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 guide
Flying Out Of Van Nuys Airport
Van Nuys Airport (VNY) is one of the busiest general aviation airports in the world and the home base for LA Flight School. It has a control tower, two parallel runways and airspace that sits between the Burbank Class C and the LAX Class B. Here is what flying out of VNY is like, from your first taxi to your first cross-country.
KVNY · Class DRunways 16R/34L & 16L/34RSan Fernando Valley
8,001 ftrunway 16R/34L, the longer of the two parallel runways
4,013 ftrunway 16L/34R, the shorter parallel runway
1928the year Van Nuys Airport opened
Class Dtowered airspace, with Class C and Class B nearby
The direct answer
What Is It Like To Fly Out Of Van Nuys Airport?
Flying out of Van Nuys Airport means training at a busy towered airport from your very first lesson. You talk to the tower on every flight, share the airport with business jets, helicopters and other trainers, and fly next to some of the most complex airspace in the country. Pilots who learn here tend to be comfortable on the radio and confident in busy airspace by the time they reach their checkride.
The airport sits in the middle of the San Fernando Valley and is owned by the City of Los Angeles through Los Angeles World Airports. The Valley often stays clear when the coast is under the marine layer, so many mornings you can fly from Van Nuys while coastal airports are still waiting for the clouds to lift.
Runways and tower
Two Parallel Runways And A Busy Tower
Van Nuys has two parallel runways. Runway 16R/34L is 8,001 feet long and handles most jet traffic. Runway 16L/34R is 4,013 feet long and is used by many light aircraft. The tower can run both at once, so you learn early to listen for your runway assignment and to watch for traffic on the parallel.
Because VNY is towered Class D airspace, every departure and arrival starts with a radio call. Your instructor handles the radio on your first flights, then hands it to you as your confidence grows. By solo, calling ground and tower is routine.
Before every flight, check the current Chart Supplement, NOTAMs and ATIS for frequencies, runway use and any closures. Your instructor will show you exactly how.
Airspace
The Airspace Around Van Nuys
Three kinds of controlled airspace meet within a few miles of the field.
Class D At Van Nuys
The tower's airspace around VNY. You need two-way radio contact before you enter it. See our Class D airspace guide.
Class C At Burbank
Hollywood Burbank Airport sits a few miles east. Its Class C airspace needs two-way radio contact with approach control before you enter.
Class B At LAX
The LAX Class B shelves lie to the south. You need an ATC clearance to enter, so most training flights stay below or around it. See airspace classes explained.
Where you will fly
Where You Fly From Van Nuys
A few of the flights students make from VNY.
PRACTICE AREAS
Maneuvers Away From The Busiest Airspace
Most air work, from slow flight to stalls, is flown in practice areas outside the busiest airspace, a short flight from the field.
PATTERN WORK
Landings At Nearby Airports
Students practice takeoffs and landings at VNY and at other airports around the Valley and Ventura County to see different runways and procedures.
CROSS-COUNTRY
Santa Barbara, Catalina And Beyond
Private pilot cross-country flights often go up the coast to Santa Barbara, out to Catalina Island or over the mountains to the high desert.
Good neighbors
Noise Abatement At Van Nuys
Van Nuys sits in a residential area, and the airport runs a noise abatement program for all operators. Pilots are asked to follow the published noise procedures and avoid unnecessary low flying over homes. Your instructor covers the current procedures during your first lessons, and following them is part of every flight we fly.
See Van Nuys From The Left Seat
On a discovery flight you take off from Van Nuys, fly over Los Angeles with the controls in your hands and hear exactly how pilots work with the tower. No experience needed.
Discovery flight
$229
60 minutes · 7900 Balboa Blvd, Suite 108A, Van Nuys
FAQ
Flying Out Of Van Nuys Airport: Common Questions
Short answers about the airport, its runways and its airspace.
Yes. Van Nuys is a busy towered airport with two parallel runways, so you practice radio calls and traffic awareness on every flight. Pilots who learn here are used to controlled airspace long before their checkride.
Runway 16R/34L is 8,001 feet long and runway 16L/34R is 4,013 feet long.
Van Nuys has Class D airspace around the field, controlled by the Van Nuys tower. The Burbank Class C airspace lies to the east and the LAX Class B shelves lie to the south.
Yes. Van Nuys is a towered airport, so every departure and arrival needs two-way radio contact with the tower. Your instructor handles the radio on your first flights and teaches you to take it over.
LA Flight School is at 7900 Balboa Blvd, Suite 108A, Van Nuys, CA, on the field at Van Nuys Airport. Call (818) 290-8249 to book a lesson or a discovery flight.
Yes. A discovery flight from Van Nuys starts at $229. You fly the airplane over Los Angeles with an instructor beside you, and no experience or medical certificate is needed.
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
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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 →
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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