Finding a good tailwheel instructor, or sometimes any tailwheel instructor, can be a challenge. In some areas, they can be as rare as hens' teeth, but it may also be a case of that one crusty CFI who spent many years in Alaska, who just doesn't advertise his services. Here's a list of instructors as added to the forum topic of the same name. If you'd like to add a new instructor to the list, email knowledge[at]backcountrypilot.org, or use the contact link at the bottom of this page, or post in the forum topic.
By US state
- Heather Zulkanycz
- Fairbanks, AK
- (951) 314-1731
- Email hzulkanycz[at]gmail.com
- Piper Pacer
- Artic Wikle
- Fly Around Alaska
- Palmer, AK and Talkeetna, AK
- (907) 746-2290
- Email info[at]flyaroundalaska.com
- Tailwheel, backcountry/bush, turbine, survival
- Blair Weinstock
- Big Lake, AK
- (907) 892-4055
- Email Zuluhounds[at]aol.com
- Arctic Flyers
- Heidi and Rick Ruess
- Taylorcraft
- Lake Hood, AK
- (907) 243-3953
- www.arcticflyers.biz
- ProFlite of Alaska
- 4 tailwheel instructors on staff
- Fairbanks, AK 99709
- (907) 474-0099
- www.proflitealaska.com
- Steve Williams (DPE)
- ACME Cub Training
- Anchorage, AK
- (907) 250-6030
- acmecub[at]me.com
- PA-18 & C-180
- Loni Habersetzer
- Cubdriver 749er, LLC Alaska/Washington
- (360) 798-3254
- Email: loni[at]cubdriver749er.com
- PA-18
- Don Lee
- Alaska Floats & Skis
- Talkeetna, AK
- (907) 733-4500
- Email: don[at]alaskafloats.com
- Piper Pacer
- Land and Sea Aviation
- Anchorage, AK
- (907) 274-2544
- Email: landandseaalaska[at]gmail.com
- Citabria
- Legends Aviation
- Walt Warner
- Willow Airport (PAUO)
- (907) 232-2560 / (907) 347-7344
- Tailwheel in a Maule, Cessna 172 for Primary, and Cessna 172 for Seaplane Training.
- Wingnuts Aviation
- Wasilla, AK
- (907) 414-3978
- akwingnuts[at]gmail.com
- Bring Your Own Plane!
- Bob Feugate or Andy Estes
- Arizona Aviation
- Falcon Field
- 4855 East Falcon Drive
- Mesa, AZ 85215
- (480) 396-4404
- Milne "CC" Pocock
- Bush Air
- Kidwell Airport, Cal-Nev-Ari (1L4)
- (928) 460 3987
- cc[at]bush-air.com
- Specializing in advanced bush & mountain/backcountry flying & tailwheel training.
- Philip Abrams
- https://www.tailwheel-endorsement.com
- (424) 235-0683
- Training in your aircraft at your location or our Super Cub from Sunny Arizona.
- Douglas Lumgair
- Santa Rosa, CA
- (707) 484-6418
- Douglas[at]lumgair.com
- Tailwheel and Backcountry, Husky A1B and C170
- Tailwheel training experience in Taylorcraft to Stearman and D-18
- Kevin Quinn
- High Sierra Pilot Training and Ferry Services
- Northern Nevada/ Northern California
- (530) 412-2113
- 53skywagon[at]gmail.com
- Tailwheel, mountain and backcountry, BFR, Private Pilot, Commercial, and CFI Training
- Hal Phillips
- Phillips Aviation
- Northern Nevada/ Northern California
- (775) 304-3060
- firecaptainc20[at]gmail.com
- CFI Tailwheel. Specializes in 180/185. Idaho Backcountry Experience.
- Chris Miller
- Springfield Flying Service
- (209) 532-4103
- Columbia, CA (O22)
- Tailwheel & Stearman dual available
- Amelia Reid Aviation
- KRHV
- 2650 Robert Fowler Way
- San Jose, CA 95148
- (408) 251-4939
- Andy Bibber
- Adventure Flight
- Lincoln Airport (KLHM)
- (866) 644-4072
- T-craft, N3N, SNJ, T-50 Bamboo Bomber, or bring your own
- John Mahany
- Long Beach, CA (KLGB)
- (562) 234-8423
- Email: johnmahanycfi[at]gmail.com
- CFI-AIMEG and Tailwheel, many tailwheel aircraft flown.
- Training in your airplane.
- Tom Haefeli
- Del Norte, CO 8V1
- (719) 850-1411
- Specializing in J-3, Stinson 108, C-180, backcountry, Utah
- Gary Glodowski
- Delta, CO and McCall, ID
- (970) 216-0821
- Tailwheel, backcountry
- Super Cub, Husky, Cessna
- Adventure Seaplanes
- Minnesota in summer. Florida in winter.
- (763) 783-2498
- Specializing in tailwheel, floats, skis.
- Bobby Breeden
- 7FL6 Spruce Creek. Port Orange, FL
- Email: bobbybreeden46[at]gmail.com
- Tailwheel and STOL
-
: [Dragonfly Aviation](http://www.DragonflyAv.com)
- Winder, Georgia
- Email: info[at]dragonflyav.com
- (678) 506-1222
- Tailwheel instruction in a Cessna 150 tailwheel conversion
- Bob Patrick
- McCall, ID
- (208) 634-4824
- Rich Bush
- McCall, ID
- (208) 634-3248
- Rick Robinette
- Buel/Gooding/Twin Falls, ID
- (208) 731-3781
- Jeff Snider
- Caldwell, ID
- (907) 398-2168
- Jeff Fouche
- Latitude Aviation
- Coeur d'Alene, ID (KCOE)
- (208)635-0805
- jeff.f[at]flylatitudeaviation.com
- Tailwheel
- Aircraft available: Cessna 170B and Aeronca Champ C90 conversion
- Gary Glodowski
- Delta, CO and McCall, ID
- (970) 216-0821
- Tailwheel, backcountry
- Super Cub, Husky, Cessna
- Mike Hart
- Idaho Falls, ID (KIDA)
- (208) 528-7672
- Email: mike[at]comdesigns.com
- Tailwheel, backcountry, mountain
- Aircraft available: Cessna 180 and J-3
- William Wood
- Mount Carmel Municipal Airport, IL (KAJG)
- (618) 263-9317
- Email: squak1982[at]gmail.com
- Tailwheel
- Lance Bartels
- Cherry Hill Aviation (40IN)
- 8569 South State Road 135
- Freetown, IN 47235
- (812) 988-0306
- Email: cherryhillaviation[at]yahoo.com
- Chris Atwood
- Indianapolis, IN (KEYE)
- Email: vupilot[at]hotmail.com
- Tailwheel, seaplane
- Leigh Smith
- Knox, Indiana (KOXI)
- (574) 806-6661
- Email: Leighc46[at]hotmail.com
- Tom Hale
- Cape Cod, MA (2B1)
- (508) 982-6970
- Email: tom3holer[at]aol.com
- Basic and refresher TW instruction
- CFII Gold seal J3, C-180, C-185
- Rene Robillard
- Taunton Airport, MA (KTAN)
- (617) 797-7351
- Email: renerobillard[at]hotmail.com
- Tailwheel, off-airport, skis
- Ryan Shively
- Manistee County airport (KMBL)
- Email: [email protected]
- (231) 510-9138
- CFI, AGI for flight instruction and tailwheel training.
- Super Cub PA-18-95
- Southern Maine Aviation
- Sanford Airport (KSFM)
- John Gary
- (207) 324-8919
- Adventure Seaplanes
- Minnesota in summer. Florida in winter.
- (763) 783-2498
- Specializing in tailwheel, floats, skis.
- Mike Vivion
- Bozeman, MT
- (406) 210-8071
- Email: michael.vivion[at]gmail.com
- CFII, Experienced tailwheel instructor, off airport, mountain flying. Specializing in mountain flying, aircraft checkouts, flight reviews.
- Rick Geiger
- Montana By Air LLC
- Cut Bank, MT
- (406) 949-5709
- Email: montanabyair[at]yahoo.com
- Specializing in mountain flying and Maule aircraft
- Mikey Matthews
- 8KCAB, tailwheel, aerobatics
- Mooresville, NC
- (336) 244-9592
- acrodynamics.org
- Charles Lewis
- Sport Cub, Champ and CTSW
- Instruction and rental
- South Oaks Aerodrome (05N)
- Winterville, NC
- (252) 714-0514
- Email: charles[at]calewis.com
- Manny Puerta (Desert185)
- (775) 771-2794
- mannypuerta[at]gmail.com
- "ATP, Gold Seal CFI A-I-M, specializing in tailwheel and backcountry flying with experience in NV, ID, BC, YT and AK with Skywagon 180/185, Super Cub, DHC-2, Maule and C-170 aircraft. I have owned my 185 since 2000."
- Kevin Quinn
- High Sierra Pilot Training and Ferry Services
- Northern Nevada/ Northern California
- (530) 412-2113
- 53skywagon[at]gmail.com
- Tailwheel, mountain and backcountry, BFR, Private Pilot, Commercial, and CFI Training
- Hal Phillips
- Phillips Aviation
- Northern Nevada/ Northern California
- (775) 304-3060
- firecaptainc20[at]gmail.com
- CFI Tailwheel. Specializes in 180/185. Idaho Backcountry Experience.
- Milne "CC" Pocock
- Bush Air
- Kidwell Airport, Cal-Nev-Ari (1L4)
- (928) 460 3987
- cc[at]bush-air.com
- Specializing in advanced bush & mountain/backcountry flying & tailwheel training.
- Stephen Fiegel, CFI
- Keystone Aerosports
- Yorkville, IL
- (610) 297-1138
- Email: flyaerobatix[at]yahoo.com
- Basic tailwheel training, BFRs, aerobatics, vintage, warbird
- Michael Klein
- Adirondack, NY (KSLK)
- (315) 267-6766
- Tailwheel, floats, skis
- Aircraft: PA-18
- Steve Huggins
- Eagle Creek, OR
- (503) 939-3375
- Email: drhuggins1[at]aol.com
- Riggin Flight Service
- Tailwheel, bush pilot, seaplane training
- Madison, SD (KMDS)
- (605) 256-9774
- Collin Anderson
- Murfreesboro, TN (KMBT and 50M)
- (540) 632-7873
- Email: cpanderson14[at]yahoo.com
- Tailwheel
- Aircraft: 7-KCAB, J3C, and PA-18-150
- Barry Stein
- Spicewood (88R)
- (830) 798-8211
- Ken Wittekiend, Jr
- Burnet (KBMQ)
- (830) 385-1593
- Scott Perdue, aka Gunny
- C-180, Stearman, T-6
- Fort Worth, TX (50F)
- Email: hscottperdue[at]gmail.com
- Joy Bowden
- Arcola, TX (KAXH) (SW of Houston)
- Texas Taildraggers
- Tailwheel instruction in Citabria, Decathlon, Stearman
- Drew Bowles
- Salt Lake City area
- (801) 201-5417
- Email: droopy22[at]icloud.com
- Travis "Bender" Alexander
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Email: talex1234[at]charter.net
- Jon "Jughead" Counsell
- Master CFI - Aerobatics
- C-170, Cubs, Champs, Extra 300L, Citabria, Skywagon, Rans, RV's.
- Harvey Field (S43)
- Snohomish, WA
- (850) 723-2072
- Email: JugheadF15[at]yahoo.com
- Silver Wings Flying Company, LLC
- Michael Rutledge
- J-3 Cub, Stearman
- Cougar Mountain Airport (K49WA)
- Yelm, WA
- (360) 485-7207
- Email: Stearmann4[at]msn.com
- Island Air
- George Kirkish.
- J-3 Cub and Maule M7-260
- (877) ISLE-AIR
- Tony Goodson
- Paine Field
- Everett, WA
- aggoodson1[at]gmail.com
- Cessna 170
- James Brocksmith
- Enumclaw, WA (WA77)
- (425) 358-1610
- Tailwheel, IPC, Flight Reviews CFI, II, and MEI Stinson 108 Series
- Email: Paxflyer[at]gmail.com
- Chris Montgomery
- Wisconsin Aviation
- Madison, WI
- 7gcbc or bring your own
- (920) 267-2120
- Email: ultimateaero84z[at]gmail.com
By Canadian province
- Harv's Air
- Steinbach, Manitoba
- Citabria 7ECA, Pitts special
- (204) 326-2434
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