
Hi, I am
Curtis Wheeler
Online Flight Instructor
- Reno, CO (KRTS)
- Pacific time (UTC-7/8)
Flight Sim Experience

X-Plane

Condor Soaring
Certificates & Ratings
Instructor
FAA Certified Flight Instructor (CFI, CFII, MEI, CFIG): Airplane Single Engine Land • Instrument Airplane Instrument • Airplane Multi Engine Land • Glider
Pilot
FAA Airline Transport Pilot (ATP): Airplane Single Engine Land • Airplane Multi Engine Land
FAA Commercial Pilot: Airplane Single Engine Sea • Airplane Multi Engine Sea
Specialty operational experience: Glider, aerial firefighting, and experimental aircraft
Type Ratings
Real-World Aircraft
I have instructed in:
I have also piloted:
Languages
I started out in Oklahoma with the usual fascination for model airplanes and all that flies. The first airplane ride I can remember was in my Dad’s Twin Bonanza. I started flying in college and became a CFI before I joined the Navy. There I was a Naval Flight Officer in the S-3A for about five years, and went on to do a total of 30 years of service in aviation acquisition.
Leveraging that experience I joined US Air as a DC-9 First Officer in 1990. I just retired from American Airlines as an A-320 Captain in Los Angeles. Now for flying work I’m in aerial firefighting using the Turbo Commander 840 and the Citation 551.
I’ve always liked instructing, but now I’m passionate about the future of aviation instruction using desktop simulators to dramatically reduce cost, enhance safety and broaden exposure to different operational scenarios and equipment.