MILWAUKEE, WIS. – The National Association of Flight Instructors honored Gregory G. Gorak of Gaits Aviation Seminars as its 25th inductee into the Flight Instructor Hall of Fame, November 2, 2013. The induction took place in Gorak’s hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin as part of a surprise luncheon presentation during the flight instructor refresher clinic presented by Gaits (www.gaitsaviation.com).
NAFI Chairman Robert Meder; Program Coordinator John Niehaus; Board Member and President/Chief Instructor of the Sporty’s Academy, Eric Radtke; and longtime NAFI corporate sponsor, hall of fame panel member, and founder of Sporty’s Pilot Shop, Hal Shevers, interrupted Gorak’s program to surprise him with the award.
Gorak started flying in 1962 in a J3 Cub and received his Private Pilot Certificate in a Bellanca Citabria 7ECA with longtime instructor Al Sabota and examiner Hugo Picco. At the time, Gorak was a member of the West Allis Flying Club, which allowed him to get all his ratings starting with his private in 1963, commercial in 1966, and CFI in 1967. Gorak eventually obtained an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate.
Gorak was chairman of the Career Pilot Program at Gateway Technical Institute for nine years, and also taught for the National Association of Flight Instructors in 1976. He founded Gaits Aviation Seminars, Inc. in 1977 and has been on the presenter’s circuit for 43 years. The company has graduated more than 18,000 flight instructors.
The Federal Aviation Administration named Gorak “National Flight Instructor of the Year” in 1975.
Established in 1997, the Flight Instructor Hall of Fame has inducted 25 people over the course of 16 years. The hall of fame and the National Association of Flight Instructors is headquartered at the Air Zoo Aviation Museum in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
