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
Pilot Gifts And Flight Experiences At Van Nuys
Give somebody an hour at the controls of a real airplane instead of another object; certificates arrive by email and the recipient books whenever it suits them.
5.0★120+ reviews on Google
2,000+discovery flights flown safely
Loggabletime toward a real license
9 AM–9 PMphones answered daily
Local
Why A Flight Beats Another Aviation-Themed Object
Anyone who loves airplanes already owns the mug, the model on the shelf and the book about the Spitfire. What they almost certainly have not had is an hour in the left seat of a real aircraft over Los Angeles with their hands on the controls. That is the gift on this page. It is not a scenic ride with someone else flying and a window seat for you; the person you are buying for does the flying, from the takeoff roll onward, with an FAA-certified instructor beside them.
The practical advantages over a physical present are considerable. Nothing needs shipping, nothing arrives in the wrong size, and nothing has to be hidden in a cupboard until the day. The certificate goes out by email, so a gift decided on the morning of a birthday still works. The recipient then rings us and books a date that suits their calendar and the weather, rather than being handed an appointment they have to rearrange around work.
It also has a second life that most gifts do not. Every minute flown on a discovery flight is loggable time that counts toward a pilot certificate, so if the person you are buying for catches the bug, the hour was the first hour of their training rather than a day out. If they enroll with us within 24 hours, the entire cost of the flight comes off the price of their program. Plenty of our current students started as somebody else's present.
We fly from 7900 Balboa Blvd, Suite 108A on the western edge of Van Nuys Airport, and we have flown more than 2,000 discovery flights safely. The office is open 9 AM to 9 PM seven days a week, which means gift buyers can ring at the awkward hours that gift buying actually happens in. If you are unsure which experience suits the person, describe them on the phone and we will tell you honestly which one to buy.
Courses & Pricing
Every Course We Teach
★★★★★
5.0 Rating
120+ 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, 360 lb combined. Questions: (818) 290-8249, 9 AM–9 PM, seven days.
Getting Here
How Buying And Redeeming A Gift Works
Buying takes a few minutes. Choose the experience and the duration, pay, and the certificate is issued by email with a reference on it. You can have it sent to yourself if you would rather print it and hand it over, or forward it directly to the recipient. If you want it timed for a particular morning, tell us and we will work to that. Ring (818) 290-8249 between 9 AM and 9 PM if you would rather arrange it by phone.
Redeeming is the recipient's job, which is deliberate. They call us, we find a slot that fits their week, and we ask a few practical questions: how many passengers, everybody's approximate weight so the aircraft is loaded correctly, and whether they have any flying experience. Weekend mornings book up first, so a few weeks' notice helps. Weekday slots and evenings are usually available at shorter notice and fly just as well.
On the day they should arrive about twenty minutes early, wearing something comfortable and flat shoes, with photo identification. Parking on site is free. There is a proper pre-flight briefing at Suite 108A, a walk around the aircraft, and then the flight itself, with the whole visit taking around twice the flying time. Passengers are welcome to wait in the office and to photograph the departure from the ramp side of the fence.
Why Van Nuys
What Makes This An Easy Gift To Get Right
1
No Sizing, No Shipping, No Guessing
The certificate is emailed, so there is nothing to post and nothing to return. It works equally well as a planned present and as a rescue on the morning of a birthday. The only decision you actually have to make is which aircraft and how long, and we will help with that on the phone.
2
They Fly It Themselves
This is the part that surprises people. After the instructor handles the takeoff, the controls are handed over, and the recipient flies the airplane, makes the turns and holds the heading. It is a genuinely different experience from being a passenger, and it is the reason people remember the hour years later.
3
The Date Is Theirs To Pick
Nobody wants a gift that comes with an appointment they must rearrange their life around. Your recipient rings us when they are ready and chooses a slot that suits them and the weather. If conditions are poor on the day, we reschedule rather than fly something disappointing or uncomfortable.
4
It Can Turn Into Something Bigger
The hour is logged toward a pilot certificate, and if the recipient decides to train with us within a day of flying, the full cost of the flight comes off their program. Training here starts at $5,500 for the Solo Certificate and $8,400 for a Sport Pilot License.
The Fleet
The Aircraft Your Gift Can Be Flown In
Most discovery flights go out in the Cessna 162 Skycatcher, the Diamond DA20 or the Piper Warrior. The 162 and the DA20 are two-seaters with excellent visibility, which makes them the natural choice for a flight for one. The Warrior is a four-seat low-wing airplane and the usual aircraft for a flight for two, since it takes a passenger in the back comfortably and carries more weight, something worth mentioning when you book.
For the gifts at the top of the range the aircraft is the occasion. The Cirrus SR22 Turbo has a full glass cockpit, leather seats and an airframe parachute, and it flies noticeably faster and more smoothly than a trainer, so a ninety-minute flight covers a great deal of coastline. The twin-engine Piper Seminole is the enthusiast's choice, with two engines, retractable gear and the sort of cockpit that impresses somebody who already knows what they are looking at.
From The Air
Occasions This Works Particularly Well For
These are the reasons people most often give when they ring us to buy one.
🎂
A Milestone Birthday
Thirtieth, fortieth, sixtieth, or the eighteenth of somebody who has been building model aircraft since they were six. A flight is one of the few presents that a person genuinely cannot buy themselves without feeling self-indulgent about it.
🎓
Graduation
A clean marker between one part of life and the next, and a good moment to find out whether aviation is more than an interest. If it turns out to be a career, the hour flown is already the first hour in the logbook.
💍
An Anniversary Or A Proposal
The Luxury Cirrus For Two at $499 for sixty minutes is the one people choose for this, usually with the coastal route toward Malibu. Tell us in advance if something is planned and we will make sure the timing and the route cooperate.
👨👧
A Parent, Or A Grandparent
People who flew years ago, or who always meant to and never did, respond to this more strongly than almost anyone. Discovery Flight For Two lets you go with them, which is usually the point of buying it.
FAQ
Common Questions
By email, with a reference the recipient quotes when they book. You can have it sent straight to them or to yourself if you would rather present it in person. There is nothing physical to ship, which means a certificate bought this morning can be given this afternoon. Ring (818) 290-8249 if you need it timed precisely.
They call (818) 290-8249 between 9 AM and 9 PM, any day of the week, and we find a slot that fits. We will ask how many people are coming, what everybody weighs approximately, and whether they have flown before. Weekend mornings go first, so a little notice helps if that is what they want.
Discovery flights and gift certificates are non-refundable, so please choose the experience carefully or ring us first if you are unsure. What we can do is help the recipient find a date that works, and reschedule if the weather or maintenance interferes. If you bought through a third party, contact that vendor about their own terms.
We reschedule, at no cost. Safety and the quality of the experience both come first, and nobody enjoys an hour of turbulence and murk. We may also adjust the route on the day for safety or traffic reasons. If you need to change the date yourself, let us know at least 48 hours ahead by email or phone.
For most people, Discovery Flight For One at $229 or For Two at $299 for sixty minutes is the right starting point. Go to ninety minutes if you want the coast included rather than glimpsed. Choose the Cirrus at $499 if the occasion is significant, and the Seminole at $499 if the recipient already flies.
There is no minimum age to take a discovery flight, and children fly with us regularly, though a passenger needs to be able to sit properly in a seat harness and wear a headset. There is no upper age limit at all. If you are buying for a young child, ring us first and we will talk through what works.
Every light aircraft has a weight and balance limit, and it varies by aircraft, so we ask for approximate weights when the flight is booked rather than turning anybody away on the day. Larger passengers are usually best flown in the Piper Warrior or the Cirrus. Just tell us when booking and we will match the airplane.
Not remotely. Most people who take a discovery flight have no intention of training and simply want to see Los Angeles from the front seat of a small airplane. The flight is designed to be enjoyable on its own terms. That the hour also counts toward a certificate is a bonus rather than the point.
Talk To Us
Buy A Flight, Not Another Ornament
Call (818) 290-8249 between 9 AM and 9 PM any day and we will help you pick the right experience and send the certificate within minutes. Tell us who it is for and we will tell you honestly what to buy.
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 120 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 · 120+ Google reviews