Meet Our Team

Approximate CFI cost: $150/hr

Dr. Rachael Webster

Founder and Chief Pilot

  • 2-time AOPA Distinguished CFI 2023, 2025
  • UC Berkeley Honored Instructor
  • Teaching style: Encouraging and fun
  • 16 years teaching experience
  • Has an undiagnosed airplane buying problem

Jim Hopp

Lead Flight Instructor

  • CFI, CFI-I
  • Favorite Airplane: Citabria
  • Teaching Style: Patient, encouraging, calm
  • 1000s of hours teaching in tailwheels
  • Retired Silicon Valley startup nerd

James Sloan

CFI

  • Southwest First Officer
  • Loves to fly his Rans in the backcountry
  • Teaching Style: Cool and calm
  • Youtube CFI-I influencer

Ethan Fletcher

CFI

  • Aviation Wunderkind
  • Student at SJSU
  • Teaching Style: Friendly and warm
  • Next Level Tailwheel Guinea Pig
  • Was in Rachael's ground school during high school 

Antonius Mulder

Hype Man

  • FAA Private Pilot
  • Tech Genius
  • Film Aficionado
  • Storyteller
  • Adventure seeker
  • Aviation Social Media Junkie

Tomer Polak

Intern, Lead Gopher

  • Aviation Wunderkind
  • High School student
  • Flies as much as possible without making his mom mad

Jayden Chow

Intern, Lead Fixer

  • Tailwheel addict
  • Student at SJSU
  • Fuel Truck Ramp Attendant, Maintenance Assistant
  • Knows where the skeletons are buried at airport
  • Would live at the airport if he could
Come fly with us today!

Our Fleet

Kitfox Series 7 STi

Factory-assist build (registered as EAB - with a LODA for training, inspected by the FAA)

2020 Series 7 STi (STol Inspired)
Rotax 915is (141 hp, turbo-charged/fuel-injected)
Manual-controlled MT constant-speed prop
Garmin G3X avionics suite
Garmin GFC500 Autopilot
​Bose A30 headsets
"Acme" shock cabane main gear
26" Goodyear tires
Acme tailwheel suspension
Vortex generators

Kitfox Series 7 Super Sport

Factory built S-LSA Light Sport

2022 Series 7 Super Sport
Rotax 912is (100 hp, fuel-injected)
Ground Adjustable Whirlwind prop
Garmin G3X avionics suite
Garmin GFC500 Autopilot

Citabria 7GCAA

2000 American Champion 7GCAA
Lycoming O-320 (160 hp)
Standard 6-pack round gauges
Aera 660 VFR GPS
ADSB-In
Becker AR-6201 Radio
Garmin GTX327 Transponder
Dual USB charging ports

Citabria 7ECA

2007 American Champion 7ECA
Lycoming O-235 (118 hp)
Round gauges with AV-30 Attitude Indicator
Aera 660 VFR GPS
Garmin GTX345 Transponder with ADSB-In

Real Talk from Past Clients

Next Level Tailwheel is hands down the best flight school I've trained at. Having flown with both Rachael and Jim, I
honestly could not decide which instructor I liked better, because both were amazing in their own way. They prioritize
hiring instructors that respect the needs of their individual students, while maintaining a safe and welcoming environment.
The planes are clean, well-maintained, and every part of the process the well thought out and organized. As someone who
needs to thoroughly understand every part of the process, the way Rachael plans out her lessons is perfect. The entire
first lesson is dedicated to taxiing. That's it, just learning how to thoroughly preflight, slowly go through startup procedures,
and taxiing around the airport. We taxied for at least 30 minutes and by the end of the lesson, I felt so confident and
comfortable in the plane. An experience I've never had before. After flying with Next Level Tailwheel, my standards for
flight training are forever changed. They are transforming me from a nervous and insecure pilot to one who is confident
and sure-footed, the most valuable part of any flight training. I could not recommend them more and send anyone who
wants to fly tailwheel their way.
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Training students in tailwheel aircraft requires skill, patience, and nerve. Next Level Tailwheel is a school where a student
will find all those qualities and receive expert instruction in the dark arts of taildragger control. I went to NLT to knock the
rust off my long atrophied tailwheel skills. Rachael and Jim assessed my current state and tailored a plan to bring me back
into proficiency. Both of them are fantastic instructors and very well suited for to teaching in conventional gear aircraft. Few
instructors are willing to let tailwheel ground-handling errors develop far enough to allow a student to solve the undesired
aircraft state on their own. But Rachael and Jim have a preternatural calm and good sense for how far a situation can go
before intervention is necessary. This seems to be a rare quality in many tailwheel instructors. Next Level Tailwheel also
provides a variety of airplanes in which to learn, from the solid Citabria to the blast to fly Kitfox. The Bay Area is very
fortunate to have such a premier tailwheel school.
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The instructors at Next Level Tailwheel do exactly as the name suggests: provide instruction in tailwheel airplanes that
brings the pilot to the next level. The instructors are extremely skilled and very dedicated to their clients learning how to fly
a tailwheel airplane. My experience with Next Level Tailwheel included getting familiar again with the Citabria (it had been
several years since I'd flown a taildragger), starting with ground handling to remind me just what it was like to taxi in the
airplane (contrasting it with the planes I usually fly). We progressed through the syllabus as expected, taking the time I
needed at each stage not only to be competent but to feel comfortable. I never felt rushed: we progressed at my pace, not
the instructors' or the school's expected pace. When I was comfortable very quickly with something (e.g., air work, such as
stalls and steep turns), we moved quickly; when I wasn't yet comfortable with something (such as consistent three-point
crosswind landings), we kept work on that aspect until both the instructors and I felt good about it. As part of the magic
that Next Level Tailwheel brings to flight instruction, clients can easily become part of a strong community, one that's both
local and online. That community supports each other, asks each other questions, makes true confessions to each
knowing knowing we will not experience judgementalism, celebrating each other's achievements, getting together socially
or to fly together. Already have your tailwheel endorsement and want to hone your skills? Already flying taildraggers and
want to transition to the Kitfox? This is a GREAT school for doing that.
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Very high quality of flight instructors, especially Rachael who has a truly unique instructional style which balances
expertise with a calm presence and brilliant sense of humor. There is also a strong local community of people to share
stories, have social gatherings and learn from. Aircraft are well maintained, very modern- provides a great balance of
modern interface with fun flight characteristics. The location is also very suitable with many conventional towered and
unpowered airports as well as more unprepared strips and backcountry like locations within reach. It is hard to imagine a
location and setup more perfect for whatever tailwheel mission someone would have in mind. Rachael also has strong ties
with other groups in more remote locations to further branch out with training.
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I reached out to Rachael. What I discovered about her was that she understood that overloaded feeling and how to deal with it. There are many capable pilots who are CFIs. Not all CFIs are capable teachers. I know this from instructing at a local community college: teaching is hard and meeting students where they are is very important in learning. I wilt under stern admonitions. I'm a slow learner who needs to understand before I'm willing to try. I needed a patient and light touch instructor.

Rachael made the flying fun for me. We, she and I, have made fun the 1st priority, achieving new skill levels 2nd. For some this may be a problem. For me it's perfect. Honestly, because of that stance, I think I am making better progress than if I had knuckled down and focused on a timeline for each skill. Rachael's style may not be for everyone. I think the teacher-student relationship is an important one. Everyone learns differently, and choosing a teacher that is good for you is important.  
-Rob
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Rachael and team have built an excellent school here. It fills a niche that no other school fills by training people to fly kitfox
aircraft and helping them prepare for mountain and backcountry flying. They have cultivated a fun but safe environment!
They are candid and considerate about what students should do at home (often for less cost) before traveling to the SF
Bay Area for more specialized training. The kitfox factory has even recognized their excellence and recommended them to
builders!
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Rachael and her team are first class and provide a first class experience. Everything about my week at Next Level
Tailwheel was great. The area—easy to find and very accessible airport, despite being in busy Palo Alto. The people--
Rachael and Jim are great at what they do. They were personable, easy to connect with and provided a great learning
environment. I looked forward to coming back after every day .You can tell they both care about their craft and are
constantly improving to provide the best experience. The instruction—they taught me so much about the Kitfox and
prepared me for first flight of my own airplane AND so much more. I was sent a syllabus prior to arrival that was very
informative and took all of the guessing out of my time there. I left with a firm understanding of the aircraft and enough
practice to feel comfortable getting in mine for its first flight. The equipment—The two Kitfoxes are in immaculate shape.
They are well cared for, well equipped and really add to the experience.
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NLT was able to get me on the schedule ASAP—within a week. With only two days to fly — a result of some last minute
planning while traveling — I was able to learn the majority of the skills needed for the tailwheel endorsement, and fly an
absolutely gorgeous low-time Kitfox (they also have a citabria in the fleet that is an awesome intro to that kind of off-airport
capable aircraft). It was an amazing experience flying over the Bay Area with them! Going back to wrap up the
endorsement ASAP—wouldn’t consider anyone else!
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Next Level Tailwheel is a one-of-a-kind flight school in the Bay Area. They’re the only school teaching in a Kitfox here, and
their instructors are super experienced tailwheel pilots who go the extra mile to make sure their students succeed. They
provide safe and informative training, but they also make learning super fun and non-judgmental - no matter what level the
students are at. The main thing I love about NLT is that they foster a great social culture where they promote building a
community and support each other. They host a potluck every month for current and past students to connect and share
experiences. Love it!
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The school is run by inspirational, passionate instructors and has a variety of aircraft that fits students of all levels.
Citabrias for beginners are and Kitfoxes for the ‘next level’. The instructors tailor the training to fit not only the student’s
piloting skills but also his/her mindset and learning style.
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Next Level Tailwheel takes the time to customize training based on their clients needs. Rachael personally took the time to
ask the right questions for what I was looking for and tailored a training plan to meet my needs prior to me even showing
up. She sent me a detailed training plan for the week and asked for my feedback prior to starting my training. When I
showed up for training, I was greeted with the warmest of welcomes and it honestly felt like I knew Rachael and her staff
for many years. Every morning we would discuss what the plan was for the day and and we conducted an After Action
Review of what we did for today. They would then provide me with some homework to review every night to be ready for
the next day. I am a Commercially rated CFI/CFII and have attended many different schools to complete all of my
certificates. I can honestly say that Next Level Tailwheel is one of the best flight schools that I have ever attended, There
was never a doubt of where I stood and what I could expect. They were in constant communication with me from the first
email that I sent them until well after I finished my training. They were always asking my opinion on how training was going
to see if they need to adjust the schedule. In fact they still check in with me from time to time to see if I need anything or
have any additional questions. I still stay in touch with the instructors at Next Level Tailwheel. I know that if I have a
question about training or any other tailwheel questions I can ask them at any time. If they are not certain of the answer, or
they know someone that can answer the questions better, they will answer the questions or put me in touch with someone
who can. I was lucky enough to be training at the school when they completed one of their ground schools. I was invited to
meet the current students of the class along with many other students who already graduated several classes earlier and
still come to the events to meet with and discuss anything aviation with the new students. I was an amazing sight to see. I
truly believe that other schools should adopt a similar strategy. There were other pilots and instructors from other flight
schools that also attended this social event and the newly graduated ground school students could ask any further
questions they wanted. I engaged with several of the graduating students and could tell that Rachael and Next Level
Tailwheel lit a fire in them and they were all ready to continue to the next steps. I have and will continue to recommended
other pilots to attend Next Level Tailwheel for their aviation/tailwheel training needs.
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Rachael has built a tailwheel school specializing in Kitfox Type training the San Francisco Bay Area - it's meeting a huge
demand for people to build and practice backcountry flying style and technique, before heading into more difficult terrain,
improving safety outcomes for students and instructors, and helping students build up their confidence, knowledge and
understanding in an otherwise more familiar environment. Rachael's approach is different and is so genuine
about helping her students grow and navigate the backcountry and tailwheel world.
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Next Level Tailwheel is unique in the San Francisco Bay Area. Many flight schools offer tailwheel training as an
afterthought in an old clapped-out Decathlon. Next Level ONLY teaches tailwheel, in a fun, accessible, brand new fleet of
Kitfox. They make the program enjoyable, and de-mystify the process of converting from tricycle gear aircraft. The Kitfox is
inherently charming and takes a lot of the stress out of instruction. Additionally the side-by-side seating is also more
reassuring. The course is well conceived and has enough flexibility to be tailored to each pilot's individual needs. Next
Level is doing wonderful work enhancing people's skills and spreading the joy of tailwheel proficiency.
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Rachael is an excellent instructor. Before training began she recommended many links to help prepare for the training.
Rachael was prompt with her response when I inquired about training, and she was a great encourager during training and
I felt confident to fly my new plane home after training.
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