.”

After teaching live seminars for over a decade they put their courses on video. Today King Schools, which started in a spare bedroom in the couple’s house, operates out of a complex in San Diego, California, that includes a video and software production facility.

For more than 45 years, King Schools has delivered millions of courses to pilots in training.

Through the years, the Kings have retained their enthusiasm for flying. They fly their own Dassault Falcon 10 jet wherever they go, swapping captain and copilot duties on each leg. They have flown as pilots in every continent of the world except Antarctica, including a trip around the world via the length of Russia.

The Kings have been champions for the cause of improving risk management practices of general aviation pilots speaking to thousands of pilots each year about aviation safety. They work with the FAA’s National Aviation Safety Program in producing safety videos. They also volunteer their time to speak to college classes on starting a small business.

“Learning to fly is an extraordinary achievement,” John said. “It is a long process that encompasses an individual’s physical, mental, and emotional effort together into an extraordinary achievement. And we play a role in this — what a privilege!”

Inductees into the Hall of Fame must have at least 20 years of active industry experience.

NAFI officials add it is important to note that the Flight Instructor Hall of Fame is not a NAFI award. NAFI administers the program on behalf of the entire aviation and flight training community. To maintain the integrity of the program, the judges represent a vast array of aviation professionals, officials noted.