Alaska Float & Tailwheel Training: Flight School in Sterling, Alaska

Alaska Float & Tailwheel Training in Sterling, photo 1

Alaska Float & Tailwheel Training in Sterling, photo 2

Alaska Float & Tailwheel Training in Sterling, photo 3

Photos via Google Maps; they belong to their authors.

Location: Sterling, Alaska
School Type: Local flight school
Training Focus: Pilot training
Google Rating: 5.0 (9 reviews)

Call (907) 252-2109 Get Directions Visit Website

Listing data is maintained editorially and confirmed with schools over time. Programs and pricing change; verify details directly before enrolling.

Hours

Monday: 8:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: Closed

See It on the Map

What Students and Pilots Say

★★★★★ 1 month ago

UPDATE: Successfully pursuing the ASES rating with Darlene and Angela was the most fun I've ever had flying! Having flown with just about the entire Alaska Float and Tailwheel crew at this point, I can confidently say they will put 110% into making you a better, more well rounded pilot. They're always safe, always professional, and always friendly! ORIGINAL: I've flown with Alaska Float & Tailwheel Training quite a …
Sean Kennedy via Google

★★★★★ 3 years ago

If you are looking for flight instruction, good job, you have found the best people in the country. I have gone to 3 flight schools (2 in lower 48), and the instruction and overall experience with Tammy and Darlene blew the others out of the park. Yes, you may not be able to fly some days due to the weather, but the days you do get to fly you will learn so much more than anywhere else. The instructors really take …
Natalie Vaz via Google

★★★★★ 4 years ago

Trained with Tammy for my Private Pilot Tailwheel license and I could not be happier with my time. Tammy is attentive, fair, knowledgeable and very easy to work with. She will work around your schedule and has no problem with odd hours. Working towards your first license can be intimidating but Tammy eases all your woes and ensures you are ready for each step. My check ride, as well as one pre-check ride review fligh…
Jordan M via Google

★★★★★ 2 years ago

I had an outstanding experience training in my own floatplane with both Tammy and Darlene. They treated me like family and my training was very professional and thorough. Their many years of floatplane experience was very evident, helpful, and it was very enjoyable to go with people who love to fly and teach. The Sterling area is a great floatplane training ground, because there are so many different lakes to work o…
Brian Castle via Google

Reviews via Google Maps; they belong to their authors and are not our endorsement.

Planning Your Training Here

Planning training at a local school like Alaska Float & Tailwheel Training trades the academy's speed for flexibility and often meaningfully lower total cost. The pay-as-you-fly model keeps your money in your control, and training two to three lessons weekly around work is the proven rhythm, enough frequency to retain skills without the academy's all-in schedule. The variable to manage is momentum: local-school students who succeed book standing lesson slots, fly year-round, and treat ground study as homework rather than something that happens at the airport. Ask about aircraft scheduling depth, instructor availability on your target days, and examiner wait times in Sterling, the three friction points that stretch part-time timelines.

What Flying in Alaska Teaches You

Alaska is the graduate school of practical aviation, and it starts teaching on day one. Weather changes by the fjord, passes close behind you, daylight swings from midnight sun to five-hour winter days, and the state's pilots learn to read all of it because the alternative is waiting it out on a gravel strip. Students here fly floats off Lake Hood, the busiest seaplane base on earth, share pattern space with working freight Caravans, and absorb a culture where turning around is counted as airmanship, not failure.

How to Evaluate Alaska Float & Tailwheel Training on Your Tour

Every school on this directory gets the same advice from us, because the fundamentals don't move. Walk the ramp and count how many aircraft are down for maintenance. Ask how many lessons a week they can actually schedule you, and how far out the booking calendar runs. Ask for first-attempt checkride pass rates and how long students wait for an examiner. And keep your money in your control: pay as you fly, or in small blocks with clear refund terms.

Then weigh the location itself. Training in Sterling means building your early hours in Alaska weather and airspace, and both become part of your airmanship. Our school-selection guide covers the full vetting checklist, and the financing page maps scholarships and loans that apply at schools like this one.

Common Questions About Training at Alaska Float & Tailwheel Training

How long would my training take here?

Part-time students flying two to three lessons weekly typically earn a private certificate in six to twelve months and a commercial certificate in two to three years, with pace set by your calendar and the weather. Consistency decides everything: standing lesson slots beat sporadic bursts by months.

What will it cost, and can I get help paying?

Get Alaska Float & Tailwheel Training's current rates directly; published numbers age fast in this industry. Nationally, plan on $80,000 to $120,000 from zero time to commercial certificates before instructing pay starts offsetting costs. Our financing guide maps the loans, scholarships, and airline cadet programs that apply here, and several scholarship cycles go undersubscribed every single year.

How should I arrange a visit?

Call ahead and ask for a tour on a normal training day, not a quiet one. Use the directions button above to plan the drive to Sterling, arrive early enough to watch ramp operations, and bring the vetting checklist from this page. A school proud of its operation will show you everything; hesitation is itself an answer.

Get Matched

Considering Alaska Float & Tailwheel Training? Tell us your goal and timeline and we'll line this school up against comparable options near you, with the financing routes and scholarship deadlines that fit. One form, no spam, a real reply within a business day.