Discovery Flight Terms & Conditions
Legal · LA Flight School
Discovery Flight Terms & Conditions
A Discovery Flight with LA Flight School is an introductory flight lesson — you fly the airplane under instruction. These are the terms that apply to it.
The short version
- A Discovery Flight is an introductory flight lesson, not a sightseeing tour. You fly the airplane, the time is loggable, and the full value credits toward training if you enrol.
- Weight limits are firm — 180 lbs for One and for Two (360 lbs combined), 200 lbs on the Cirrus SR22 (400 combined) and on the Piper Seminole (600 combined). Over the limit at check-in means the flight is charged in full and forfeited.
- Arrive 15 minutes early. More than 30 minutes late is a no-show and is charged in full.
- Non-refundable, but transferable free to anyone else with 48+ hours’ written notice. Reschedule free with 48+ hours; $50 inside 48 hours.
- Under 18 must be with a parent or legal guardian. Children under 5 cannot be carried. Bring photo ID — a passport if you are not a U.S. participant.
- If we cancel for weather, maintenance or safety, we reschedule you at no cost and your purchase never expires.
This box is a summary for convenience only. The numbered sections below are the terms that actually apply.
These terms apply to every Discovery Flight, introductory flight lesson and dual flight lesson booked with LA Flight School Inc, doing business as LA Flight School. Flights operate from Van Nuys Airport (KVNY) unless your booking confirmation states another airport.
1.What a Discovery Flight Is
A Discovery Flight is an introductory flight lesson. It is flight instruction, given by an FAA-certificated flight instructor, in a training aircraft. You sit in the pilot’s seat and you fly the airplane under instruction.
It is not a sightseeing tour, an air tour, or a charter flight, and we do not hold it out as one. You are a student receiving instruction, not a passenger being carried for hire. Your flight time is loggable toward a pilot certificate, and if you enrol in training with us, the full value of your Discovery Flight is credited toward that training.
Any accompanying person who does not receive instruction rides along as an observer, subject to the same eligibility and weight requirements set out below.
2.Our Flights, Capacity and Pricing
| Flight | Aircraft | People | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery Flight For One | Training aircraft assigned on the day | 1 | As shown on the booking page |
| Discovery Flight For Two | Training aircraft assigned on the day | 2 | As shown on the booking page |
| Luxury Discovery Flight | Cirrus SR22 | 2 | As shown on the booking page |
| Multi-Engine Discovery Flight | Piper Seminole | up to 3 | $499 covers 2 people · a third person is +$100 |
Each flight includes a preflight briefing, flight time with your instructor, and a debrief afterwards. Flight time may vary with weather, traffic and air traffic control instructions.
Prices, schedules and aircraft assignments are subject to availability and may change without notice. The price shown at the time you book is the price you pay.
3.Weight and Balance — Please Read Before You Book
Every aircraft has a certificated weight limit set by the manufacturer and enforced by the FAA. We cannot fly outside it, for any reason, for anyone. Please check these limits before you pay.
| Flight | Maximum per person | Maximum combined |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery Flight For One | 180 lbs | 180 lbs |
| Discovery Flight For Two | 180 lbs | 360 lbs |
| Luxury Discovery Flight (Cirrus SR22) | 200 lbs | 400 lbs |
| Multi-Engine Discovery Flight (Piper Seminole) | 200 lbs | 600 lbs |
Weight may be verified on arrival. If you exceed the published limit for the flight you booked, we cannot fly you. The booking is then treated the same way as a cancellation made inside 24 hours of the flight, and the full amount is charged and forfeited.
We will always try to move you to an aircraft that can carry you if one is available, and you may pay the difference in price. If you are close to a limit, call us on (818) 290-8249 before you book and we will help you choose the right flight. We would much rather have that conversation than turn you away at the door.
4.Who Can Fly
- Participants under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, who must sign the liability release on their behalf.
- Children under 5 cannot be carried. We cannot accommodate child safety seats.
- U.S. participants aged 18 and over must present a valid federal or state-issued photo ID. Non-U.S. participants must present a valid passport.
- Every participant must sign our Release of Liability before boarding.
- Participants may be subject to a safety search before boarding.
If you cannot meet these requirements on the day, the flight is forfeited under Section 6.
5.Arrival, Late Arrival and No-Shows
- Please arrive 15 minutes early.
- Arriving more than 30 minutes late is treated as a no-show. The flight is marked complete and charged in full.
- No-shows are charged in full.
6.Non-Refundable — But Transferable
All Discovery Flights, introductory flight lessons, dual flight lessons and gift certificates are non-refundable.
Instead of a refund, you may give your flight to someone else, free of charge, with at least 48 hours’ written notice to alex@laflightschool.com. The person receiving it must meet every requirement in Sections 3 and 4.
- Reschedule: free with 48+ hours’ notice. A $50 rebooking fee applies inside 48 hours.
- Cancel: cancellations inside 48 hours, and no-shows, are charged the full price.
- Gift certificates never expire and are freely transferable.
If you purchased through a third-party reseller, please contact that reseller directly. Full details are in our Return & Refund Policy.
7.Weather, Maintenance and Safety Cancellations
Your safety comes before your schedule. If weather, aircraft maintenance, airspace restrictions or any other safety consideration requires it, we may reschedule your flight or adjust the route. The pilot in command has final authority over the conduct of the flight.
If we cancel, we will reschedule you at no cost and your purchase stays valid indefinitely. No refund is issued — a safety cancellation is not a failure to deliver.
8.Right to Refuse Service
We may refuse service to anyone for any lawful reason, including intoxication, impairment, unsafe or abusive conduct, or a determination by the pilot in command that a person is unfit to fly. In those cases the person will not board and the flight is charged in full.
9.Chargebacks
You accept these terms before you pay, and we record that acceptance. If you have a concern about a charge, contact us first and give us 15 days to resolve it. A chargeback filed for an authorised charge, for a service offered in accordance with these terms, is a breach of this agreement — see Section 12 of our Return & Refund Policy for exactly what that means and what follows from it.
10.Personal Property and Liability
We are not responsible for personal property brought to the airport or carried on the aircraft. Flight training involves inherent risks, which are set out in full in the Release of Liability you will sign before you fly. Our liability is limited as described in our Terms of Service — including the California Civil Code § 1668 carve-outs, which we do not attempt to limit.
11.Governing Law and Venue
These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of the State of California. Any dispute will be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Los Angeles County, California. There is no arbitration clause, no class-action waiver and no jury-trial waiver.
12.Agreement
By booking, purchasing or participating in a flight with LA Flight School Inc, you confirm that you have read, understood and agreed to these Terms & Conditions, our Return & Refund Policy, our Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy.
Questions before you book? Call us.
LA Flight School Inc, doing business as LA Flight School7900 Balboa Blvd, Suite 108A, Van Nuys, CA 91406
Email: alex@laflightschool.com
Phone: (818) 290-8249
Hours: 9 AM – 9 PM, seven days a week
Based at Van Nuys Airport (KVNY) · Find us on Google Maps