Commercial Pilot License
The certificate that lets you get paid to fly. Advanced maneuvers, complex and high-performance aircraft, and full FAA checkride preparation — trained in one of the world’s busiest general aviation environments.
Program Dashboard
The Numbers Behind The Certificate
Everything about this course is quantified up front — hours, cost, timeline and what the FAA actually requires. No estimates that grow later.
Commercial Pilot Training in Los Angeles
Get Your Commercial Pilot License At Van Nuys Airport
If you're searching for commercial pilot training near you in Los Angeles, this is the course that converts your flying from a hobby into a profession. The FAA Commercial Pilot Certificate is the license that legally allows you to be compensated for flying — and it is the single most important step between your Private Pilot certificate and a career in the cockpit.
Los Angeles Flight School trains commercial candidates at Van Nuys Airport (KVNY), one of the busiest general aviation airports in the world. That matters: you'll build commercial-standard precision while working real Class D and Class B airspace, dense traffic patterns, and controller phraseology that most pilots don't see until their first airline interview.
Our curriculum is powered by the Redbird MCX full-motion flight simulator — an FAA-approved AATD with 210° wraparound visuals, a 3-axis motion platform, dual controls and a real Garmin G430 — plus a modern training fleet of 20+ aircraft we own outright: Cessna 162, Piper Warrior, Piper Arrow, Diamond DA20, Cirrus SR22 Turbo and the Piper Seminole twin.
Commercial training here is about standards, not just hours. Chandelles, lazy eights, eights-on-pylons and power-off 180° accuracy landings are flown to the Commercial Airman Certification Standards from day one, with an in-depth ground school and a full mock oral and practical before your checkride is ever scheduled.
Book your free, in-person consultation at our Van Nuys Airport location and we'll map your current logbook against the §61.129 requirements and give you a realistic date for your commercial checkride.
This is the standalone Commercial Pilot License course — not our $89,000 Airline Pilot Program. This $15,900 course covers the Commercial Single-Engine certificate only, for pilots who already hold a Private Pilot certificate. If you're starting from zero flight experience and want every rating through ATP — 1,500 hours, plus CFI, CFII and MEI so you can instruct for pay while you build them — see the Airline Pilot Program ($89,000) instead.
What's Included
Every Line Item, Added Up To $15,900
This is the whole course — aircraft, simulator, instruction, ground school, endorsements and checkride prep. Watch the running total build. Nothing is billed separately after enrollment.
Complete Course Cost
Hours By Activity
Exactly How Your 130 Program Hours Are Spent
Every hour in this course is scheduled, logged and signed off — not estimated.
Bars are scaled against the largest category (50 hours of dual instruction). Simulator time is loggable toward the Commercial certificate under §61.129(i)(1)(i) — up to 50 hours in an FAA-approved AATD.
FAA Requirements
What You Need To Earn The Certificate
Four gates stand between you and a Commercial Pilot Certificate. We audit your logbook against all of them at your free consultation.
Hold A Private Pilot Certificate
You must already be a certificated Private Pilot before starting commercial training. Don't have it yet? Start with our Private Pilot course.
250 Total Flight Hours
The FAA requires 250 total flight hours of logged time (or the alternate §61.129 requirement for approved Part 141 course completion), including the specific solo, cross-country, night and instrument experience listed in the regulation.
Pass The FAA Exams
Pass the FAA commercial knowledge (written) exam and the practical exam — the oral and flight checkride with a Designated Pilot Examiner.
Second-Class Medical Certificate
A valid FAA second-class medical certificate is required to exercise commercial privileges. We'll point you to an AME near Van Nuys.
Typical timeline to your commercial checkride if you already hold Private + Instrument and are flying consistently. Pilots still building toward 250 hours can stretch the course over a longer schedule — the price stays the same.
The Curriculum
What The Training Covers
Commercial flying is judged on precision. Every lesson is flown to Commercial ACS tolerances — roughly half the margin you were allowed as a private pilot.
Advanced Maneuvers
Chandelles, lazy eights, steep spirals, eights-on-pylons and power-off 180° accuracy landings — flown to commercial tolerances until they're repeatable, not lucky.
Complex & High-Performance Aircraft
Retractable landing gear, constant-speed propellers and 200+ horsepower airframes in the Piper Arrow and Cirrus SR22 Turbo, with the endorsements logged.
Instrument & Cross-Country Experience
Long commercial cross-countries, night operations and instrument proficiency work that satisfies the §61.129 aeronautical experience requirements.
In-Depth Ground School
30 hours of commercial aerodynamics, aircraft systems, performance and weight & balance, regulations, aeromedical factors and commercial operating privileges.
Full-Motion Simulator Scenarios
Engine failures, systems malfunctions, hard IFR and go-arounds in the Redbird MCX — practiced safely, repeated cheaply, and loggable toward your certificate.
Full Checkride Preparation
A complete mock oral and mock practical with a second instructor before you ever meet the examiner — plus DPE scheduling, IACRA and paperwork handled for you.
Cirrus SR22 Turbo
The most advanced piston single in the LA training market. Perspective+ glass, turbonormalized power and a whole-airframe parachute — the closest thing to a jet cockpit you can log commercial time in.
- Glass cockpit avionics and full autopilot integration
- High-performance endorsement training included
- Optional premium upgrade for commercial candidates
Commercial Cross-Countries Over Los Angeles
Your long commercial cross-countries run through some of the most demanding airspace in the United States — the LA Basin, coastal corridors and the high desert — with Bravo transitions, flight following and real controller workload every single flight.
- Day and night cross-country experience logged to §61.129
- Class B, C and D operations from a Class D home field
- Van Nuys (KVNY) — among the busiest GA airports in the world
Redbird MCX Full-Motion Simulator
An FAA-approved AATD with a 3-axis electric motion platform, 210° wraparound visuals, an enclosed cockpit, dual controls and a real Garmin G430. Twenty hours of your course happen here — and every hour counts.
- Loggable toward the Commercial certificate — up to 50 hrs under §61.129(i)(1)(i)
- Configurable for single- and multi-engine operations
- Emergencies and hard IFR practiced with the pause button available
Piper Seminole — Add The Multi-Engine Rating
Most commercial pilots add a multi-engine rating immediately after the CPL checkride, because that's what charter operators and airlines actually want to see. Our accelerated Seminole course runs Monday to the weekend.
- Accelerated 7-day course — $5,100 fixed cost
- Checkride scheduled before your first lesson
- Multi-Engine Discovery Flight available at $499
Where It Can Take You
What A Commercial Pilot License Lets You Do
The CPL is the first certificate that pays. Here's the work our commercial graduates go into while they build toward the 1,500 hours an airline requires.
Flight Instructor
Add a CFI certificate and get paid to build hours fast. We hire our own graduates — instructor positions are available in-house.
Most Common PathAerial Photography & Survey
Film, real-estate, mapping and pipeline/powerline patrol work — plentiful in Southern California.
Time BuildingBanner Towing & Traffic Watch
Seasonal, high-hour, low-barrier commercial flying along the LA coastline and freeways.
Time BuildingSightseeing & Tour Pilot
Fly paying passengers over the Hollywood Sign, Malibu and downtown LA under Part 91/135 operations.
Passenger OpsPart 135 Charter
On-demand charter and air-taxi flying — single- and multi-engine, often the first turbine step.
Career TrackCargo & Freight
Part 135 cargo runs, check hauling and light freight — night flying, hard IFR, real experience.
Career TrackCorporate & Ferry Flying
Business aviation, aircraft ferrying and owner-operator flying out of Van Nuys, the corporate capital of GA.
Career TrackRegional Airline First Officer
At 1,500 hours (or the reduced ATP minimums) the right seat of a regional jet opens up.
Airline GoalBefore & After the CPL
Where This Course Sits In Your Training
The Commercial Pilot License is one certificate in a longer path. Here's what pairs with it and what comes next.
Multi-Engine Rating
Add the twin rating airlines and charter operators want, in about a week. Accelerated 7-day course in the Piper Seminole: Redbird MCX simulator Monday–Tuesday, twin time Wednesday–Friday, FAA checkride Saturday or Sunday. Starts every Monday.
View The Multi-Engine Course Leads To · Full Career ProgramAirline Pilot Program
Zero experience to 1,500 hours. Every certificate and rating — Private, Instrument, Commercial single and multi, CFI/CFII/MEI, time building and ATP — in one structured program, so you finish able to instruct for pay and to apply at ATP minimums.
View The Airline ProgramInstrument Rating
Not legally required for the CPL, but effectively essential — and required for most commercial jobs. 20 hours of Redbird MCX simulator time included.
View The Instrument Course Required FirstPrivate Pilot License
You must hold a Private Pilot certificate before beginning commercial training. If you don't have one yet, this is your first step — and a discovery flight from $229 credits 100% toward it.
View The Private Pilot Course
Redbird MCX
20 Hours In A Full-Motion, FAA-Approved Simulator
The Redbird MCX is an FAA-approved Advanced Aviation Training Device — not a desktop game. It's an enclosed cockpit on a 3-axis electric motion platform with 210° wraparound visuals, dual controls and a real Garmin G430, configurable for single- and multi-engine operations.
- Simulator hours in this course20 Hours
- FAA credit toward CommercialUp to 50 hrs · §61.129(i)(1)(i)
- Visual system210° wraparound
- Motion3-axis electric platform
- AvionicsReal Garmin G430 · dual controls
- Redbird TD2 at homeFree to enrolled students
Finance Your Commercial Certificate
You don't have to pay $15,900 up front. Our financing partners approve most applicants without a co-signer, and the application uses a soft credit check that won't affect your score.
- Terms up to15 years
- Down payment from$2,500
- Credit checkSoft — no score impact
- Co-signerNot required for most applicants
- Interest ratesFixed or variable
- Prepayment penaltyNone
Discovery flight credit: 100% of a discovery flight credits toward your training when you enroll within 24 hours. Discovery flights start at $229.
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Questions
Commercial Pilot License FAQ
The complete course cost is $15,900. That's a fixed, itemized price covering 30 hours of single-engine flight time, 20 hours in the Redbird MCX full-motion simulator, 50 hours of dual instruction across aircraft and simulator, 30 hours of ground school and pre/post-flight briefings, plus your syllabus and materials, complex and high-performance endorsement training, and full checkride preparation. Financing is available up to 15 years from $2,500 down.
No. This $15,900 course is the standalone Commercial Pilot License for pilots who already hold a Private Pilot certificate. The $89,000 Airline Pilot Program is a complete zero-to-airline pathway that includes the Private, Instrument, Commercial, Multi-Engine, CFI/CFII/MEI certificates, time building to 1,500 hours and an ATP — so you finish able to instruct for pay while the logbook fills. If your goal is the airlines and you're starting from scratch, the Airline program is usually the better value; if you already fly and just need the commercial certificate, this is your course.
Typically 2 to 4 months if you already hold your Private Pilot certificate and Instrument Rating and can fly consistently. If you're still building toward the FAA's 250-hour total time requirement, the calendar timeline extends — but the course price does not change. We'll give you a realistic date at your free consultation after reviewing your logbook.
The FAA requires 250 total flight hours under 14 CFR §61.129, or the alternate aeronautical experience requirement available to students who complete an approved Part 141 course. Within that total there are specific requirements for pilot-in-command time, cross-country flying, night operations, instrument training and solo (or performing the duties of PIC) experience. We audit your logbook line by line against the regulation before you start.
You need a valid FAA second-class medical certificate to exercise commercial pilot privileges. You can train with a third-class medical, but you'll want the second-class in hand before your checkride. We can refer you to Aviation Medical Examiners near Van Nuys.
It isn't legally required to hold an Instrument Rating before the Commercial certificate — but without one, your commercial certificate carries a limitation prohibiting carrying passengers for hire on cross-countries over 50 nautical miles or at night. In practice, virtually every commercial job requires it. Most of our students complete the Instrument Rating ($11,700) first.
You can train in our Cessna, Piper or Diamond aircraft at the same rate. Complex and high-performance work is flown in the Piper Arrow and Cirrus SR22 Turbo. A premium upgrade to train primarily in the Cirrus SR22 Turbo — glass cockpit, turbonormalized engine, whole-airframe parachute — is available.
Our Redbird MCX is an FAA-approved Advanced Aviation Training Device (AATD). Under §61.129(i)(1)(i), up to 50 hours of AATD time may be credited toward the Commercial Pilot certificate. This course includes 20 hours in the MCX, and enrolled students also get free access to the Redbird TD2 at-home simulator.
Most career-track pilots do. Charter operators and airlines want multi-engine time, and our accelerated Multi-Engine course ($5,100) runs in about a week in the Piper Seminole — simulator Monday–Tuesday, twin time Wednesday–Friday, checkride on the weekend. Starting the Monday after your commercial checkride is a common plan.
The CPL is the first certificate that lets you be compensated for flying. Common first roles include flight instruction (we hire our own graduates), aerial photography and survey, pipeline and traffic patrol, banner towing, sightseeing and tour flying, and Part 135 charter or cargo operations. At 1,500 hours — or the reduced ATP minimums — regional airline first officer positions open up.
Yes. Financing is available with terms up to 15 years, down payments from $2,500, a soft credit check that won't affect your score, and no co-signer required for most applicants. Fixed or variable rates, with no prepayment penalty.
Book a free in-person consultation at our Van Nuys Airport location, or call (818) 290-8249. Bring your logbook — we'll audit it against §61.129, walk you through the aircraft and the Redbird MCX, and build you a realistic schedule and checkride target. No pressure, just answers.
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 Cirrus For Two
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
$399Book 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.
Courses & Pricing
The Rest Of What We Teach At Van Nuys
Course prices are packages, not hourly rates - the aircraft, your instructor, ground school and simulator time are all in the figure. Van Nuys Airport, KVNY. Financing Available Through Stratus & In-House Plans.
Start Here
Discovery Flight
The First Hour At The Controls. Credited Toward Your Training If You Enroll Within 24 Hours Of Landing.
All Prices In USD. 7900 Balboa Blvd, Suite 108A, Van Nuys, CA 91406 · Open 9 AM–9 PM, Seven Days. Free In-Person Tour Of The School
Van Nuys Airport · KVNY
Ready To Get Paid To Fly?
Bring your logbook to a free in-person consultation. We'll check it against the FAA's 250-hour requirement, show you the aircraft and the Redbird MCX, and put a realistic checkride date on the calendar.