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.
Van Nuys Airport · KVNY
Flight Training For Agoura Hills At Van Nuys Airport
Twenty-two miles of the 101 separate Agoura Hills from our hangar on Balboa Boulevard, and most of our Conejo Valley students make that drive before the marine layer lifts.
5.0★100+ reviews on Google
2,000+discovery flights flown safely
15+ yearsof FAA-certified instructing
100%credited if you enroll within 24 hours
Local
Why Agoura Hills Pilots End Up At Van Nuys
Agoura Hills is the last exit before Los Angeles County ends. From the 101 you can see Ladyface Mountain standing over the Kanan Road interchange, the horse property in Old Agoura, and the wildlife crossing spanning the freeway at Liberty Canyon. It is a town of roughly twenty thousand people wedged between the Simi Hills and the Santa Monica Mountains, and almost everyone here already commutes east for something. Adding a flight lesson to that habit is a smaller change than it sounds.
The nearer airport is Camarillo, fifteen miles west down the Conejo Grade, and plenty of Agoura Hills residents start there. The complication is the marine layer. Camarillo sits low on the Oxnard Plain and holds coastal cloud well into the morning through May and June, which turns a booked 8am lesson into a phone call. Van Nuys sits on the dry inland side of the Santa Monica Mountains. The same overcast that keeps Camarillo on the ground very often stops at the ridge.
The people booking lessons from this side of the county line are rarely twenty-two years old. They are Conejo Valley engineers, clinicians working at Los Robles, and people who sold a business in Westlake Village and finally have Tuesdays free. What they want is a schedule that holds. If you have ever had a lesson scrubbed for coastal cloud, you know why that matters more than any brochure. We are open nine to nine, seven days a week, which suits early risers and the after-work crowd equally.
Flying out of Van Nuys also puts your practice area almost on top of Agoura Hills. Turn southwest after departure and within ten minutes you are over Malibu Creek State Park, Century Lake and the ridgelines behind Paramount Ranch, holding steep turns with the Pacific filling the windshield. Head northwest instead and you have the Simi Hills and the Santa Susana Pass. Terrain, coastline and a busy tower frequency in one lesson is unusual anywhere else. From Agoura Hills it is just the local scenery.
Courses & Pricing
Every Course We Teach
★★★★★
5.0 Rating
100+ Google Reviews
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.
From$229
Book A Discovery Flight
01
Discovery Flight
The first hour at the controls; credits toward training if you enroll within 24 hours of landing.
From$229
02
Teen Flight Training Ages 10–15
Starting before it is legal to solo.
$4,200
03
Multi-Engine Rating
For existing pilots adding a twin.
$5,100
04
Solo Certificate
Enough training to take an aircraft around the pattern alone.
$5,500
05
Sport Pilot
A real certificate, fewer hours, narrower privileges.
$8,400
06
Private Pilot Most Enrolled
The one most people mean by “learn to fly.”
$10,900
07
Instrument Rating
Turns a fair-weather pilot into a useful one.
$11,700
08
Comprehensive Private Pilot
Private with flight time, ground instruction and materials bundled.
$15,900
09
Premium Private Pilot
The most flight time before your checkride - 80 logged hours.
$22,500
10
Airline Pilot Program
Zero experience to airline-hireable qualifications.
$89,000
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
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 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 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.
Getting Here
Driving From Agoura Hills To 7900 Balboa Blvd
It is one freeway and one exit. Join the 101 south-east at Reyes Adobe Road or Kanan Road, run past Calabasas, Woodland Hills and Tarzana, and come off at Balboa Boulevard. Turn north and stay on Balboa for about two miles, past the 101 and Victory, until the block wall on your right becomes airport fence. We are at 7900 Balboa Boulevard, Suite 108A. Twenty-two miles door to door, and no surface-street maze at either end.
Timing is the honest part. Before about seven in the morning, or after about seven in the evening, budget twenty-five minutes. In the weekday crush eastbound through the Calabasas grade and the Woodland Hills stretch, thirty-five to fifty is realistic. Nearly all our Agoura Hills students settle into early morning or evening slots for exactly this reason, and those hours also happen to give the smoothest air and the least pattern traffic at Van Nuys.
Parking is free and on site, in our own lot rather than a structure with a ticket machine. There is no shuttle, no terminal, no security line. You park, walk to Suite 108A, and your instructor is already pulling the aircraft out. If it is your first visit, call (818) 290-8249 from the Balboa gate and someone will walk you in. The whole point is that a lesson costs you a morning, not a day.
Why Van Nuys
Why Van Nuys Beats The Coastal Fields
1
The Ridge Stops The Cloud
Agoura Hills sits on the boundary. West of you, Camarillo and Oxnard spend late spring under low stratus that burns off around noon. Van Nuys, twenty miles inland and behind the Santa Monica Mountains, clears far earlier and far more often. Over a full private pilot course, that difference is measured in months rather than mornings.
2
A Real Control Tower From Lesson One
Van Nuys is one of the busiest general aviation airports in the world, with two parallel runways and a tower that is genuinely working. You learn to talk on a live frequency, hold short properly and fit into a sequence from the very beginning. Pilots trained at quiet fields have to learn all of that later, usually under pressure.
3
Terrain And Coast Within Ten Minutes
The Santa Monica Mountains behind Agoura Hills are a training asset. Ridge crossings, canyon wind, density altitude in summer and the shift from land to sea air are all a short hop from the field. You do not fly forty minutes to reach the interesting part of the lesson, which keeps the cost of each lesson honest.
4
Seven Aircraft Types On One Ramp
From the Cessna 162 through the Cirrus SR22 Turbo to the Piper Seminole and the Redbird MCX simulator, the whole progression sits on one ramp. You are not changing schools to add a rating, and you are not waiting on the only serviceable trainer. Aircraft availability is the quiet reason training timelines slip.
The Fleet
The Aircraft You Will Actually Fly
Most Agoura Hills students begin in the Cessna 162 Skycatcher or the Diamond DA20, both light, honest trainers that reward tidy handling. The Piper Warrior is there when you want a slightly heavier aircraft or a fourth seat, and your package covers the aircraft and the instructor together whichever you fly. These are the aircraft you will do your first solo in, and they are chosen because they are available and reliable rather than because they photograph well. Nothing frustrates a training schedule faster than a fleet of one.
Beyond the trainers the ramp gets more interesting. The Piper Arrow II has retractable gear and a constant-speed propeller, which is the complex time you need for a commercial certificate. The Cirrus SR22 Turbo and the twin-engine Piper Seminole sit alongside it, and the multi-engine rating flown in the Seminole is a $5,100 package. The Redbird MCX full-motion simulator lets you fly approaches into Camarillo or Santa Barbara in weather that would never be sensible in the real aircraft, for far less, and with the ability to pause and start again.
From The Air
What You See Flying Home Toward Agoura Hills
Four things that appear out the left window on the run southwest from Van Nuys.
⛰️
Ladyface Mountain
The blunt 2,000-foot peak that sits over the Kanan Road exit and marks the end of the valley floor. From the air it is the obvious pivot point for lining up on Agoura Hills.
🦌
Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing
The vegetated span that carries mountain lions and deer over ten lanes of the 101. It is one of the few structures in Los Angeles County that is more legible from 2,500 feet than from the ground.
🎬
Paramount Ranch
The old Western Town set and its surrounding grassland in Agoura Hills, rebuilt after the Woolsey Fire. The burn scar geometry across those hills is still clearly visible on a clear morning.
🌊
Malibu Creek And Century Lake
The green cut running south from Agoura Hills toward the ocean, with Century Lake sitting in the middle of it. Follow it and you are over Malibu inside four minutes.
FAQ
Common Questions
Twenty-two miles, essentially all of it on the 101 east. Outside peak hours it runs twenty-five to thirty minutes. In weekday traffic through Calabasas and Woodland Hills, allow thirty-five to fifty. Most students from Agoura Hills book early morning or evening lessons and never see the worst of it.
Distance is not the only cost. Camarillo sits on the Oxnard Plain and holds the marine layer late into the morning for much of May and June, so lessons get canceled. Van Nuys is inland behind the Santa Monica Mountains and usually clears far earlier. Over a full course, fewer canceled lessons finishes you sooner even with the extra miles.
Parking is free and it is our own lot at 7900 Balboa Boulevard, Suite 108A. There is no structure, no ticket and no shuttle. You park a short walk from the door, and on a normal lesson you are airborne inside twenty minutes of arriving.
The Standard Private Pilot program is $10,900. The Comprehensive package is $15,900 and the Premium is $22,500; the difference is instructor hours, simulator time and how much slack is built in for a busy schedule. Financing is available through Stratus Financial and we also run in-house payment plans. A free in-person consultation will tell you which is the right fit.
Yes. The time is loggable and counts toward the hours required for your certificate. Discovery Flight For One starts at $229 for sixty minutes, and For Two at $299. If you enroll in a training program within 24 hours of the flight, 100 percent of what you paid is credited against the course.
The practice areas sit over the Simi Hills to the northwest and the Santa Monica Mountains to the southwest. From either one you will pick out Ladyface Mountain, Malibu Creek, the Liberty Canyon crossing and the whole run of the 101 through the Conejo Valley. Students from Agoura Hills tend to recognize their own street inside the first few lessons.
That is what most of our Agoura Hills students do. We are open 9am to 9pm every day of the week, so lessons before work and lessons after work are both normal rather than a favor. Two to three flights a week is the pace that keeps skills building. One a fortnight means you spend the first half of each lesson catching up.
The in-person consultation is free and takes about thirty minutes. You see the aircraft, meet an instructor, and get an honest read on cost and timeline for your situation rather than a sales pitch. If you want to fly the same day, a Redbird simulator session is $189 for sixty minutes and a real discovery flight starts at $229.
Talk To Us
Book A Lesson From The Conejo Valley
If you can get to the Reyes Adobe on-ramp, you can be at the hangar door in about thirty minutes. Call (818) 290-8249 or book a discovery flight and we will hold you an early slot before the coastal cloud has a say.
Discovery Flight For One
$229
60 minutes, hands on the controls, fully loggable
Book A Discovery Flight
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
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.
SAFETY FIRST
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...
See Discovery Flight Details — $229
Reviews shown verbatim, exactly as each reviewer published them.
Aviation News
Latest From The Field
Notes from the flight line at Van Nuys — weather, regulation changes, checkride questions and the cost of training, written up as they come.
Van Nuys Airport · KVNY
(818) 290-8249
7900 Balboa Blvd. Suite 108A
Van Nuys, CA 91406 Get directions →
Open the full contact page
Open 7 days · 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Los Angeles Flight School7900 Balboa Blvd. Suite 108A
Van Nuys, CA 91406 Get directions →
★★★★★
5.0 · 100+ Google reviews