Virginia Tailwheel Academy

08/24/2026

Meet the pilot.

If this isn’t airport drip, we don’t know what is.

08/22/2026

Sometimes the best training airplane is already sitting in your hangar.

These clips came to us from West Virginia, where Dave has been working with a student in the student’s own Cub, right at his local field.

That’s something we want more pilots to know about Virginia Tailwheel Academy: we come to you!

If you own a tailwheel airplane and want an endorsement, transition training, proficiency work, or just some focused instruction in *your* airplane, you don’t necessarily need to bring it to Warrenton. Our instructors can travel to your local airport, your own grass strip, or wherever the airplane lives.

And for training that doesn’t require a full multi-day commitment, we offer attractive partial-day rates that can make bringing an instructor to you surprisingly practical.

There’s also a real advantage to learning in the airplane you actually intend to fly, on the runway or grass strip you’ll actually be using.

This student happens to be all the way out in West Virginia. If you’ve got a Cub, Champ, Citabria, Decathlon, Cessna 120/140, or another tailwheel airplane sitting somewhere in the Mid-Atlantic and you’ve been thinking about getting some training in it, send us a message.

Your airplane. Your airport. We’ll come to you.

08/22/2026

Only one more week until our friends at Virginia IFR Academy reveal their latest fleet addition. Not a taildragger (we think), but worth a follow!

There are airplanes you rent because they happen to be available.

Then there are airplanes you seek out because you genuinely want to fly them.

The newest addition to Virginia IFR Academy belongs firmly in the second category.

It is fast, capable, distinctive, and intended for pilots who want their training and time building to involve something more than the ordinary.

One week from today, we’ll show you the entire airplane.

Until then, the guessing continues.

08/12/2026

🔔 We have another VTA Legend! 🔔

And this time, they came from even farther away than Hawaii… Germany! 🇩🇪

Okay, technically Honolulu is farther. But who’s counting? The Cessna 140 isn’t making either flight anyway.

Big congratulations to Michael on completing his tailwheel endorsement with us! And excellent job, instructor Robb, for getting him there.

Michael came all the way from Germany to get some proper stick-and-rudder time and can now officially add tailwheel endorsed to the logbook.

Next step: rental checkout.

Congrats, Michael! Welcome to the tailwheel club and the growing ranks of VTA Legends!

📷: Robb

08/09/2026

Sport Pilot Isn’t What It Used to Be

For years, Sport Pilot was often treated like a niche option, mostly because the aircraft you could fly were so limited.

MOSAIC changed that.

Sport Pilots can now fly a much broader range of airplanes, including many traditional certified aircraft that never fit the old Light Sport Aircraft rules.

So if your goal is simply to learn to fly and have fun doing it, Sport Pilot deserves another look.

The FAA minimum is just 20 hours of flight training, compared with 40 for a Private Pilot certificate. In many cases, you can also exercise Sport Pilot privileges using a valid driver’s license instead of holding an FAA medical.

There are limitations, of course. You can only carry one passenger, for example. But if your idea of flying is spending a Saturday morning flying to breakfast, exploring grass strips, building time, or simply enjoying an airplane, those limitations may not matter much at all.

That’s why we’re pretty excited about Sport Pilot training at Virginia Tailwheel Academy.

Our Cessna 140s are inexpensive to operate, simple, classic, and now eligible to be flown by Sport Pilots under MOSAIC.

They’re also exactly the kind of airplanes we think people should learn to fly in: light, responsive, honest airplanes that teach real stick-and-rudder skills.

And most importantly?

They’re ridiculously fun.

Not everyone needs an Instrument Rating, a Commercial certificate, or a six-seat traveling machine.

Sometimes you just want to become a pilot.

If that sounds like you, Sport Pilot might be one of the best ways to get started.

Have questions about Sport Pilot vs. Private Pilot? Send us a message. We’re happy to help you figure out which path makes the most sense for the kind of flying you actually want to do.

08/06/2026

bUt ThAt'S nOt A tAiLwHeEl...

It sure isn’t—but it IS our very own Dave sporting a shiny new Commercial AMEL certificate!

After plenty of studying, training, and one-engine flying in a two-engined airplane, Dave added Commercial Multi-Engine Land privileges to his certificate. We’re proud to see him sharpening his skills, expanding his experience, and practicing what he preaches.

Congratulations, Dave! Next time we’ll try to find you an airplane with the little wheel on the correct end. 😎✈️

08/05/2026

Curious what our sister school Virginia IFR Academy is up to? 👀 Give them a follow! 😎

Virginia IFR Academy is about to take a major step forward.

On September 8, a new aircraft will join our fleet, bringing new opportunities for advanced training, aircraft rental, and time building to pilots throughout the region.

It is faster. More capable. More distinctive.

And it is unlike anything currently available in our area.

We’ll be revealing more over the next several weeks.

For now, let the guessing begin.

07/25/2026

Aloha, Rich. Welcome back. 🤙

Some people drive across town for flight training.

Rich flies 5,000 miles from Hawaii to Virginia.

Why? Because he knows that quality tailwheel training is worth the trip.

Now he’s back to take the next step: getting checked out to rent our aircraft and build tailwheel time at our Legend’s Rate of just $140/hour.

Whether you’re chasing a tailwheel endorsement, sharpening your stick-and-rudder skills, or looking for an affordable way to build meaningful PIC time, we’ve got you covered.

✈️ Ready to earn your place among the Virginia Tailwheel Academy Legends?

📞 (540) 783-7FLY
📧 [email protected]



📸 Robb

07/24/2026

A morning like this is exactly what tailwheel flying is all about.

Ready to take your flying beyond the pavement? Start your backcountry flying journey with us.

📸: Robb

07/22/2026

Aloha, Rich!

Rich came all the way from Hawaii to Virginia to train with us, and now he’s officially joined the ranks of Virginia Tailwheel Academy Legends.

From the islands to the taildragger. Mission accomplished.

He crossed an ocean to get here.

What’s your excuse?