If you want competent, professional flight instruction, this is the place to go. I completed my Tailwheel endorsement at Sandhills Fliers with John Oliphint back in June and it’s impossible for me to sing higher praise for an instructor/school. I’ve been flying for about 8 years now, and John is hands-down the best airplane instructor I’ve ever had. He’s thorough, safe, and supremely competent. John is also great at assessing what you’re doing well and how you can improve, and he tailors the lessons to your level of training/ability. I have a very analogical mind and his style of teaching catered to this and made tailwheel flying simple to grasp. Ultimately, I believe I saved valuable time and money because of John’s capabilities as an instructor. I’ll definitely be coming back to Sandhill Fliers to improve my proficiency in tailwheel aircraft and as a pilot in general. I recommend that you do the same.

I drove an hour and a half each way over four days to get my tailwheel endorsement here at Sandhills, and it was worth it. This is a well-run operation- from the leadership to the equipment to the office to the instructors, everyone I came across was impressive. Most of all, my instructor John Oliphint exemplified skill, knowledge, and expertise combined with an inherent ability to teach difficult concepts effectively. Tailwheel landings are hard, but John worked with diligence and patience to ensure my skills were developed and refined. John also cared as much about my success as I did, working through equipment issues and the inevitable weather delays to ensure we got our lessons done. I’m a much better pilot after being in the cockpit with John Oliphint. They say a good pilot is always learning. I recommend to anyone interested in aviation to do as much learning as possible at Sandhills Fliers.

I recently trained with Sandhills Fliers to add a tailwheel endorsement to my Private Pilot Certificate. I was specifically interested in their Aeronca 7AC Champ because it's similar to a plane I'll be flying. The Champ was in great condition, both mechanically and cosmetically. My instructor was John Oliphint. He's very perceptive and tailored the training to my needs. I've worked with instructors who were good fliers but not good teachers. That's not John. He's the rare combination of an excellent pilot and an excellent teacher. I honestly can't imagine a better experience. Thanks, John! I hope to fly with you again in the near future. -Crane

Couldn't have asked for a more wonderful day with Slim and the Mooney exploring the skies over South Carolina & Georgia! Slim is a skilled pilot with a heart of gold, a true passion for aviation, and a natural instinct for flight instruction! Thank you, Slim! We hope to see you again soon!

Most professional staff I have worked with in my short aviation career. Rates reflect unmatched experience and expertise within their staff and the depth of training they can offer. Between the massive fleet, brand new aircraft and full motion simulator, no other school comes close.