The full terms that apply to discovery flights, lessons and gift certificates booked with us, written plainly so there is nothing to discover on the day of your flight.
When you book a discovery flight you are not buying a seat on a scheduled service. You are reserving a specific aircraft, a specific instructor and a specific slot on a busy airfield, and all three are held out of the diary for you alone. If that slot goes unused an hour before it starts, nobody else can take it. That is the reason our cancellation terms are firmer than a retail purchase.
In exchange, we try to be genuinely flexible on the things you cannot control. Weather in the Valley changes, aircraft occasionally go unserviceable, and life gets in the way. If we cancel for any reason, you are rescheduled at no cost and nothing is forfeited. If you need to move a booking and you tell us in reasonable time, that is also free. The only charges that exist are for very late changes and for slots that are simply not used.
Everything below applies to Discovery Flights, dual flight lessons, introductory flights, simulator sessions and gift certificates. Prices and availability are subject to change without notice, though a certificate or booking already paid for is honored at the price you paid. If any of it is unclear, phone (818) 290-8249 between 9 AM and 9 PM and ask before you buy. We would far rather explain a term in advance than argue about it later.
This policy was last updated in April 2023. Anything not covered here is dealt with case by case and in your favor where we reasonably can. Reaching us is straightforward: email alex@laflightschool.com or call the office. Refund and rescheduling requests should go in writing so there is a record of the date and time you sent them.
Our Courses
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
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
CertificateMost Popular
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
Youth Program
Ages 10–15. For young people who want to start before they can legally solo.
$4,200 View Course
Milestone
Enough training to take an aircraft around the pattern alone. The day everything changes.
$5,500 View Course
Certificate
A real certificate with fewer hours and narrower privileges. The shortest honest route to flying yourself.
$8,400 View Course
Bundle
Private Pilot with flight time, ground instruction and study materials bundled into one price.
$15,900 View CourseBundle
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
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
Rating
For pilots already certificated who are adding a twin. Trained in our own Piper Seminole.
$5,100 View Course
Our Fleet
Diamond DA20, Cessna 162, Piper Arrow II and our Piper Seminole twin — all on the field at Van Nuys.
View The FleetThe Full Route
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
Book It Or Gift It
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
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
Two Seats
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
The Nice One
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
$499Book Or Gift
Same Price
Twin Engine
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, 360 lb combined. Questions: (818) 290-8249, 9 AM–9 PM, seven days.
Send the request in writing to alex@laflightschool.com, giving the name on the booking, the date and time of the flight and the new dates that would work. Do this at least 48 hours before your reservation and there is no charge at all. Inside 48 hours a $50 rebooking fee applies, because at that point the aircraft and instructor have already been taken out of the diary and are unlikely to be filled. Phoning (818) 290-8249 also works, but follow it up in writing.
If we are the ones canceling, you owe nothing and nothing is lost. Adverse weather and mechanical issues are the usual causes, and we reserve the right to reschedule to a later date or adjust the route for safety. Marine layer and wind at Van Nuys can change inside an hour, so occasionally the call is made shortly before your slot. You will be offered the next available time that suits you.
Refunds, where one is due, are processed to the original payment method and normally land within 10 business days. Banks and card issuers add their own processing time on top. If more than 15 business days have passed since we approved a refund and nothing has appeared, email alex@laflightschool.com with the booking details and we will chase it. For merchandise shipped into the European Union, a 14-day cancellation right applies, with the item returned unused and in its original packaging.
Discovery Flights, dual lessons, introductory flights and gift certificates are non-refundable once purchased. A booked slot removes an aircraft and an instructor from availability for everyone else, and it cannot be resold at short notice. The trade-off is that rescheduling is generous: with 48 hours notice you can move a flight as often as you reasonably need to.
A discovery flight includes a ground briefing before you get near the aircraft, and the slot behind yours belongs to someone else. Arriving half an hour late means the flight can no longer be flown properly inside the time booked. Flights in that position are marked completed and charged in full, so allow for traffic on Balboa Blvd and Sherman Way.
We reserve the right to refuse service, and the reasons are all safety ones: intoxication, impairment, or any other indication that a passenger is unfit to fly. Passengers may be subject to a safety search before boarding. Where service is refused on those grounds the flight may still be charged, since the slot has been used up either way.
All flights are subject to availability, and prices and schedules can change without prior notice as fuel, insurance and maintenance costs move. What does not change is a price you have already paid: a booking or gift certificate is honored at its purchase value regardless of what the current rate is when it is redeemed.
Your safety and your experience come ahead of the schedule, every time. If wind, visibility, ceiling or a mechanical issue means a flight should not go, it does not go, and we reschedule at no cost to you. We also reserve the right to adjust the route for safety, which happens more often than a full cancellation: a coastal run may become a Valley and mountain route if the marine layer is sitting over Santa Monica Bay. The flight time you paid for is still flown.
Aircraft substitution works the same way. There are seven aircraft on our line plus the Redbird MCX simulator, so if the airframe you were booked into goes unserviceable we can usually offer another of the same class at the same price on the same day. If the substitute is a more expensive type there is no extra charge. If the only option is a cheaper type and you would rather not, we simply reschedule and no fee applies.
These requirements are set by safety and by federal identification rules, and they are not negotiable on the day.
US passengers aged 18 and over must present a valid federal or state-issued photo ID. Non-US passengers must present a valid foreign passport; a driving license from another country is not accepted.
Maximum combined passenger weight is 360 lb, and individual weight for a Discovery Flight must not exceed 180 lb. Weight confirmation may be requested on arrival, since it feeds directly into the aircraft weight and balance calculation.
Passengers under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, and children under 5 are not permitted on flights. Child seats cannot be accommodated because there is no safe way to fit one in a light aircraft cabin.
Every passenger signs a liability release form before their flight, and a parent or guardian signs on behalf of a minor. It takes two minutes at the desk, and it is part of why we ask you to arrive ahead of your slot time.
No. Discovery Flights, dual flight lessons, introductory flights and gift certificates are non-refundable once purchased. What you can do is reschedule, free of charge with at least 48 hours notice, and there is no limit on how many times you reasonably need to do that. If the date no longer works, move it rather than canceling.
We cancel or reschedule at no cost to you, and nothing is forfeited. The decision is made by the instructor on duty against real conditions rather than a forecast, so the call sometimes comes shortly before your slot. You will be offered the next time that suits you, and we will hold your original price.
The vendor you bought from, not us. Third-party sellers set their own refund terms and process their own payments, so we cannot refund a transaction we did not take. We will still honor the flight itself and reschedule it under our normal terms.
Unfortunately not. We are not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged certificates or vouchers, nor for unauthorised use, and certificates are not replaced under any circumstances. Photograph the certificate when you receive it and keep the code somewhere safe. If it was emailed to you, the original message is usually recoverable from your archive.
Thirty minutes. Beyond that the flight is marked as completed and charged in full, because the briefing plus the flight will no longer fit inside your slot. If you are running late, call (818) 290-8249 straight away. Sometimes the schedule behind you allows a shortened flight, and we would rather try than write it off.
Refunds go back to the original payment method and are normally completed within 10 business days of approval. Your bank or card issuer then needs its own time to post the credit. If more than 15 business days have passed since approval and you still see nothing, email alex@laflightschool.com with the booking name and date and we will follow it up.
Yes, in most cases. Tell us the new passenger name in advance so we can prepare the paperwork and check the weight limits. The new passenger still needs valid photo identification and still signs the liability release. Transfers made inside 48 hours attract the $50 rebooking fee.
Yes. Dual flight lessons hold the same aircraft and instructor as any other booking, so the same notice period and the same $50 late rebooking fee apply. Enrolled students who need to move a lesson usually message their instructor directly, which is the quickest way to find a slot that works.
Call (818) 290-8249 between 9 AM and 9 PM any day, or email alex@laflightschool.com with your booking name and date. We answer policy questions before you buy as readily as after.
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.
Loved On Google
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...
Reviews shown verbatim, exactly as each reviewer published them.
Aviation News
Notes from the flight line at Van Nuys — weather, regulation changes, checkride questions and the cost of training, written up as they come.
Open 7 days · 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Los Angeles Flight SchoolFully Automated Booking
Our smart booking system shows real open dates and times. Pick yours online and you are confirmed straight away by text message and email.
Choose your time in the aircraft
You spend exactly 60 minutes in the aircraft.
Please book in advance. Aircraft and instructor time is reserved ahead, so choose your date early.
What you receive the moment you book
Text Message
You're booked! Discovery Flight, 60 min in the aircraft, on the date and time you chose. Details are in your email.
Email Confirmation
Example of the confirmations sent after booking.
