Dr. Tilgner has been an aviation medical examiner since 1971 where he started out assisting the local air taxi and private pilots in Cordova and other communities in Prince William Sound, Alaska.

Beginning in 1991, he became the Deputy Regional Flight Surgeon for the FAA Alaska Region. he was in charge of the Air Traffic Controller Medical Certification Program and Director of the FAA employee health program. He assisted the Regional Flight Surgeon in airman certification. He worked hard to keep the industry and general aviation pilots medically certified and flying safely.

Dr. Tilgner has extensive experience in airman medical certification and thoroughly understands the FAA certification process both in Alaska and at the Civil Aeronautical Institute in Oklahoma City.

Dr. Tilgner graduated the U.S. Air Force Aerospace Medicine Primary Flight Surgeon’s Course at Brook Air Force Base, Texas. He received his M.D. from the University of Colorado and did a residency at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.

Dr. Tilgner is also a pilot and Super Cub Driver with more float time than wheels. He has flown in every major area of Alaska, and while working for the FAA (when there were still Flight Service Stations throughout the state) he flew his Super Cub with his doctor’s bag to each site every summer to visit the families of the FAA employees, doing the children’s school physicals and providing health care to the families. He commercially spotted fish in Prince William Sound for several years, and after retirement from the FAA, he owned and operated an oyster farm near Seldovia and continues to commercial fish, gillnetting salmon in Prince William Sound.

Dr. Tilgner continues to combine his love for aviation and medicine by joining Dr. Illig at Aviation Medical Services and affirming a dedication to keep pilots healthy and flying safely.