Tailwheel & Backcountry Training

From your tailwheel endorsement to the backcountry-flying-adventure-of-your-dreams, we’ve got you covered.

Duration

Variable

Schedule

Offered Year Round

Starting Cost

SEE BELOW

At Blue River Aviation, we’ve got the tailwheel aircraft, experienced pilots, and unparalleled access to train you for the backcountry. Nestled amongst the Chugach and Talkeetna mountain ranges, our backyard is the Knik River Valley…better known to locals as one of Alaska’s favorite outdoor playgrounds. 

Whether you are starting from the beginning with a tailwheel endorsement, looking for an introduction to mountain flying and off-airport training, or are prepping for the backcountry-flying-adventure-of-your-dreams, we’ve got you covered. The best part? Training is available year-round. When the snow falls, we’ll swap wheels for skis!

*All tailwheel aircraft are available for dual instruction only

views of the mountains and glaciers in the Knik Valley of Alaska
Level I

The Tailwheel Endorsement: Stick & Rudder Basics

Learn the fundamentals of tailwheel taxiing, takeoff & landing in in one of our classic trainers – The Champ or the Citabria. Log time and earn your endorsement practicing on paved runways with a CFI and you’ll be ready to upgrade to gravel strips & backcountry flying in no time.

To earn your Tailwheel Endorsement you can expect it to be 2 hours of ground, 8-10 hours of flight instruction.

American Champion 7BCM 

  • 8.50 mains & a Scott 3200 tailwheel
  • Continental C-85 engine

$235/hour with instructor

Citabria 7GCBC

  • 31” Bushwheels & a Scott 3200 tailwheel
  • Lycoming O-320 engine

$265/hour with instructor

Level 2

Introduction To Off-Airport

Put your stick & rudder skills to the test and learn what it takes to land off-airport in the Champ; with limited horsepower, no flaps & small(ish) tires.

  • Training Topics:
    Gravel operations – protecting your aircraft, propeller & engine
    Short takeoff and landing (STOL) techniques
    Suitable terrain for your aircraft & changes with the seasons
    Judging the wind via clouds, water, & nearby vegetation
  • Price Includes:
    2 Hours Ground Instruction
    Up to 6 Hours Flight Instruction

$2000
Level 3

Exploring the Backcountry

Upgrade to more technical landing strips (read: rougher, shorter & harder to reach) in the Citabria, equipped with 31” Alaska Bushwheels & a 160hp Lycoming O-320.

  • Training Topics:
    Operations in mountainous terrain
    Unpredictable weather patterns
    How to assess a landing spot – the five passes for a safe approach in unknown terrain
  • Price Includes:
    4 Hours Ground Instruction
    Up to 8 Hours Flight Instruction

$3000
Level 4

Master Class: “Super Cub”

Navigate Alaska’s backcountry in the quintessential “Alaska Aircraft” – a Piper PA-18 Super Cub.

  • 35″ Bushwheels or Straight Skis, depending on the season
  • 180 horsepower engine
  • PSTOL Flaps
  • Sensenich ground-adjustable propeller
  • Price Includes:
    4 Hours Ground Instruction
    Up to 8 Hours Flight Instruction

$4500

From gravel bars to frozen lakes, and all those tiny “airports” that have been off-limits, until now:

Want to Hone your winter flying techniques?

When Snow Flies We Trade Bushwheels For Ski’s And Training Continues

Don’t let summer’s end put a stop to your off airport fun.
We offer our offer our backcountry training packages year round.

Frequently Asked Questions, Answered

While it does vary, most of our students are able to obtain their endorsement after 8-10 hours in the aircraft. 

Unfortunately, we do not offer our tailwheel aircraft for solo rental. All of our tailwheel training options are dual instruction only. 

Unfortunately, we do not offer our tailwheel aircraft for solo rental. All of our tailwheel training options are dual instruction only. 

Pending instructor availability – and our own assessment of your aircraft – we do provide this as an option for tailwheel endorsements specifically.

Prior to training, we require you to have insurance and list Blue River Aviation as additionally insured with a waiver of subrogation. For off-airport training, we restrict this to our own aircraft given the added risk and the investments we’ve made to increase the capability & safety of our own aircraft. 

For your tailwheel endorsement in the Champ, we will land on asphalt to ensure you truly learn how to control the aircraft on the ground. Gravel, grass, sand, etc. is more forgiving. If you can land on asphalt in a tailwheel aircraft, you won’t have a problem on gravel. 

If you select the Citabria on Bushwheels, we will land on airport gravel strips. Bushwheels are made for gravel & off-airport terrain and landing on asphalt significantly decreases the life of a Bushwheel. If you choose to progress to Level 2, we will teach you the basics of ground operations on gravel (protecting your prop & engine) and, ultimately, how to assess an off-airport landing location. 

Though it varies every year, February is most often the best month for ski flying, when enough snow has fallen to create a smooth base layer and the top layer of snow is cold and dry. Too early and you risk destroying your skis on rocks and gravel. Too late and the snow turns to slush. The good news is if you miss ski season, our super cubs trade out their landing gear for floats in May and operate on 35″ Bushwheels the rest of the year.

We can definitely teach you to learn off-airport and we’d highly recommend starting with Level 1 and progressing to at least Level 3. Send us the coordinates of your cabin & we will assess possible landing locations nearby. If there is a good option, we will teach you to land there!

If you’ve got the time to spare, we recommend 4-5 days, flying once a day and planning for at least one weather delay. If you are short on time, we are happy to work with you to accommodate your schedule; potentially flying once in the morning and once in the afternoon over a two-day period. Please remember, however, that weather in Alaska can be unpredictable and your best bet is tack on an extra day, just in case. And if you don’t end up needing it, you’ll have an extra day to explore the beautiful mountain valley we call home!

We do not provide lodging directly, but have provided a list of local lodging options below. **Within walking distance of PAAQ!

Mat-Su Resort on Wasilla Lake (call to ask about local pick-up!)

Stillwater Cottages on Lucille Lake (call to ask about local pick-up!)

The Pioneer Motel**

The Valley Hotel**

Mountain Field Farm

Ready to take off?

Let’s get you flying!

Let’s check that you’re human*

Don’t just take our word for it

250+ Happy Flight Training Students

  • “Learning to fly with Blue River has been nothing short of outstanding! The staff are always so helpful and the instructors are on top of their game day in and day out.”
    – Sebastian B.
  • Truly a phenomenal organization. These folks helped me obtain my private pilot license. I flew with several different CFIs and they were all great.
    Thanks to their use of flight schedule pro, and the ability to schedule myself I was able to find times that worked for me and my busy schedule. Another great aspect is flying out of Palmer so much beautiful scenery all around. If you’re on the fence, just do a discovery flight.
    – Daniel W.
  • Absolutely thrilled with my experience at Blue River Aviation! The instructors are top-notch. Their fleet of aircraft is well-maintained and up-to-date. The friendly staff and other students also helped me find a community and build long-lasting friendships while working on my private pilot license. I would highly recommend pursuing your training with Blue River Aviation.
    – Tayler H.
Our Fleet & Rentals

The best airplanes in the business.

Blue River Aviation is proud of our expansive fleet. We provide aircraft for a wide variety of training. These include: Technologically Advanced Aircraft (TAA), Complex, Floats, Skis, Tailwheels, and Multi-Engine. Go check out the Blue River fleet!

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Summer 2026

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