Naoya "Tama" Tamanaha | NAFI: National Association of Flight Instructors

This is Tamanaha’s third NAFI Master Accreditation. Tamanaha has been an active CFI for more than 31 years, including 19 years at the USAF Flight Training Center in Japan. He has mentored more than 1,000 pilots, from teenagers to retirees, with aviation goals varying from private, professional, to military-aspiring pilots. He was an FAA designated pilot examiner from 2000 to 2013 and has issued more than 200 FAA pilot certificates and ratings.

He has been a FAASTeam representative for more than 23 years, serving local communities including high schools, colleges, aviation organizations, and Coast Guard, on and off bases in Japan, Taiwan, and the United States. He has a weekly radio show in Japan, which promotes aviation to the non-aviation community.

Tamanaha’s passion and skills in aviation earned him a U.S. immigration visa. His next mission is to increase the number of Master CFIs who can contribute to the aviation community.

Tamanaha currently works for AirSmart Aviation Academy as a chief flight instructor specializing in the Pathway Program to AirSmart first officer position. He also flies as a PC-12 captain for AirSmart.

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Naoya “Tama” Tamanaha

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