For Nervous Flyers · Van Nuys Airport

Afraid Of Flying? Meet The Airplane That Carries Its Own ParachuteFear Of Flying Program · Los Angeles

  • 20 min in a full-motion simulator. Pause anything, any time.
  • 60 min over Los Angeles in a Cirrus SR22 Turbo.
  • A parachute for the whole airplane. We show it to you before you fly.
  • You don’t have to fly. Your instructor handles takeoff and landing.
  • Bring a guest free. They sit right behind you.
  • $899 for 90 minutes. Book online. No phone call needed.
See How The Parachute Works
G5.0 Google · 100+ reviews
Our Cirrus SR22 Turbo N422SN in profile on the ramp at Van NuysCutaway of our Cirrus N422SN showing where the parachute system sits: red handle in the cabin ceiling, parachute container and rocket behind the baggage compartment, forward and rear harness straps, and the energy-absorbing seats and landing gear.
Figure 1 · Our Airplane, N422SN

Where The Parachute System Lives

  1. 1
    Red Handle

    In the cabin ceiling between the front seats. Firing it takes a deliberate pull of about 45 lb through 2 inches of travel.3

  2. 2
    Parachute Container

    Packed behind the baggage compartment, under a cover on top of the fuselage.3

  3. 3
    Rocket

    Fires up and aft, knocks the cover off and pulls the packed parachute out of the airplane.3

  4. 4
    Forward Harness

    Straps run forward from the container and pull out from under the fuselage skin as the canopy fills.3

  5. 5
    Rear Harness

    Held short at first to limit pitch-up, then lets out so the airplane settles into its touchdown attitude.3

  6. 6
    Built To Absorb Touchdown

    26G seats, composite landing gear, an airframe designed to absorb impact loads and a composite roll cage.3

Source for all six: Cirrus CAPS Guide (NTSB public docket)

How It Works

Your 90 Minutes, Minute By Minute

Step 1 · T+00:00About 10 min

Meet Your Instructor And The Cirrus

  • Arrive a few minutes early for your briefing
  • Talk through exactly what worries you
  • Walk around the Cirrus and see the parachute system up close
Cirrus SR22 Turbo N422SN with its door open on the ramp at Van Nuys
The Cirrus head-on with both gullwing doors open
Cowling and door detail on the Cirrus
The Cirrus with its doors raised on the ramp
Step 2 · T+00:1020 min

Feel It First In The Full-Motion Simulator

  • Redbird MCX full-motion simulator, on the ground at Van Nuys
  • Feel a takeoff, light turbulence and a landing
  • Pause or stop anything, any time
Two people flying the Redbird MCX simulator with the wraparound view ahead
The Redbird MCX on its full-motion base
Hands on the controls and the instrument panel in the simulator
Lined up on a runway in the simulator
Step 3 · T+00:3060 min

Fly Over Los Angeles In The Cirrus

  • Your instructor flies the takeoff and landing
  • Take the controls only if you want to
  • 60 minutes of engine-running time, including taxi and takeoff
Universal Studios Hollywood from the air
01Universal Studios
The Hollywood Sign on Mount Lee from the air
02The Hollywood Sign
Griffith Observatory on its ridge above Los Angeles
03Griffith Observatory
SoFi Stadium seen from just north of it
04SoFi Stadium, From Just North
LAX runways seen from the north side
05LAX, From The North Side
The Malibu coastline and Santa Monica Mountains at sunset
06The Malibu Coast

Landmarks shown in route order. Typical route, flown without landing anywhere but Van Nuys.

The Most Important Part

The Airplane Has Its Own Parachute

  • Every Cirrus SR22, including ours, carries the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS): a parachute big enough to lower the entire airplane and everyone in it.3
  • It’s built in at the factory as a last resort. The red handle sits in the ceiling right above the front seats.1
  • We show you every part of it on the walk-around, before you ever leave the ground.
Sources: Cirrus CAPS Guide · AOPA

The cutaway of our airplane is at the top of this page.

Figure 2 · The First Seconds

What Happens After The Handle Is Pulled

Swipe to see each step →

Deployment sequence drawn on our Cirrus profile: handle pulled, rocket pulls the parachute out and the lines stretch in under two seconds, the slider holds the canopy part-open while the nose pitches up, by about eight seconds forward speed is near zero with the nose low, then the airplane descends in its touchdown attitude at under 1,700 feet per minute.

Sources: timings from the Cirrus CAPS Guide3 and COPA flight-test data2. Canopy drawn smaller than life here so each step fits; Figure 3 shows true scale.

Figure 3 · True Scale

A Canopy Twice The Length Of The Airplane

True scale: the parachute is 55 to 65 feet across, about twice the length of the airplane. Under it the airplane descends at under 1,700 feet per minute and touches down with about the force of a 13-foot drop.

Sources: canopy diameter, descent rate and the 13-foot touchdown comparison from the Cirrus CAPS Guide3. Drawn to scale against the SR22’s 26-ft length from Plane & Pilot7.

Figure 4 · Height Matters

How Much Room The System Needs

Altitude ladder: a flight-test deployment used about 400 feet from level flight and 920 feet from a spin. COPA reports no deaths in deployments above 1,000 feet within speed limits. Cirrus recommends pulling at or above 2,000 feet.

Sources: flight-test heights from the Cirrus CAPS Guide3; the 1,000 ft record from COPA2; the 2,000 ft recommendation from AOPA1.

13×
More likely to survive

a Cirrus accident when the parachute is used2

Source: COPA
0
Deaths above 1,000 ft

in deployments made within speed limits2

Source: COPA
−62%
Fatal accident rate

Cirrus fleet, 2012 to 20184

Source: AvWeb
≈13 ft
Touchdown feels like

a drop of about 13 feet under the canopy3

Source: Cirrus CAPS Guide
269
People saved worldwide

in 132 deployments, through Dec 31, 20241

Source: AOPA
< 2 sec
Pull to full lines

from handle pull to fully stretched lines3

Source: Cirrus CAPS Guide
Figure 5 · Fleet Record

Fatal Accident Rate Fell 62% As Pilots Trained To Pull

Cirrus fleet fatal accident rate fell from 1.6 per 100,000 flight hours in 2012 to 0.6 in 2018, a 62 percent drop, below the U.S. general aviation average of 0.98.

Source: rates as reported by AvWeb from COPA and NTSB data4. COPA notes that comparing one airplane type with another is only approximate6.

Also Built Into Every SR22

  • 26G energy-absorbing seats
  • Composite landing gear
  • An airframe designed to absorb impact loads
  • A composite roll cage
Source: Cirrus CAPS Guide
The Airplane

The Cirrus You’ll Fly

  • N422SN Cirrus SR22 Turbo at Van Nuys
  • Glass cockpit Garmin Perspective
  • CAPS whole-airframe parachute
Our Cirrus SR22 Turbo in the hangar at Van Nuys
Our Cirrus SR22 Turbo in the hangar at Van Nuys
Head-on with both gullwing doors open
Head-on with both gullwing doors open
Cowling and door detail
Cowling and door detail
N422SN in profile
N422SN in profile
Doors open on the ramp
Doors open on the ramp
Three-blade prop and nose
Three-blade prop and nose
Ready to board
Ready to board
Head-on in the hangar
Head-on in the hangar
Left side in the hangar
Left side in the hangar
Front quarter on the hangar floor
Front quarter on the hangar floor
Cirrus SR22 Turbo with doors raised, front quarter view
In The Front Seat

Why Sitting Up Front Changes How Flying Feels

  • Most fear comes from not knowing what’s happening and having no say in it
  • Up front, you see every instrument and hear every radio call
  • Ask what any sound means the moment you hear it
  • Hold the controls for ten seconds or forty minutes, and hand them back any time
Westwood and the Wilshire corridor at golden hour from the air
Guest Included

Bring Someone You Trust. They Come Along Free.

  • One guest included in the $899
  • They watch your simulator session
  • They sit right behind you in the Cirrus
  • Afterwards, you have someone who saw you do it
No Surprises

What You’ll Hear And Feel, Explained

On Takeoff

The Engine Gets Loud

Full power for the climb. Loud is normal; quiet would be strange.

Top Of The Climb

The Engine Note Drops

Power comes back for cruise. Nothing has stopped.

Over The Hills

A Few Bumps

Air flowing over terrain, like water over rocks. Mornings are usually smoothest.

In Your Headset

Fast Radio Calls

Van Nuys Tower talking to us and other aircraft. Ask anything.

An Honest Fit Check

Is This Program Right For You?

A Good Fit If…

  • You avoid flying, or white-knuckle every trip
  • You want to understand what the airplane is doing
  • You’ve wondered about learning to fly but the nerves got there first
  • You want a calm, private first step with someone you trust beside you

Talk To A Professional First If…

  • Panic attacks are affecting your daily life
  • A medical condition makes flying unsafe for you right now

We’re pilots, not therapists. This program pairs well with professional care, but it doesn’t replace it.

Fear Of Flying Program
$899

90 minutes · simulator + Cirrus · guest included

G5.0 Google · 100+ reviews
  • 90 minutes at Van Nuys Airport, start to finish
  • 20 minutes in the Redbird MCX full-motion simulator
  • 60 minutes in the Cirrus SR22 Turbo (engine-running time)
  • A walk-around of the airplane and its parachute system
  • One guest included at no extra cost
  • Fly the controls as much or as little as you like
  • Book online, instant confirmation, no phone call needed
FAQ

Fear Of Flying Program Questions

What Happens During The Fear Of Flying Program?

You meet your instructor, talk through what worries you and walk around the Cirrus, including its parachute system. Then you spend 20 minutes in our full-motion simulator and 60 minutes flying over Los Angeles in the Cirrus SR22 Turbo. Plan on 90 minutes in total.

Is The Cirrus Safe?

Every Cirrus SR22 carries a parachute for the whole airplane, plus 26G seats, composite landing gear and a composite roll cage. Across the worldwide fleet, COPA reports you are 13 times more likely to survive a Cirrus accident when the parachute is used. It has also been the best-selling airplane in its class for 24 years in a row.2,3,5

Sources: COPA · Cirrus CAPS Guide · FLYING

Has The Parachute Actually Saved Lives?

Yes. AOPA reports that CAPS has been credited with saving 269 people in 132 deployments worldwide, as of December 31, 2024. That is a total for every Cirrus flying, not a number from our school.1

Source: AOPA

Are These Safety Numbers From LA Flight School?

No. Every safety figure on this page describes the worldwide Cirrus fleet and comes from AOPA, the Cirrus Owners & Pilots Association, Cirrus or AvWeb. Each one is numbered and linked at the bottom of the page so you can check it yourself.

What Does Landing Under The Parachute Feel Like?

Cirrus says the airplane comes down at under 1,700 feet per minute and that touchdown is about like dropping from 13 feet. The seats, landing gear and airframe are designed to absorb it.3

Source: Cirrus CAPS Guide

Do I Have To Fly The Airplane?

No. Your instructor handles the takeoff and landing, and the controls are yours only if you want them. Some people fly for a while; some just watch. Both count.

Can I Bring Someone With Me?

Yes, and we encourage it. One guest is included in the $899. They watch your simulator session and sit right behind you in the Cirrus.

What If I Panic Or Want To Stop?

Tell your instructor. In the simulator we pause instantly. In the air we can level off, slow down or head back to Van Nuys. You set the pace.

Will This Help Me On Airline Flights?

Many nervous flyers find that understanding the sounds, the bumps and how an airplane stays in the air changes how airline travel feels. We can’t promise a cure, but you’ll know far more about what’s happening on your next flight.

Is This Therapy?

No. We’re flight instructors, not therapists. If anxiety is affecting your daily life, talk to a licensed professional. This program works well alongside that care.

What Does The Full-Motion Simulator Feel Like?

The Redbird MCX tilts and moves with the controls, so a takeoff, a turn or a bump feels real, but you never leave the ground. Your instructor can keep it calm and pause it any moment.

How Do I Book?

Choose your date and time on the calendar and check out online. Your booking is confirmed instantly, with no phone call needed. Arrive a few minutes early at Van Nuys Airport for your briefing.

Keep Reading

More For Nervous Flyers

Aircraft safetyIs The Cirrus Safe? The Parachute, ExplainedFrom $189The Fear Of Flying Simulator SessionThe full guideFear Of Flying: What It Is And What HelpsFrom pilotsHow To Overcome Fear Of Flying: 8 Steps
The Malibu coastline at sunset from the air

Your Next Flight Can Feel Different

  • A simulator you can pause
  • An airplane with its own parachute
  • Someone you trust right behind you
Sources

Where Every Safety Number Comes From

  1. 1
    AOPA, “What Am I? CAPS,” Flight Training, August 2025

    269 people saved in 132 deployments as of Dec 31, 2024; red lever overhead between pilot and passenger; Cirrus recommends pulling at or above 2,000 ft.

  2. 2
    Cirrus Owners & Pilots Association, “About CAPS”

    13× more likely to survive when CAPS is used; no deaths in deployments above 1,000 ft and below 200 KIAS; forward speed to zero in about 8 seconds; ~1,700 ft/min descent.

  3. 3
    Cirrus Aircraft, “Guide To The Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS)” (NTSB public docket)

    Handle location and 45 lb pull; container behind the baggage compartment; rocket, harness and slider sequence; under 2 seconds to full lines; 55–65 ft canopy; 13-ft drop equivalent; 400 ft and 920 ft test heights; 26G seats, composite gear, roll cage.

  4. 4
    AvWeb, “Cirrus At 25: A Safer Airplane?” (updated May 2025)

    Cirrus fleet fatal accident rate 1.6 per 100,000 hours in 2012 and 0.6 in 2018; NTSB general aviation average 0.98.

  5. 5
    FLYING, “Cirrus Again Tops GA Aircraft Deliveries In 2025,” March 2026

    11,000th SR-series airplane delivered in 2025; best-selling high-performance single-engine piston airplane for 24 consecutive years.

  6. 6
    Cirrus Owners & Pilots Association, “Cirrus Accident Statistics”

    About 2.7 million fleet flight hours over 36 months; COPA cautions that comparisons between airplane types are approximate.

  7. 7
    Plane & Pilot, “Cirrus SR22-G3” specifications

    Overall length 26 ft, wingspan 38 ft 4 in, used to draw Figure 3 to scale.

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.

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