SAFETY FIRST
★★★★★
Very safety and detail oriented. Pre-flight briefing explained everything there was. To my knowledge, this flight school is exceptional in their ability.
Enrolled Students · Van Nuys Airport (KVNY)
Flying Our Aircraft: Checkout And Currency
Before you fly one of our airplanes without an instructor beside you, somebody has to watch you land it. That is a checkout: about an hour on the ground and one to two hours in the air, per make and model. It is part of every program here, it is not a public rental service, and this page explains exactly what happens.
About 2 to 3 hours per typePer make and model5.0★ · 100+ Google reviews
Book It Or Gift It
Fly It Yourself, Or Give The Flight To Someone Else
Every discovery flight below can be booked for yourself in the next few minutes, or bought as a gift certificate that is emailed within minutes and never expires. Same flight, same price, either way.
Most Given
Two Seats
The Nice One
Twin Engine
Discovery Flight For One
One person, one instructor, and no audience. Hands on the controls from the left seat, briefed before you go and debriefed after you land.
Hands-On Stick TimePre-Flight BriefingLoggable Flight Time
Flight Length
$229Book It Or Gift It
Same Price Either Way
Discovery Flight For Two
The same flight with a passenger in the back seat, briefed and on the intercom. Couples book it; so do parents who would rather watch than hear about it.
One Passenger SeatPiper Warrior Or ArcherHeadsets For Both
Flight Length
$299Book It Or Gift It
Same Price Either Way
Luxury Discovery Flight
The nicest airplane we put a first-time flyer in. Glass cockpit, air conditioning, leather seats, and a parachute built into the airframe rather than strapped to the person.
Turbocharged Cirrus SR22Air ConditioningWhole-Airframe Parachute
Flight Length
Bring A PassengerInstructor + 2 is our maximum+$100
$499Book It Or Gift It
Same Price Either Way
Multi-Engine Seminole
Two engines, and the airplane instrument-rated pilots move into when they start thinking about a career. Flown from the left seat with a multi-engine instructor.
Piper Seminole TwinMulti-Engine DepartureCareer-Track Instructor
Flight Length
$499Book It Or Gift It
Same Price Either Way
Gift It issues a real gift certificate, emailed within minutes, which never expires and credits in full toward training. Flights are limited to 180 lb per person, 370 lb combined. Questions: (818) 290-8249, 9 AM–9 PM, seven days.
SAFETY FIRST
DISCOVERY FLIGHT
★★★★★
I recently had the chance to take my first-ever discovery flight, and it was nothing short of amazing! From the moment I stepped into the cockpit, the...
SUNSET CIRRUS
★★★★★
It was a great flight! I did a sunset flight and Alex let us fly an awesome. Website was easy to book, and the plane itself was really fun to fly...
FLYING LESSON
★★★★★
We had a great flying lesson with Ralph and came away with a much better understanding of both the aircraft and the principles of flight. Ralph is a...
KIDS LUXURY FLIGHT
★★★★★
I got 2 luxury discovery flights for my kids. I wanted them to have the experience of flying. Our instructor Alex was amazing he made sure they feel...
HONEYMOON SURPRISE
★★★★★
Last minute booking to surprise my wife on our honeymoon. She had no experience with flying and was scared of flying, but Alex was very easygoing and knew...
FULL-MOTION SIM
★★★★★
Amazing flight school in van nuys airport. I have been a student here for the past few months and i could not be happier. I started doing a lot of...
DISCOVERY FOR TWO
★★★★★
I booked a Discovery Flight for Two for my girlfriend's birthday and it was the perfect gift for her. She couldn't have been more excited to get to...
SIMULATORS
★★★★★
Very professional and great airplanes. I love the flight simulators. The pricing is very fair compared to any other flight school
TEEN FIRST LESSON
★★★★★
We gifted our teenage son his first flying lesson. He was so excited! Alex greeted us and gave a reassuring brief that made us all feel comfortable and at...
FIRST-TIME FLYER
★★★★★
Flying is my husband's hobby and I was incredibly anxious and apprehensive about the discovery flight. However, I felt completely safe and at ease once we...
SAFETY FIRST
★★★★★
Very safety and detail oriented. Pre-flight briefing explained everything there was. To my knowledge, this flight school is exceptional in their ability.
DISCOVERY FLIGHT
★★★★★
I recently had the chance to take my first-ever discovery flight, and it was nothing short of amazing! From the moment I stepped into the cockpit, the...
SUNSET CIRRUS
★★★★★
It was a great flight! I did a sunset flight and Alex let us fly an awesome. Website was easy to book, and the plane itself was really fun to fly...
FLYING LESSON
★★★★★
We had a great flying lesson with Ralph and came away with a much better understanding of both the aircraft and the principles of flight. Ralph is a...
KIDS LUXURY FLIGHT
★★★★★
I got 2 luxury discovery flights for my kids. I wanted them to have the experience of flying. Our instructor Alex was amazing he made sure they feel...
HONEYMOON SURPRISE
★★★★★
Last minute booking to surprise my wife on our honeymoon. She had no experience with flying and was scared of flying, but Alex was very easygoing and knew...
FULL-MOTION SIM
★★★★★
Amazing flight school in van nuys airport. I have been a student here for the past few months and i could not be happier. I started doing a lot of...
DISCOVERY FOR TWO
★★★★★
I booked a Discovery Flight for Two for my girlfriend's birthday and it was the perfect gift for her. She couldn't have been more excited to get to...
SIMULATORS
★★★★★
Very professional and great airplanes. I love the flight simulators. The pricing is very fair compared to any other flight school
TEEN FIRST LESSON
★★★★★
We gifted our teenage son his first flying lesson. He was so excited! Alex greeted us and gave a reassuring brief that made us all feel comfortable and at...
FIRST-TIME FLYER
★★★★★
Flying is my husband's hobby and I was incredibly anxious and apprehensive about the discovery flight. However, I felt completely safe and at ease once we...
2–3 hrstypical checkout, ground plus flight
24calendar months — flight review window, FAR 61.56
5.0★100+ Google reviews
90days — passenger currency window, FAR 61.57
What A Checkout Is For
Two Separate Questions, Answered On One Flight
The first question is legal and it is simple. Are you current under the FAA rules that apply to you: a flight review inside 24 calendar months, a medical certificate if the aircraft and the flight require one, three takeoffs and landings in the last 90 days if you intend to carry anybody. That part is a paperwork check and it takes ten minutes.
The second question is the one the checkout actually answers, and it is not written down in Part 61 anywhere. Can you fly this specific airplane, on this specific field, safely and without an instructor. Van Nuys is a Class D tower under the LAX Class B shelf, the pattern gets busy, and a pilot who is perfectly competent at a quiet field can be genuinely behind the aircraft here on their first Saturday morning. The instructor is checking the airplane, the airspace and the pilot together.
None of this is designed to be adversarial and almost everyone passes. It is also not a hurdle we put in front of walk-up customers, because we do not rent aircraft to the public by the hour. A checkout is something enrolled students and program graduates do, on aircraft we own, with instructors who fly them every day.
The Process
What Actually Happens, In Order
Plan on a single afternoon per aircraft type. Send your paperwork ahead of time and you will not waste any of it.
01
Send Documents Before You Drive Out
Pilot certificate, government photo ID, medical certificate where required, and your logbook. If your logbook is electronic, a PDF export is fine. This lets us tell you in advance whether to book one flight or two instead of finding out on the day.
02
Logbook Review
We look at total time, pilot-in-command time, time in this type or something close to it, recent activity, and the date of your last flight review. A pilot with 400 hours who last flew eighteen months ago gets a longer checkout than a pilot with 90 hours who flew last week. Recency matters more than the total.
03
Insurance And The Aircraft Use Agreement
You will sign an agreement covering how our aircraft are operated and we will confirm the current insurance requirement for the type. These limits are set by our insurer rather than by the FAA and they change, so confirm them at booking rather than assuming.
04
Ground Session On The Aircraft
Roughly an hour. Systems, fuel system and tank management, electrical, weight and balance for the actual mission, POH performance numbers, emergency procedures, and our operating limits: minimum fuel on landing, crosswind and wind limits, and where you may and may not take the aircraft.
05
Flight With A CFI
One to two hours. Airwork, slow flight, power-on and power-off stalls, steep turns, simulated engine failure, and enough landings including at least one crosswind that the instructor has seen the full picture. In the Arrow and the Seminole, add gear procedures and, in the twin, engine-out work, which is why those checkouts run longer.
06
Sign-Off And Scheduling Access
Once the instructor signs you off in that make and model you can book the aircraft yourself. The sign-off is type-specific: being checked out in the Piper Warrior does not check you out in the Arrow, and the Arrow does not cover the Seminole.
Currency And Requirements
What The FAA Requires, And What We Require On Top
The regulations set a floor. Every operation in the country adds to it, because insurers do. Where our policy is stricter than the FAR, we say so.
Regulatory Currency — Not Negotiable
These come from Part 61 and they apply whether you fly ours or your own. If any of them has lapsed, the checkout flight can usually double as the fix — a flight review is one hour of ground and one hour of flight, and a rusty pilot often needs that much anyway.
- Flight review within 24 calendar months — FAR 61.56
- Three takeoffs and landings in the preceding 90 days before carrying passengers — FAR 61.57
- Night currency: three takeoffs and landings to a full stop at night, within 90 days, to carry passengers at night
- A current medical certificate where the certificate and operation require one; sport pilot privileges in the Cessna may be exercised on a valid US driver license in place of a medical
- Photo identification carried on every flight — FAR 61.3
What We Require On Top
These are set by us and our insurer rather than by the FAA, and they are the ones to confirm on the phone rather than taking from a web page. They vary by aircraft: the minimums for a Piper Warrior and for a Seminole are not the same.
- Minimum total time and time-in-type, which typically increases for the Arrow, Cirrus SR22 Turbo and Seminole
- Non-owned aircraft insurance — confirm current minimum limits at booking
- A recurrent checkout if you have not flown that type with us recently — typically within the last 90 days
- Minimum billable hours per day on overnight and multi-day flights — confirm at booking
- Fuel policy away from base, and reimbursement for fuel bought elsewhere
Why A Checkout Is Per Type, Not Per Pilot
A 1,200-hour pilot who has never flown a retractable is a low-time pilot in the Arrow, and the accident record is unambiguous about which phase of flight that shows up in. Gear-up landings are almost entirely a transition-training problem. The same logic applies with more force to the Seminole, where a mishandled engine failure below Vmc is a genuinely lethal event rather than an expensive one.
So each aircraft gets its own ground briefing and its own flight. The good news is that the second and third checkouts go faster than the first, because by then you know our procedures, our fuel policy and the way the Van Nuys pattern flows on a busy afternoon.
Bring These
Your Checkout Day List
Turning up without the logbook is the single most common reason a checkout gets rescheduled.
1
Pilot Certificate
Plastic card, original. FAR 61.3 requires it on your person.
2
Photo ID
Government issued. Driver license or passport.
3
Medical Certificate
Where required for the certificate and operation you are exercising.
4
Logbook
Paper or a PDF export. We need to see the flight review endorsement.
5
Headset
Bring your own if you have one. We have spares if you do not.
6
Insurance Policy
Non-owned coverage documents, if you already carry a policy.
The Fleet You Can Be Checked Out In
Six Aircraft, Six Separate Sign-Offs
Being checked out in the Piper Warrior does not check you out in the Arrow, and the Arrow does not cover the Seminole. Every one of these is ours, and every one is inspected every 100 hours under FAR 91.409(b).
Single-engine flying on the Standard and Comprehensive programs is in the Cessna, Piper and Diamond aircraft. The Premium program is flown in the Cirrus SR22 Turbo.
Redbird MCX
The Cheapest Way To Knock The Rust Off Before A Checkout
Full-motion, fully enclosed, FAA-approved, and never canceled for weather. For radio work, checklist flow and instrument scan it is more efficient than the airplane, and you can pause it mid-approach.
Simulator hours are built into every private pilot program — 2 hours on Standard and Premium, 5 hours on Comprehensive. Standalone sessions are $189.
Your Instructor
The Instructor Signing You Off Flies This Aircraft Every Day
Every instructor here holds a commercial or ATP certificate plus a CFI and a current medical, and is legally pilot in command on every flight. A checkout is not a box-ticking exercise handed to whoever is free — it is done by somebody who flies that specific type several times a week and knows exactly how it behaves on a hot afternoon out of Van Nuys.
There are eleven of them, which is why a checkout can usually be scheduled inside a week rather than a month. You are matched to one instructor for continuity through a program, and if the fit is wrong you say so and we change it. That is a normal request here, not an awkward one.
They are career instructors rather than hour-builders waiting on an airline class date, and it shows in the debrief afterwards — which, going by our reviews, is the part people remember.
What People Say
5.0 Stars, 100+ Reviews
On Google, three things come up again and again — and two of them are about the people rather than the airplanes.
★
Instructors Who Actually Teach
The most repeated compliment in our reviews is not the aircraft or the price — it is the debrief.
★
Scheduling That Works
Eleven instructors and a fleet we own means lessons happen when we say they will.
★
Prices That Do Not Move
The number you enroll at is the number you finish at. Reviewers mention this constantly.
Coming Back After A Break
If You Have Not Flown In Two Years, Book Two Flights And Stop Worrying About It
Rusty pilots are the most common checkout we do and the most predictable. The certificate does not expire — a private pilot certificate issued in 1994 is still valid in 2026 — but the flight review lapses at 24 calendar months and the skills lapse considerably faster than the paperwork does.
What comes back quickly: the scan, the radio, the general feel of the airplane. What comes back slowly: airspeed control in the flare, and the habit of thinking three minutes ahead. Almost every returning pilot lands long on the first three attempts and then it clicks. Booking two sessions instead of one removes the pressure to perform on day one.
A session in the Redbird MCX at $189 before you fly is a legitimate way to shake off procedural rust. It is not a substitute for landings and we would not pretend it is, but for radio work, checklist flow and instrument scan it is efficient. If your flight review is also due, we will fold it into the same block.
Certificate never expiresFlight review lapses at 24 monthsRedbird MCX $189
What A Checkout Leads To
The Programs Our Aircraft Are Flown In
Checkouts are for enrolled students and program graduates, not walk-up hire. If you are not certificated yet, this is where it starts — and enrolled students fly single-engine aircraft at $179 an hour wet.
Standard Private Pilot Program
$10,900
Forty hours logged, flown in our Cessna, Piper and Diamond single-engine aircraft.
- Single-Engine (Cessna · Piper · Diamond) — 38 hrs
- Redbird full-motion simulator — 2 hrs
- Dual flight instruction — 30 hrs
- Ground school — 3 hrs
- Books & training materials — included
- 40 hours logged flight time
Most chosen
Comprehensive Private Pilot Program
$15,900
Sixty hours logged and ten hours of ground school. The one most students finish in.
- Single-Engine (Cessna · Piper · Diamond) — 55 hrs
- Redbird full-motion simulator — 5 hrs
- Dual flight instruction — 50 hrs
- Ground school — 10 hrs
- Books & training materials — included
- 60 hours logged flight time
Premium Private Pilot Program
$22,500
The whole certificate flown in the Cirrus SR22 Turbo with its full glass cockpit.
- Cirrus SR22 Turbo (glass cockpit) — 38 hrs
- Redbird full-motion simulator — 2 hrs
- Dual flight instruction — 30 hrs
- Ground school — 3 hrs
- Books & training materials — included
- 40 hours logged flight time
Financing available from $2,500 down with monthly plans. Also available: Sport Pilot $8,400 · Instrument Rating $11,700 · Multi-engine add-on $5,100 · Solo Certificate $5,500 · Redbird MCX sessions $189. Ring (818) 290-8249, 9am to 9pm seven days, and we will look at your logbook and tell you honestly whether your checkout is one session or two.
Back to School: $500 off any private pilot program through 30 September 2026. Standard $10,400 · Comprehensive $15,400 · Premium $22,000. Ask when you enroll.
Next Step
Send Us Your Logbook And We Will Tell You What The Checkout Looks Like
Thirty seconds on the phone saves an afternoon. We will look at your total time, your last flight and the type you want, and tell you honestly whether this is one session or two. Free in-person consultation available if you would rather come and see the aircraft first. Call (818) 290-8249, 9am to 9pm, seven days. 7900 Balboa Blvd, Suite 108A, Van Nuys.
Discovery Flight For One
$229
60 minutes · you fly the aircraft · fully loggable · credited on enrollment
FAQ
Checkout And Currency Questions
A checkout is a ground briefing plus a flight with a certified flight instructor that qualifies you to fly a specific make and model of our aircraft without an instructor. It typically runs about an hour on the ground and one to two hours in the air. It is required by us and our insurer, not by the FAA, and it is separate from a flight review.
Two to three hours in total for a simple type such as the Piper Warrior or the Cessna: roughly one hour of ground and one to two hours of flight. The Piper Arrow and Piper Seminole take longer because of gear procedures and engine-out work. Pilots who have not flown in over a year should plan on two sessions.
Yes. We sell training programs rather than hourly aircraft hire to the public, so flying our airplanes means being an enrolled student or a graduate of one of our programs. Enrolled students fly single-engine aircraft at $179 an hour wet, and that rate is already built into every fixed program price.
Your pilot certificate, government photo ID, medical certificate where one is required, and your logbook showing a flight review within the last 24 calendar months under FAR 61.56. Bring your headset and, if you hold one, your non-owned aircraft insurance policy. Missing logbooks are the most common cause of a rescheduled checkout.
You need a flight review within 24 calendar months under FAR 61.56, and three takeoffs and landings within the preceding 90 days under FAR 61.57 before carrying passengers. On top of that we require a recent flight in the specific type, usually within the last 90 days, before you fly it without an instructor again.
Yes. Checkouts are per make and model, so a Piper Warrior sign-off does not cover the Piper Arrow, and the Arrow does not cover the Seminole. The second and third checkouts go faster than the first, because by then our procedures and the Van Nuys pattern are already familiar.
Yes. A US pilot certificate does not expire. What lapses is the flight review, which must be completed within the preceding 24 calendar months, and your medical if the operation requires one. A flight review is one hour of ground and one hour of flight, and for most returning pilots it folds naturally into the checkout.
Yes, once you are checked out in that type and enrolled with us. Overnight and multi-day flights carry a minimum-billable-hours-per-day charge, which is standard practice because a parked aircraft still costs money. Confirm the current daily minimum and the away-from-base fuel policy on (818) 290-8249 when you book.
No Cost, No Obligation
Get The Full Training Plan And Price Sheet
The three private pilot packages, what each one includes, the financing options and a realistic timeline built around how often you can actually fly. Sent to you in one email. Nobody will pressure you.
- Every package price, itemised
- Financing from $2,500 down
- A timeline based on your schedule
Loved On Google
Over 100 Reviews. 5.0 Stars.
Every review below is real and shown verbatim, in the reviewer’s own words — written by the people who learned to fly here, not by us.
SAFETY FIRST
★★★★★
Very safety and detail oriented. Pre-flight briefing explained everything there was. To my knowledge, this flight school is exceptional in their ability.
DISCOVERY FLIGHT
★★★★★
I recently had the chance to take my first-ever discovery flight, and it was nothing short of amazing! From the moment I stepped into the cockpit, the...
SUNSET CIRRUS
★★★★★
It was a great flight! I did a sunset flight and Alex let us fly an awesome. Website was easy to book, and the plane itself was really fun to fly...
FLYING LESSON
★★★★★
We had a great flying lesson with Ralph and came away with a much better understanding of both the aircraft and the principles of flight. Ralph is a...
KIDS LUXURY FLIGHT
★★★★★
I got 2 luxury discovery flights for my kids. I wanted them to have the experience of flying. Our instructor Alex was amazing he made sure they feel...
HONEYMOON SURPRISE
★★★★★
Last minute booking to surprise my wife on our honeymoon. She had no experience with flying and was scared of flying, but Alex was very easygoing and knew...
FULL-MOTION SIM
★★★★★
Amazing flight school in van nuys airport. I have been a student here for the past few months and i could not be happier. I started doing a lot of...
DISCOVERY FOR TWO
★★★★★
I booked a Discovery Flight for Two for my girlfriend's birthday and it was the perfect gift for her. She couldn't have been more excited to get to...
SIMULATORS
★★★★★
Very professional and great airplanes. I love the flight simulators. The pricing is very fair compared to any other flight school
TEEN FIRST LESSON
★★★★★
We gifted our teenage son his first flying lesson. He was so excited! Alex greeted us and gave a reassuring brief that made us all feel comfortable and at...
FIRST-TIME FLYER
★★★★★
Flying is my husband's hobby and I was incredibly anxious and apprehensive about the discovery flight. However, I felt completely safe and at ease once we...
SAFETY FIRST
★★★★★
Very safety and detail oriented. Pre-flight briefing explained everything there was. To my knowledge, this flight school is exceptional in their ability.
DISCOVERY FLIGHT
★★★★★
I recently had the chance to take my first-ever discovery flight, and it was nothing short of amazing! From the moment I stepped into the cockpit, the...
SUNSET CIRRUS
★★★★★
It was a great flight! I did a sunset flight and Alex let us fly an awesome. Website was easy to book, and the plane itself was really fun to fly...
FLYING LESSON
★★★★★
We had a great flying lesson with Ralph and came away with a much better understanding of both the aircraft and the principles of flight. Ralph is a...
KIDS LUXURY FLIGHT
★★★★★
I got 2 luxury discovery flights for my kids. I wanted them to have the experience of flying. Our instructor Alex was amazing he made sure they feel...
HONEYMOON SURPRISE
★★★★★
Last minute booking to surprise my wife on our honeymoon. She had no experience with flying and was scared of flying, but Alex was very easygoing and knew...
FULL-MOTION SIM
★★★★★
Amazing flight school in van nuys airport. I have been a student here for the past few months and i could not be happier. I started doing a lot of...
DISCOVERY FOR TWO
★★★★★
I booked a Discovery Flight for Two for my girlfriend's birthday and it was the perfect gift for her. She couldn't have been more excited to get to...
SIMULATORS
★★★★★
Very professional and great airplanes. I love the flight simulators. The pricing is very fair compared to any other flight school
TEEN FIRST LESSON
★★★★★
We gifted our teenage son his first flying lesson. He was so excited! Alex greeted us and gave a reassuring brief that made us all feel comfortable and at...
FIRST-TIME FLYER
★★★★★
Flying is my husband's hobby and I was incredibly anxious and apprehensive about the discovery flight. However, I felt completely safe and at ease once we...
See Discovery Flight Details — $229
Reviews shown verbatim, exactly as each reviewer published them.
Aviation News
Latest From The Field
Notes from the flight line at Van Nuys — weather, regulation changes, checkride questions and the cost of training, written up as they come.
Van Nuys Airport · KVNY
(818) 290-8249
7900 Balboa Blvd. Suite 108A
Van Nuys, CA 91406 Get directions →
Open the full contact page
Open 7 days · 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Los Angeles Flight School7900 Balboa Blvd. Suite 108A
Van Nuys, CA 91406 Get directions →
★★★★★
5.0 · 100+ Google reviews