Arctic Flyers

Professional Flight Instruction given by two Airline Transport Rated pilots. Heidi Ruess, a CFI with more than 32,000 hours flying experience, provides float, tricycle gear, taildragger, instrument, and emergency instruction for Private pilot to Airline Transport Ratings. Rick Ruess, an FAA licensed A&P (Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic) and CFI, with more than 32,000 hours flying experience, provides float, tricycle gear, taildragger, instrument, and emergency instruction for Private pilot to Airline Transport Ratings.

Ground Instruction includes maintenance and aircraft systems on the aircraft we fly. Instruction is given in Cessna 150, 152, 172, and Taylorcraft F-19 aircraft. Our flight school is located at Lake Hood just south of Lake Hood strip. We operate out of Lake Hood and Anchorage International Airport.

Heidi Ruess has logged over 32,000 hours flight time as a commercial pilot and flight instructor. She has worked for the FAA as a pilot and several Part 135 operations in Alaska. She is ATP rated with single engine & multiengine land and sea ratings.

Rick Ruess has logged over 32,000 hours flight time as a commercial pilot and flight instructor. He has worked for the FAA as an aviation safety inspector and for several Part 135 operations in Alaska. He is ATP rated with single engine & multiengine land ratings including a Citation type rating. He also holds an Airframe and Powerplant Mechanics License.

We have been in the business of flight instruction since 1967. There are five instructors on staff with lots of experience and patience to prepare the student for whatever their goals are in aviation. We specialize in emergency, taildragger and float plane instruction. Our students not only learn how to fly but understand the aircraft systems down to the smallest detail. We operate off gravel strips (Lake Hood Strip) bringing the student one step closer to bush operations. We also operate off Anchorage International airport to give the student exposure to larger aircraft and teach them how to operate off the largest airport in Alaska.