Advanced Tailwheel Training was founded by Ron Dillard in 2004.  Ron earned his PPL through the ROTC at WKU in the early ‘60s, but was actually taught to fly by his dad, a former WWII B-17 pilot and a part time flight instructor. Shortly after graduation from college he completed the US Army Helicopter training at Ft. Rucker AL. and then attended Army Aviation Safety Officer and Accident Investigation School at the Univ. of Southern CA before serving a tour in RVN flying UH-1 helicopters for the 1st Cav. While in the Army he earned a Masters Degree from The Univ. of Southern Ca. in Aerospace Operations and Management. Ron instructed for a while after leaving the Army in the early 70s and took whatever flying job he could find flying night freight, air ambulance, and mail for a short while in a Beech D-18-S. He also flew and demonstrated crop dusters for 3 1/2 years for an Ag-Cat distributor along with 5 years of contract work flying a dozen different airplanes and helicopters based in Knoxville, Tn. During this period, he completed training for an ATP rating in Fixed and Rotary wing aircraft and a CFII & ME. He signed on with Sea Ray Boats when they moved their headquarters to Knoxville in the mid 80s flying an Agusta 109 helicopter and a Dasault Falcon 50. That job lasted until Brunswick bought the company. In 1989 and he joined Anheuser-Busch, staying with them flying Falcon 900s, 50s, and a Bell 412 until retirement in October 2008. Ron has owned a Bellanca Citabria since 2004. During his career he has logged over 18,000 hours in more than 130 different models of aircraft. Ron's broad and varied background gives him a unique and seasoned perspective on teaching basic stick and rudder flying skills.