The Federal Aviation Administration recently recognized Kilgore resident Raymond F. Spengler Jr. as the 2016 Southwestern U.S. Regional Flight Instructor of the Year.

Spengler owns and operates Skypark Aviation LLC at the East Texas Regional Airport (Gregg County Airport) in Longview, and specializes in initial private pilot training and advanced flight training in the Longview and Tyler areas, according to a news release.

He also serves as the Northeast Texas FAASTeam (FAA Safety Team) lead safety representative in the FAA’s North Texas area.

Throughout his 17-year aviation career, Spengler has been a member of many aviation organizations, serving as a corporate pilot and owning and managing flight schools, according to the news release.

He has served on various aviation-related boards including two years as a former national board member of the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE).

He is one of only 30 instructors worldwide and the only flight instructor in Texas to hold a six-time Master Flight Instructor Award during his almost 10,000 hours of flight time, according to the news release.

“The Master Instructor accreditation singles out the best that the right seat has to offer,” former FAA Administrator Marion Blakey said.

 

– Emily Guevara