Connecticut Wing Member Named Region CFI of the Year

Connecticut Wing member named FAA Certified Flight Instructor of Year

Honor goes to Connecticut Wing's Royal Charter Composite Squadron member

July 26, 2006

Capt. Michael A. Berlin

CONNECTICUT – Capt. Michael A. Berlin of West Hartford, CT, and Connecticut Wing’s Royal Charter Composite Squadron, has been named the Certified Flight Instructor of the Year 2006 for the Federal Aviation Administration’s Windsor Locks, Flight Standards District Office and the Eastern Region.

The CFI of the Year Award honoring Berlin’s contributions to flight training and aviation safety was presented at the FAA’s Safety Fest 2006 in East Hartford.

Berlin, who earned his private pilot certificate in 1979, became an advanced and instrument ground instructor in 1995 and an FAA-certified flight instructor in 1996. He went on to earn his instrument and multi-engine flight instructor ratings soon thereafter. In 1999 he earned the prestigious “Master CFI” designation from the National Association of Flight Instructors and the FAA’s “Gold Seal” Flight Instructor status.

Berlin is a Wolf Aviation Fund Grant recipient. The grant was used to establish a collection of general aviation training texts and tapes for public use at Eastern Connecticut State University’s Smith Library, where he also co-founded the NASA/FAA Educational Resource Center. The center was created to be the regional distribution point for FAA and NASA materials to teachers and schools.

As a captain and pilot in CAP, Berlin was selected as Connecticut Wing’s Outstanding Aerospace Education Officer in 1995. He also received the Gen. Charles E. Yeager Aerospace Education Achievement Award.

He has authored several articles on flight instruction, conducted aviation safety seminars for the Windsor Locks FSDO, and taught private pilot ground schools for the West Hartford School District’s Adult Education Program.

Berlin designed and operates an aviation and ham radio-related Web site at http://www.qsl.net/wu1m, which has information on primary through advanced flight training, flight planning, weather and amateur radio. He is a member of the Aircraft Owner and Pilots Association and the National Association of Flight Instructors.

He holds a commercial pilot certificate with single and multi-engine land instrument airplane ratings. An active FAA Pilot Proficiency Program participant with Phase 10 Wings, he is also an FAA aviation safety counselor. Berlin serves as a flight instructor for Metro Flight Services LLC at Hartford’s Brainard Airport.