Certificates
Aircraft Categories
Walter Maurice "Walt" Warner is a distinguished aviator and FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) based at the Willow Airport in Willow, Alaska. With a career spanning several decades in the "Last Frontier," Warner has become a cornerstone of the regional aviation community. He is the founder and lead instructor of Legends Aviation, where he provides specialized training in one of the most demanding flight environments in the world. His professional history is defined by deep roots in Alaskan bush flying and cargo operations, eventually transitioning into his current role as a mentor and examiner.
Warner holds an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate and is a Gold Seal Flight Instructor (CFI/CFII/MEI) with well over 8,000 flight hours recorded in diverse airframes. His primary areas of specialization include tailwheel endorsements and single-engine sea training. Warner’s safety-first mindset is heavily influenced by his extensive experience, including a 1997 engine power loss incident in a Beechcraft D18S. This experience with emergency decision-making underscores his commitment to teaching rigorous risk management and mechanical vigilance, ensuring that the pilots he certifies are thoroughly prepared for the unique and unpredictable challenges of wilderness aviation.