Naoya Tamanaha

Naoya "Tama" Tamanaha is a distinguished FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) and veteran aviator with over 31 years of professional experience in flight instruction and evaluation. Operating primarily out of Honolulu, Hawaii, and Las Vegas, Nevada, he brings a unique global perspective to the aviation community, having previously served for 19 years as a Chief Flight Instructor at the USAF Flight Training Center in Japan. Tamanaha holds an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate and is a multi-time NAFI Master CFI, specialized in conducting practical tests for Private, Instrument, and Commercial ratings.

In addition to his examiner duties, Tamanaha is an active corporate pilot, serving as a Captain on the Embraer Phenom 300 and Pilatus PC-12 for Part 91 and 135 operations. His safety-first mindset is demonstrated through more than 23 years as a FAASTeam representative and his philosophy of scenario-based evaluation, which emphasizes risk management and real-world decision-making. Having mentored over 1,000 pilots throughout his career, he remains a key figure in pilot development, focusing on bridging the gap between basic training and sophisticated operational environments.