If you're looking to put some excitement back into your flying, a tailwheel endorsement may be just what you are looking for.

A tailwheel endorsement is a great skill builder and will increase your skill level no matter what you fly. Not only is it unparalleled fun and excitement, but it will make you a better pilot and improve safety, too!

For tailwheel trainers we use the heavily bush-modified Piper PA-18 Super Cub "160" with slotted wing and extended flaps and the classic Piper J-3 Cub. After you earn your tailwheel endorsement you can also check out in our beautifully restored Stearman biplane. Fly the plane that separated the "men from the boys." There's nothing that can match the sound and feel of a round engine and an open cockpit.

For those with a more adventurous spirit in addition to basic tailwheel instruction, we also offer an Advanced Tailwheel/Bush Flying Course. Learn the advanced techniques that professional bush pilots use and how to utilize the edges of the airplane's performance envelope. Even if you never fly in the bush, the techniques you will learn will increase your proficiency and improve safety. You will fly our highly-modified slot wing Super Cub with vortex generators and 31" Alaskan Bushwheels.

Objectives

• Get maximum performance from your aircraft
• Operate from unimproved strips
• Master extreme short and soft field techniques
• Operate on sloped strips
• Perform confined area operations

Course is approximately 6-8 hours. Basic tailwheel endorsement is required. Call for more details.

As the saying goes, if mom is afraid of water, the kids will be afraid of water. Most pilots nowadays have learned from instructors whose only experience with spins was a “check the box” spin endorsement flight to fulfill the CFI certification requirements often in an airplane bearing no resemblance to popular trainers most of us fly. Unsurprisingly, the attitude towards spins that has prevailed in the “mainstream” training is one of avoiding the subject rather than understanding it. This can lead to a serious gap in confidence and awareness of stall / spin recovery.

We strive to fill that gap with a course designed to give you a simple and intuitive understanding of what causes an airplane to spin and teach you how to react quickly and correctly in order to return to normal flight. By replacing fear with knowledge and skills, you will never have to worry about getting into an unintentional spin. You will do your training in our Alpha 160A, a side-by-side aerobatic trainer that has excellent handling and spin characteristics.

There is nothing that will so thoroughly develop a pilot’s coordination, control of the airplane and confidence in the airplane and themselves as aerobatics. It is far more diverse, practical and safety-driven skill than just jaw-dropping air show stunts. Conducted in the proper manner, aerobatic training is as safe as any other kind of flying. In fact, it is arguably less dangerous than, for example, flying at night over populated areas or many other flying activities seldom given a second thought.

By performing aerobatic maneuvers you will understand an airplane’s performance envelope and its limitations and how the flight controls really work. This understanding will translate into a higher precision of flying and better situational awareness. You will be surprised by how much your real flying skills improve regardless of the type of flying you enjoy the most.

Aerobatic training is conducted in our Alpha 160A.

Please note: Weight limit of pilot is 210 lb to stay in the aerobatic category.

Winter operations are a whole lot more fun in a classic J3 on skis. Ground and in-flight lessons help you learn the ski techniques for various snow conditions — including white-out landings, remote area operations and self-reliance training — that are necessary to become proficient in ski flying.

Seasonal, please call for more information.