Back to School · Ends Oct 31

$500 off every Private Pilot Program and $5,000 off the Airline Pilot Course — applied automatically at checkout.

See Back to School Prices →
Cirrus aircraft flying over downtown Los Angeles on an airplane tour from Van Nuys Airport
Airplane Tours Over Los Angeles · From $229

Airplane Tours Over Los Angeles — Except You Fly The Plane

Most air tours over LA put you in the back with a headset and a window. Ours put you in the pilot's seat. You take off from Van Nuys, fly the Hollywood Sign, downtown, Santa Monica Bay and the Malibu coast with your own hands on the controls — and an FAA-certified flight instructor in the seat beside you the entire time.

You fly the airplane60, 90 or 120 minutesVan Nuys AirportFrom $229

Our Courses

Every Course We Offer, From First Flight To Airline

Ten programs flown out of Van Nuys Airport, with real pricing on every one. Start with an hour at the controls, or go straight through to airline-hireable qualifications — it is the same ladder either way.

5.0 Average Rating

100+ Google Reviews

Start Here

Discovery Flight

The first hour at the controls, over Los Angeles, with an instructor beside you. It is the entry point to every course below — and the cheapest way to find out whether flying is actually for you.

From$229

Open 9 AM–9 PM, Seven Days · (818) 290-8249

A student pilot at the controls of a Diamond DA20 at golden hour, the Van Nuys flight line behind the aircraftCertificateMost Popular

Private Pilot

The one most people mean by “learn to fly.” Fly with an instructor, fly alone, then carry passengers on your own certificate.

Fly With An Instructor Fly Solo Carry Passengers $10,900 Enroll Now
A flight instructor and a young student side by side in the cockpit of a light training aircraftYouth Program

Teen Flight Training

Ages 10–15. For young people who want to start before they can legally solo.

$4,200 View Course
Side profile of a Diamond DA20 training aircraft with its canopy raised on the ramp at Van Nuys AirportMilestone

Solo Certificate

Enough training to take an aircraft around the pattern alone. The day everything changes.

$5,500 View Course
Three Cessna 162 Skycatcher light sport aircraft parked in a row on the ramp at Van Nuys AirportCertificate

Sport Pilot

A real certificate with fewer hours and narrower privileges. The shortest honest route to flying yourself.

$8,400 View Course
A pilot at the controls of a Diamond DA20 with the canopy open on the ramp at Van Nuys AirportBundle

Comprehensive Private Pilot

Private Pilot with flight time, ground instruction and study materials bundled into one price.

$15,900 View Course
A student pilot at the controls of a Diamond DA20 on the ramp at Van Nuys AirportBundle

Premium Private Pilot

The same certificate as Private, with the most flight time before your checkride. Eighty logged hours, ground instruction and materials, all in one price.

80 Logged Hours Ground School Included Materials Included $22,500 View Course
Sun breaking under a low cloud deck over Santa Monica Bay, seen from the cockpit in flightRating

Instrument Rating

The rating after Private. Turns a fair-weather pilot into a useful one who can file, launch and land in cloud.

$11,700 View Course
The flight school's Piper Seminole twin-engine training aircraft parked inside the hangar at Van NuysRating

Multi-Engine Rating

For pilots already certificated who are adding a twin. Trained in our own Piper Seminole.

$5,100 View Course
A Piper Arrow II photographed head-on inside the hangar with its landing gear doors open

Our Fleet

See Every Aircraft You Could Train In

Diamond DA20, Cessna 162, Piper Arrow II and our Piper Seminole twin — all on the field at Van Nuys.

View The Fleet

The Full Route

Airline Pilot Program

Zero experience to airline-hireable qualifications, in one continuous program rather than nine separate ones. Financing is available, and every hour of it is flown out of Van Nuys.

$89,000Financing Available

Free In-Person Tour Before You Commit

Not Sure Which One

Come And See The School First

Course prices are packages, not hourly rates - the aircraft, your instructor, ground school and simulator time are all in the figure. A free in-person tour of the hangar and the flight line, no obligation. Or call and we will talk you through the ladder in ten minutes.

The Route You Fly

Your Discovery Flight Route Over Los Angeles

About an hour from Van Nuys Airport: Universal Studios, the Hollywood Sign, Griffith Observatory and a full circle around Downtown LA, then west just north of SoFi Stadium and LAX to the coast, from Venice Beach up to Malibu. Your instructor takes off and lands. You fly 50–80% of it.

  • About 1 Hour From Van Nuys
  • You Fly 50–80%
  • From $229 All-In
  • No Experience Needed
Stop 01 Of 11Van Nuys Airport
Loading The Map
You’re FlyingInstructor: Takeoff & LandingWe Stay North Of LAX & SoFi

01 / 12

  1. The San Fernando Valley seen over the wing of a small training airplane just after takeoff from Van Nuys Airport, with tree-lined streets and a long boulevard running toward the hills
    The San Fernando Valley Over The Wing

    01Instructor Takeoff

    Van Nuys Airport

    Wheels Up From Van Nuys

    Your instructor takes off from one of the busiest general aviation airports in the world and talks you through every step. Once you are clear of the field, the controls are yours.

  2. Universal Studios Hollywood seen from a small airplane, the theme park and studio soundstages on the hillside above the 101 freeway, with the Los Angeles River, Burbank and the Verdugo Mountains behind
    Universal Studios Hollywood From The Air

    02You’re Flying

    Universal Studios

    The Backlot From Above

    The studio lots turn out to be far bigger than they look on TV, with the soundstages lined up like a small town.

  3. The Hollywood Sign on the slope of Mount Lee, seen almost level with the letters from a small airplane, with the radio tower on the summit and the San Gabriel Mountains in the distance
    The Hollywood Sign On Mount Lee

    03You’re Flying

    Hollywood Sign

    Nine Letters On Mount Lee

    The most famous sign in the world, seen from where almost nobody gets to see it: level with the hilltop.

  4. Griffith Observatory and its white domes on the ridge of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park, seen from a small airplane, with the Los Angeles basin stretching to the horizon
    Griffith Observatory From The Air

    04You’re Flying

    Griffith Observatory

    The Domes On The Ridge

    The white domes of Griffith Observatory on the slope of Mount Hollywood, with the whole Los Angeles basin laid out beyond them.

  5. The Downtown Los Angeles skyscrapers seen over the wing of a small airplane circling the towers on a discovery flight
    Circling The Downtown Towers

    05You’re Flying

    Downtown LA

    A Full Circle Around Downtown

    In on the south side, then a full counterclockwise circle around the towers: up the east side, over the top and back around. The San Gabriel Mountains stand behind the skyline.

  6. SoFi Stadium in Inglewood at golden hour, seen from a small airplane passing just north of it, with the neighborhoods of South Los Angeles in the foreground
    SoFi Stadium From Just North

    06You’re Flying

    SoFi Stadium

    The Roof You Know From TV

    We pass just north of the stadium and never fly over it. Its huge translucent roof, home of the Rams and the Chargers, sits right off your left wing.

  7. Los Angeles International Airport and its runways seen from a small airplane passing north of the airport, with Santa Monica Bay and the Palos Verdes Peninsula on the horizon
    LAX From The North Side

    07You’re Flying

    LAX

    Airliners On Final, Off Your Left Wing

    Jets lining up for one of the busiest airports on Earth, off your left wing. We stay north of LAX and never fly over it.

  8. Venice Beach seen over the wing of a small airplane, with the wide sand, the surf and the boardwalk, and the Westside stretching inland to the hills
    Venice Beach Over The Wing

    08You’re Flying

    Venice Beach

    Right Turn Up The Coast

    The boardwalk, the skate park and the sand, then a right turn up the coast with all of Santa Monica Bay opening up ahead of you.

  9. Santa Monica Pier and its Ferris wheel from the air at sunset, with the sun going down over the Pacific Ocean and waves breaking along the beach
    Santa Monica Pier From The Air

    09You’re Flying

    Santa Monica Pier

    The Pier And The Ferris Wheel

    The pier, the Ferris wheel and the beach, straight out of a thousand films.

  10. The Malibu coastline at sunset seen from a small airplane, the Santa Monica Mountains dropping into the Pacific Ocean with Pacific Coast Highway along the shore
    The Malibu Coast At Sunset

    10You’re Flying

    Malibu

    The Mountains Meet The Pacific

    Up the coast past the Palisades to Malibu, where the Santa Monica Mountains drop straight into the ocean.

  11. The wing of a small airplane over the San Fernando Valley on the way back to Van Nuys, with the city grid below and mountains under the clouds on the horizon
    Heading Back Across The San Fernando Valley

    11You’re Flying

    Warner Center

    Over The Hills To Warner Center

    North over the Santa Monica Mountains to Warner Center in Woodland Hills, then east across the San Fernando Valley with Van Nuys straight ahead.

  12. 12Instructor Landing

    Back At Van Nuys

    Your Instructor Lands, Then A Quick Debrief

    Have your own pilot logbook? Bring it and your instructor will be happy to sign it. Enroll within 24 hours of landing and 100% of what you paid is credited toward your training.

    Book Your Flight · From $229

Typical route. Weather and air traffic control set the final path on the day.

A discovery flight guest in a headset flying a Cirrus over the Hollywood Hills with a hand on the controls, seen from the back seat
Hands On The Controls Over LA

Hands-On From The Left Seat

You Fly The Airplane. Not A Ride Along.

50–80%Of the flight is flown by you

Your instructor takes off and lands. Almost everything in between is yours: turns, climbs, descents, holding a heading over Los Angeles. How much depends on you and the conditions on the day.

You fly the airplane. Turns, climbs, descents and holding a heading over Los Angeles, for roughly 50–80% of the flight depending on you and the conditions. Your instructor has an identical set of controls and handles the radio.

Tap Takeoff, You Fly or Landing to see who is flying.

  • No license, experience or medical certificate needed
  • Bring your own logbook and your instructor will be happy to sign it
  • 100% credited toward training if you enroll within 24 hours of landing
The Downtown Los Angeles skyline under an overcast sky, seen from a small airplane on a flight with LA Flight School, from the Google review by Marc Bolanos SAFETY FIRST
Marc BolanosJAN 2026 Google
★★★★★
Very safety and detail oriented. Pre-flight briefing explained everything there was. To my knowledge, this flight school is exceptional in their ability.
The view from the pilot seat of a small training airplane, with the instrument panel beside the window and Los Angeles below, from the Google review by Diego Gutierrez DISCOVERY FLIGHT
Diego GutierrezOCT 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
The sun setting over the hills past the wing of a small airplane on a sunset flight from Van Nuys, from the Google review by Ethan Pilon SUNSET CIRRUS
Ethan PilonOCT 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
A yellow and white Piper training airplane, registration N6312C, parked on the ramp at Van Nuys Airport under a clear blue sky, from the Google review by Mia Bompat FLYING LESSON
Mia BompatJUN 2026 Google
★★★★★
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...
Sunset over the Santa Monica Mountains and the Malibu coastline, seen from a small airplane above Santa Monica Bay, from the Google review by Sanaz Diba KIDS LUXURY FLIGHT
Sanaz DibaAUG 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
Pink and orange sunset clouds over the ridgelines of the Santa Monica Mountains, photographed from a small airplane, from the Google review by Rakkad Alhouqani HONEYMOON SURPRISE
Rakkad AlhouqaniJUL 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
A row of yellow and white LA Flight School training airplanes parked on the ramp at Van Nuys Airport at dusk, from the Google review by Niyousha Aslejafari FULL-MOTION SIM
Niyousha AslejafariNOV 2025 Google
★★★★★
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...
A student and an instructor in headsets in the front seats of a small airplane, flying toward the sunset over the Pacific, from the Google review by Bruce Guido DISCOVERY FOR TWO
Bruce GuidoNOV 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
A smiling LA Flight School student standing in front of a white training airplane outside the hangar at Van Nuys Airport, from the Google review by George Attallah SIMULATORS
George AttallahAPR 2024 Google
★★★★★
Very professional and great airplanes. I love the flight simulators. The pricing is very fair compared to any other flight school
A student pilot in a headset sitting in a Cirrus with the door raised, parked outside a hangar at Van Nuys Airport, from the Google review by Tania Anders TEEN FIRST LESSON
Tania AndersJUN 2025 Google
★★★★★
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...
A white Cirrus being moved out of its hangar at Van Nuys Airport before a flight, from the Google review by Meghan Klien FIRST-TIME FLYER
Meghan KlienOCT 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
The Downtown Los Angeles skyline under an overcast sky, seen from a small airplane on a flight with LA Flight School, from the Google review by Marc Bolanos SAFETY FIRST
Marc BolanosJAN 2026 Google
★★★★★
Very safety and detail oriented. Pre-flight briefing explained everything there was. To my knowledge, this flight school is exceptional in their ability.
The view from the pilot seat of a small training airplane, with the instrument panel beside the window and Los Angeles below, from the Google review by Diego Gutierrez DISCOVERY FLIGHT
Diego GutierrezOCT 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
The sun setting over the hills past the wing of a small airplane on a sunset flight from Van Nuys, from the Google review by Ethan Pilon SUNSET CIRRUS
Ethan PilonOCT 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
A yellow and white Piper training airplane, registration N6312C, parked on the ramp at Van Nuys Airport under a clear blue sky, from the Google review by Mia Bompat FLYING LESSON
Mia BompatJUN 2026 Google
★★★★★
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...
Sunset over the Santa Monica Mountains and the Malibu coastline, seen from a small airplane above Santa Monica Bay, from the Google review by Sanaz Diba KIDS LUXURY FLIGHT
Sanaz DibaAUG 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
Pink and orange sunset clouds over the ridgelines of the Santa Monica Mountains, photographed from a small airplane, from the Google review by Rakkad Alhouqani HONEYMOON SURPRISE
Rakkad AlhouqaniJUL 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
A row of yellow and white LA Flight School training airplanes parked on the ramp at Van Nuys Airport at dusk, from the Google review by Niyousha Aslejafari FULL-MOTION SIM
Niyousha AslejafariNOV 2025 Google
★★★★★
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...
A student and an instructor in headsets in the front seats of a small airplane, flying toward the sunset over the Pacific, from the Google review by Bruce Guido DISCOVERY FOR TWO
Bruce GuidoNOV 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
A smiling LA Flight School student standing in front of a white training airplane outside the hangar at Van Nuys Airport, from the Google review by George Attallah SIMULATORS
George AttallahAPR 2024 Google
★★★★★
Very professional and great airplanes. I love the flight simulators. The pricing is very fair compared to any other flight school
A student pilot in a headset sitting in a Cirrus with the door raised, parked outside a hangar at Van Nuys Airport, from the Google review by Tania Anders TEEN FIRST LESSON
Tania AndersJUN 2025 Google
★★★★★
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...
A white Cirrus being moved out of its hangar at Van Nuys Airport before a flight, from the Google review by Meghan Klien FIRST-TIME FLYER
Meghan KlienOCT 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
2,000+flights flown safely from Van Nuys
5.0★100+ reviews on Google
$229one person, 60 minutes, hands on
$299two people, 60 minutes
The Difference

A Sightseeing Tour Shows You Los Angeles. This One Hands You The Controls.

There are a lot of ways to get above Los Angeles. Helicopters out of Long Beach, champagne plane tours from Santa Monica, doors-off photo flights over the Hollywood Hills. Every one of them has the same thing in common: you are cargo. Somebody else flies, and you look out of the window.

What we operate is different, and the difference is the entire point. A discovery flight is a real introductory flying lesson. You do the walkaround with your instructor. You sit in the left seat. Once you are clear of the airport, the instructor says the words that surprise everybody — 'your airplane' — and you fly it. Turns over the Valley. A descent toward the coast. The Hollywood Sign off your wingtip while you, personally, are the one holding the airplane straight.

You get the tour. You also get an hour of logged flight instruction, a signed logbook entry, and the answer to a question most people never seriously ask themselves: could I actually do this? Roughly one in four of our discovery-flight guests comes back to start training. The other three still describe it as the best hour they have spent in Los Angeles. If you would rather fly the aircraft than ride in it, book a discovery flight where you fly it yourself instead.

View across the wing of a small airplane flying over Los Angeles

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.

A student's hands on the control stick and a kneeboard in a training aircraft, the instrument panel lit in front of them Most Given

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 Or Gift
Same Price

The Hollywood sign on its ridge seen past the wing of a light aircraft, with the San Fernando Valley beyond Two Seats

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 Or Gift
Same Price

A Cirrus SR22 Turbo parked on the ramp with both gullwing doors raised, showing the leather interior and glass cockpit The Nice One

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 Or Gift
Same Price

The flight school's Piper Seminole twin-engine training aircraft parked inside the hangar at Van Nuys Twin Engine

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 Or Gift
Same Price

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.

Routes

Where You Can Fly

Your instructor will plan the route with you on the day, based on weather, traffic and how long you have booked. These are the five people ask for most.

Hollywood Hills seen from a small airplane

The Hollywood Sign & The Studios

Ten minutes from the runway. Over the Cahuenga Pass, past Universal, Warner Bros and the Bowl, with the Sign on the hillside below you.

  • Best In60 min
  • LightMorning
Santa Monica coastline from the air

Malibu & The Santa Monica Coast

Out through the canyons to the water, then low along the shoreline past the Pier, Malibu and Point Dume.

  • Best In60–90 min
  • LightLate afternoon
Downtown Los Angeles skyline from a small aircraft

Downtown & The City Lights

The DTLA skyline, the Coliseum, SoFi. Book after sunset and the whole basin turns into a grid of light.

  • Best In60 min
  • LightAfter dark
Palos Verdes coastline from a small airplane

Palos Verdes & The Harbour

South along the coast to the cliffs at Palos Verdes, the Queen Mary and the container cranes of Long Beach.

  • Best In90 min
  • LightAny
Coastal cross-country flight from Los Angeles

Catalina Island

Twenty-two miles across open water to the island, with the option of landing at the Airport in the Sky.

  • Best In120 min
  • LightMorning
Small aircraft at golden hour over Los Angeles

Sunset Over The Basin

The most requested slot of the day. Take off an hour before sunset and watch the light come off the water.

  • Best In60–90 min
  • LightGolden hour
What Happens

Your Flight, Start To Finish

1

Arrive And Brief — 20 Minutes

Meet your instructor at 7900 Balboa Blvd, walk out to the aircraft together and do a real preflight inspection. You will learn what makes an airplane fly, what every control does, and exactly what you are going to do in the air. Questions encouraged.

2

Take Off And Take Over — 30 To 100 Minutes

Your instructor handles the takeoff. Once you are clear of the Van Nuys pattern the airplane is yours: straight and level, turns, climbs, descents, all of it over the best scenery in Southern California. The instructor talks you through it and can take control instantly at any point.

3

Land, Debrief, Logbook

Instructor lands. Then you get your first entry in a real pilot logbook, signed — that time counts toward a private pilot certificate if you ever decide to go for one. No sales pitch attached; take the logbook and go, or ask about training. Entirely up to you.

Safety

Why A Flight School Is The Safest Way To Do This

Aircraft used to give flight instruction for hire are held to a stricter maintenance standard than privately owned aircraft, and every one of our flights is commanded by a professional instructor. That is not marketing — it is the regulation.

✈

100-Hour Inspections

Under FAR 91.409(b), an aircraft used for flight instruction for hire must have a full inspection every 100 flight hours, on top of its annual. Privately owned aircraft only need the annual.

👨‍✈️

A Professional In Command

Every flight is commanded by an FAA-certified flight instructor holding a commercial or airline transport pilot certificate and a current FAA medical.

🎛

Dual Controls, Always

Our aircraft have a full second set of controls. Your instructor can take the airplane back in under a second, and does the takeoff and landing regardless.

🪂

A Parachute On The Cirrus

The SR22T carries CAPS — a rocket-deployed parachute for the whole airframe, not just the occupants. It is the only aircraft type in general aviation with one as standard.

🗼

Towered Airspace

Van Nuys is a controlled Class D field beneath the Los Angeles Class B shelf, with air traffic control separating you from other traffic from engine start to shutdown.

🌤

A Real No-Go Policy

If the weather is marginal we do not fly. You reschedule at no cost, or move to the Redbird simulator. Nobody at this school has ever been pressured into launching.

Planning

What You Need To Know Before You Book

Who Can Do It

Almost anybody. There is no license, no experience and no medical certificate required to take a discovery flight — your instructor is the pilot in command, so the legal requirements sit with them, not with you.

  • No age minimum for the flight itself; our youngest regular students start at 10
  • No upper age limit — we have flown guests in their eighties
  • Standard aircraft seating accommodates up to roughly 250 lb per seat; tell us in advance and we will match you to the right aircraft
  • Glasses, contact lenses and most medical conditions are all fine
  • No experience whatsoever is assumed. Most guests have never touched an aircraft control before

What To Bring And Wear

Very little. Headsets, the aircraft, fuel and the instructor are all included.

  • Sunglasses — the light over the basin is bright, especially over water
  • A phone or camera; there is nothing stopping you filming the whole thing
  • Comfortable clothes and closed shoes
  • Photo ID
  • Skip a heavy meal beforehand if you are prone to motion sickness, and book a morning slot — the air is smoothest before about 11am

When To Fly

Los Angeles is flyable most days of the year, but the hour you pick changes the experience completely. Early morning gives you glass-smooth air and the sharpest visibility, which is why we recommend it for anyone nervous about turbulence. Late afternoon gives you the light everybody wants for photographs. After dark gives you the city as a grid of light from Santa Monica to the San Gabriels.

Marine layer along the coast is the one genuine constraint, and it is most likely in May and June — the 'May Gray, June Gloom' pattern. It usually burns off by late morning, and it rarely affects the inland routes at all.

Van Nuys

Why Departing From Van Nuys Matters

Van Nuys is the busiest general aviation airport in the world, and it sits in the middle of the San Fernando Valley — which puts almost everything worth seeing in Los Angeles inside a fifteen-minute flight. The Hollywood Sign is about eight miles from the end of the runway. The coast is twelve. Downtown is eighteen.

That geography is why a one-hour flight from Van Nuys covers more of Los Angeles than a one-hour flight from anywhere else in the basin. Tours leaving from Long Beach or Torrance spend a third of their time getting into the interesting airspace and a third getting back out of it.

We are based at 7900 Balboa Blvd, Suite 108A, with free parking on site and a five-minute walk to the aircraft. From the 405 it is two exits north of the 101.

Van Nuys Airport flight line where airplane tours over Los Angeles depart
FAQ

Airplane Tour Questions

Legally and practically, it is a flying lesson — an introductory flight lesson, usually called a discovery flight. You are not a passenger on a tour; you are a student at the controls with a certified instructor. The route happens to take in the best scenery in Los Angeles, which is why people book it as an experience. If you want to be flown around as a passenger, a Part 135 air tour operator is what you are looking for; we are a flight school.

Yes. Your instructor handles the takeoff and landing, and you fly essentially everything in between — typically 60 to 80 percent of the total flight time. Nobody is pretending; your hands are on the yoke and the airplane goes where you point it.

From $229 for one person for 60 minutes, or $299 for two people for 60 minutes. The luxury Cirrus SR22T for two is $499 for 60 minutes and the multi-engine Piper Seminole is $499. Longer 90- and 120-minute flights are available on every aircraft. Prices are per flight, not per person.

Yes. The $299 Discovery Flight For Two includes a second seat, and the Cirrus and Seminole can carry a third person from $499. Your guest wears a headset and hears everything, including you flying the airplane.

You choose 60, 90 or 120 minutes of flight time. Add about 40 minutes on the ground either side for the briefing, preflight and debrief. Sixty minutes is enough for the Hollywood Sign and the coast; 120 minutes gets you to Catalina.

Instructional flying has an excellent safety record, and aircraft used for instruction for hire are inspected every 100 flight hours rather than annually. Every flight is commanded by a professional instructor with dual controls, departing a towered airport inside controlled airspace. We have flown more than 2,000 of these safely.

We reschedule at no cost, or you can switch to the Redbird full-motion simulator instead. We never fly a discovery flight in marginal conditions, and the decision is always the instructor's.

Yes — every flight has a matching gift certificate, from $189 for the simulator session to $899 for two hours in the twin. They are open-dated, so the recipient books whenever suits them.

It does. It is logged as dual instruction received with a certified flight instructor, and it counts toward the 40-hour minimum for a private pilot certificate. It is the first line in your logbook.

Talk To Us

Los Angeles Looks Completely Different From 2,500 Feet

Book online in two minutes, or call and we will talk you through which route and which aircraft suits what you want out of it. Morning flights have the smoothest air; late-afternoon flights have the best light.

Discovery Flight For Two
$299
60 minutes over LA, two people, you fly it
Book For Two Or Call (818) 290-8249
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

One email. Opt out any time.

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.

5.0Google100+ Reviews 355Flyable DaysA Year At Van Nuys 9–9Open Daily9 AM To 9 PM, 7 Days
The Downtown Los Angeles skyline under an overcast sky, seen from a small airplane on a flight with LA Flight School, from the Google review by Marc Bolanos SAFETY FIRST
Marc BolanosJAN 2026 Google
★★★★★
Very safety and detail oriented. Pre-flight briefing explained everything there was. To my knowledge, this flight school is exceptional in their ability.
The view from the pilot seat of a small training airplane, with the instrument panel beside the window and Los Angeles below, from the Google review by Diego Gutierrez DISCOVERY FLIGHT
Diego GutierrezOCT 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
The sun setting over the hills past the wing of a small airplane on a sunset flight from Van Nuys, from the Google review by Ethan Pilon SUNSET CIRRUS
Ethan PilonOCT 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
A yellow and white Piper training airplane, registration N6312C, parked on the ramp at Van Nuys Airport under a clear blue sky, from the Google review by Mia Bompat FLYING LESSON
Mia BompatJUN 2026 Google
★★★★★
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...
Sunset over the Santa Monica Mountains and the Malibu coastline, seen from a small airplane above Santa Monica Bay, from the Google review by Sanaz Diba KIDS LUXURY FLIGHT
Sanaz DibaAUG 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
Pink and orange sunset clouds over the ridgelines of the Santa Monica Mountains, photographed from a small airplane, from the Google review by Rakkad Alhouqani HONEYMOON SURPRISE
Rakkad AlhouqaniJUL 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
A row of yellow and white LA Flight School training airplanes parked on the ramp at Van Nuys Airport at dusk, from the Google review by Niyousha Aslejafari FULL-MOTION SIM
Niyousha AslejafariNOV 2025 Google
★★★★★
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...
A student and an instructor in headsets in the front seats of a small airplane, flying toward the sunset over the Pacific, from the Google review by Bruce Guido DISCOVERY FOR TWO
Bruce GuidoNOV 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
A smiling LA Flight School student standing in front of a white training airplane outside the hangar at Van Nuys Airport, from the Google review by George Attallah SIMULATORS
George AttallahAPR 2024 Google
★★★★★
Very professional and great airplanes. I love the flight simulators. The pricing is very fair compared to any other flight school
A student pilot in a headset sitting in a Cirrus with the door raised, parked outside a hangar at Van Nuys Airport, from the Google review by Tania Anders TEEN FIRST LESSON
Tania AndersJUN 2025 Google
★★★★★
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...
A white Cirrus being moved out of its hangar at Van Nuys Airport before a flight, from the Google review by Meghan Klien FIRST-TIME FLYER
Meghan KlienOCT 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
The Downtown Los Angeles skyline under an overcast sky, seen from a small airplane on a flight with LA Flight School, from the Google review by Marc Bolanos SAFETY FIRST
Marc BolanosJAN 2026 Google
★★★★★
Very safety and detail oriented. Pre-flight briefing explained everything there was. To my knowledge, this flight school is exceptional in their ability.
The view from the pilot seat of a small training airplane, with the instrument panel beside the window and Los Angeles below, from the Google review by Diego Gutierrez DISCOVERY FLIGHT
Diego GutierrezOCT 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
The sun setting over the hills past the wing of a small airplane on a sunset flight from Van Nuys, from the Google review by Ethan Pilon SUNSET CIRRUS
Ethan PilonOCT 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
A yellow and white Piper training airplane, registration N6312C, parked on the ramp at Van Nuys Airport under a clear blue sky, from the Google review by Mia Bompat FLYING LESSON
Mia BompatJUN 2026 Google
★★★★★
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...
Sunset over the Santa Monica Mountains and the Malibu coastline, seen from a small airplane above Santa Monica Bay, from the Google review by Sanaz Diba KIDS LUXURY FLIGHT
Sanaz DibaAUG 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
Pink and orange sunset clouds over the ridgelines of the Santa Monica Mountains, photographed from a small airplane, from the Google review by Rakkad Alhouqani HONEYMOON SURPRISE
Rakkad AlhouqaniJUL 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
A row of yellow and white LA Flight School training airplanes parked on the ramp at Van Nuys Airport at dusk, from the Google review by Niyousha Aslejafari FULL-MOTION SIM
Niyousha AslejafariNOV 2025 Google
★★★★★
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...
A student and an instructor in headsets in the front seats of a small airplane, flying toward the sunset over the Pacific, from the Google review by Bruce Guido DISCOVERY FOR TWO
Bruce GuidoNOV 2024 Google
★★★★★
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...
A smiling LA Flight School student standing in front of a white training airplane outside the hangar at Van Nuys Airport, from the Google review by George Attallah SIMULATORS
George AttallahAPR 2024 Google
★★★★★
Very professional and great airplanes. I love the flight simulators. The pricing is very fair compared to any other flight school
A student pilot in a headset sitting in a Cirrus with the door raised, parked outside a hangar at Van Nuys Airport, from the Google review by Tania Anders TEEN FIRST LESSON
Tania AndersJUN 2025 Google
★★★★★
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...
A white Cirrus being moved out of its hangar at Van Nuys Airport before a flight, from the Google review by Meghan Klien FIRST-TIME FLYER
Meghan KlienOCT 2024 Google
★★★★★
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.