Dave Emerson named flight instructor of the year

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) in Portland, Maine has announced David Emerson of Laconia as the winner of its 2007 Certified Flight Instructor of the Year Award.

Emerson is the owner of Emerson Aviation at the Laconia Airport in Gilford, a multi-generational family business that includes a Fixed Base Operator (FBO), flight school, aircraft sales department, aircraft maintenance facility, and FAR 135 aircraft charter company. He was an Aviation Safety Counselor in the Portland FSDO Aviation Safety Program and has remained with the program as it transitioned to the FAA Safety Team. He is currently a volunteer FAA Safety Team Representative and regularly conducts safety seminars in New Hampshire.

"He encourages students by his example to strive for excellence, maintain the highest standards of safety, and give back to the aviation community," said airport manager Diane Cooper.

Emerson comes from an aviation family. He took his first ride at 3-years of age in a Piper Tripacer. He soloed at 16-years of age in three aircraft on the same day; a Piper Cherokee, a Piper Tripacer, and a Cessna 150.

In 1979, at 17-years-old, Emerson earned his Private Pilot License. He went on to advanced pilot and flight instructor ratings.

"Dave works as a professional flight instructor and dedicates himself tirelessly to flight instruction," said Cooper. "He is the consummate teacher, able to adeptly and patiently simplify complex concepts to his students. He promotes safety and the formation of good habits through leading by example: Dave is a regular speaker at safety seminars and other educational aviation events, often in the company of two or three of his flight students. He constantly seeks new knowledge or new techniques for delivering his knowledge (recently he completed the Garmin G-1000 Training Course)."

Along with his Flight Instructor Certificate, Emerson has earned an Airframe & Powerplant Certificate with Inspection Authorization. He is able to bring this thorough knowledge of aircraft systems to flight students. "He adapts readily to the needs of his students, often making himself available at any hour of any day to meet their schedules," added Cooper.

Emerson can be contacted at (603) 293-7980, or by email at demerson@emersonaviation.com. "Congratulations to an outstanding mentor and leader," Cooper concluded.