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.
FAA Multi-Engine Add-On · North Hollywood
Multi-Engine Rating Near North Hollywood
A short add-on rating in the Piper Seminole for pilots who already hold a private or commercial certificate, flown from Van Nuys eight miles west of North Hollywood.
2,000+Discovery flights flown safely
5.0★Our Google rating, 100+ reviews
15 minFrom North Hollywood to the flight line
9AM–9PMSeven days a week at KVNY
Multi-Engine Rating · North Hollywood, Los Angeles County
The Twin Add-On, Eight Miles From Lankershim
If you already hold a private or commercial certificate you know what this rating is and what it is not. It is $5,100, flown in a Piper Seminole out of Van Nuys, and nearly all of it is asymmetric thrust: identifying the failed engine, controlling the yaw, understanding how Vmc moves with weight, altitude, bank angle and configuration, and being realistic about what a light twin will actually climb at on one engine.
Pilots from North Hollywood usually keep their aircraft or their currency somewhere else, whether that is Burbank, Whiteman up in Pacoima, or a club on the other side of Van Nuys. Coming to us for the twin disturbs none of that. It is a self-contained block of training, typically five to eight flight hours plus the ground work, and you leave with a rating added to the certificate you already hold.
Density altitude is the part pilots from cooler places underestimate here. On a July afternoon at Van Nuys the Seminole's single-engine climb rate is a number to respect rather than a figure in a table, and the training is built around that rather than around a sea-level standard day. We fly the engine-out work where there is height and open ground to do it properly, not over the top of anybody's neighborhood.
How It Works
How The Rating Is Put Together — Start To Certificate
Five stages, best flown on consecutive days while the handling is still fresh.
1
Ground And Systems
The Seminole specifically: fuel and electrical systems, the counter-rotating propellers and what they buy you, feathering and the accumulators, single-engine service ceiling, and the performance charts you will be asked about. Three to four hours, and better done before the first flight than alongside it.
2
Normal Twin Operations
Starts, taxi on two engines, the takeoff briefing that now actually matters, cruise handling, shutdowns and general airwork. Most pilots find the Seminole flies pleasantly and lands like a slightly heavy single. This stage is short and is mostly about getting comfortable with the extra levers.
3
Engine Failures And Vmc
The core of the rating. Failures on the runway, after rotation, in the climb and in the cruise. Identify, verify, feather, secure. Vmc demonstrations flown at altitude, drag demonstrations, and single-engine approaches and go-arounds repeated until the response is automatic rather than considered.
4
Instrument Work
If you hold an instrument rating, you fly single-engine approaches under the hood, which is where the real workload shows up and where the rating earns its keep. If you do not hold one, this stage is shorter and the rating comes out VFR-only. Adding the instrument rating separately is $11,700.
5
The Checkride
An oral covering systems, performance and aerodynamics, then a flight with a designated examiner who will spend most of it on asymmetric handling. Most pilots arrive at the checkride with five to eight hours in the aircraft, which is what the $5,100 is built around.
Transparent Pricing
Multi-Engine Rating Pricing For North Hollywood Students
Every figure below is the real, published price. No "call for a quote," no hidden block-time minimums.
Add-On Rating
Multi-Engine Rating
Add multi-engine privileges to your existing private or commercial certificate, in our twin-engine Piper Seminole.
$5,100complete
- ✓Piper Seminole twin-engine trainer
- ✓Engine-out procedures & Vmc demos
- ✓Ground instruction included
- ✓Checkride preparation
- ✓Typically finished in 2–3 weeks
Already Rated And Current?
Aircraft are available to qualified pilots who have checked out with us — call for availability.
Callfor availability
- ✓Piper Seminole, wet
- ✓Checkout with one of our instructors required
- ✓Available 9AM–9PM daily
Fly The Twin First
Not rated yet? Take a Multi-Engine Discovery Flight and fly the Seminole hands-on.
$49960 min
- ✓Hands-on in the Seminole
- ✓Real multi-engine fundamentals
- ✓90 min $699 · 120 min $899
The multi-engine rating is the cheapest serious step in aviation — at $5,100 it is roughly half the cost of the private pilot certificate and it is the rating that unlocks the professional path. If you already hold a private or commercial certificate, this is the highest-return two weeks you can spend.
Getting Here From North Hollywood
15 Minutes And 8 Miles From North Hollywood
Victory Boulevard west from North Hollywood to Balboa Boulevard, then north for about a mile and a half. 7900 Balboa is on the right between Saticoy and Roscoe with the airport immediately behind it. Eight miles, fifteen minutes off-peak. Sherman Way and Vanowen are both sensible alternatives if Victory is stacked up around Van Nuys Boulevard in the late afternoon.
If you would rather fly in from Burbank or Whiteman, call ahead and we will sort out somewhere to put your aircraft while you train. Driving, the lot in front of the building is free and on site and the walk to Suite 108A takes about thirty seconds. Book morning blocks where you can: the air is smoother and the density altitude is considerably kinder to the engine-out work.
Book A Discovery Flight
Book Your Discovery Flight From North Hollywood
Pick your aircraft, pick a date and time, and you are on the schedule. You fly the airplane yourself with an FAA-certified instructor beside you — and every flight is 100% credited toward training if you enroll within 24 hours.
No Weather Cancellations
Redbird Simulator
$189
1 hour
Full-motion simulator with an instructor. No weight limit, no medical needed.
Reserve →
Most Popular
Discovery Flight For One
$229
60 minutes
You in the pilot's seat over Los Angeles, hands on the controls the whole way.
Book Now →
Most Gifted
Discovery Flight For Two
$299
60 minutes
One of you flies hands-on, the other takes in the skyline. Share the story.
Book Now →
The Showstopper
Luxury Discovery Flight
$499
60 minutes
Premium Cirrus SR22 glass cockpit and extended air time over the LA basin.
Book Now →
The Pro Move
Multi-Engine Discovery
$499
60 minutes
Twin-engine Piper Seminole and a genuine look at the professional path.
Book Now →
The Aircraft You'll Fly
The Seminole, And The Rest Of The Flight Line
The rating is flown in the Piper Seminole, a PA-44 with counter-rotating propellers, which is why it is the standard multi-engine trainer and why losing an engine presents the same problem on either side. It rents at $649 an hour once you hold the rating, and it is the same aircraft used for our multi-engine discovery flights from $499 for sixty minutes.
If you want to stay current on something else while you are here, the Cirrus SR22 Turbo is $649 an hour with a glass cockpit and a whole-airframe parachute, the Piper Arrow II is $349, the Diamond DA20 is $329, and the Cessna 162 Skycatcher and Piper Warrior are $269. The Redbird MCX full-motion simulator is useful for procedures and instrument work between flights.
What You'll See From The Air
The Ground Under The Practice Area
Four references you will use while most of your attention is inside the cockpit.
🏌️
The Sepulveda Basin
The wide flood basin just southeast of the field, with the golf courses, the lake and the recreation area. It is the largest piece of open ground near the airport and the obvious answer to where you would put it after a failure on departure.
🛣️
Victory Boulevard
The road you drove in on runs dead straight from one side of the Valley to the other. From the air it is a simple line back toward North Hollywood and a useful orientation cue at moments when your workload is high.
🗻
The Santa Susana Mountains
The northwest wall of the Valley, and the direction most of the airwork happens. There is height and open ground out that way, which is what Vmc demonstrations and engine failures need and what the built-up areas cannot offer.
🏢
Universal City
The backlot and the towers at the mouth of the Cahuenga Pass mark the southeast corner of the Valley. Arriving back into Van Nuys they sit off your left shoulder and tell you at a glance how far south you have drifted.
Questions From North Hollywood
Multi-Engine Rating FAQ
It is $5,100 as an add-on. Most pilots finish in five to eight flight hours plus around four hours of ground, which is three or four consecutive days if you can clear the diary, or a couple of weekends if you cannot. The Seminole rents at $649 an hour once the rating is on your certificate.
A private or commercial certificate, a current medical and your logbook. There is no minimum hour requirement for the rating itself; it is a practical test standard rather than an hours box to fill. If you hold an instrument rating and want instrument privileges in the twin, plan for the single-engine approach work as part of the course.
Not at all, and it is common. Van Nuys is a very short hop by air and a fifteen-minute drive from North Hollywood by road. Call ahead if you intend to fly in and we will arrange somewhere for your aircraft to sit while you are training. Parking a car at 7900 Balboa is free and on site.
Not over North Hollywood. Vmc demonstrations and engine failures are flown at altitude in the practice areas northwest of the field, out toward the Santa Susanas, where there is height, open ground and room to recover properly. Pattern work and single-engine approaches happen at Van Nuys itself, inside the Class D.
Yes. We fly 9 AM to 9 PM seven days a week, and morning blocks are the best of them, since the air is smoother and a Valley afternoon in summer takes genuine performance out of a light twin. Most working pilots book a run of early two-hour slots and are finished inside two weeks.
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.
Courses & Pricing
The Rest Of What 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
Solo Certificate
Enough training to take an aircraft around the pattern alone.
$5,500
04
Sport Pilot
A real certificate, fewer hours, narrower privileges.
$8,400
05
Private Pilot Most Enrolled
The one most people mean by “learn to fly.”
$10,900
06
Instrument Rating
Turns a fair-weather pilot into a useful one.
$11,700
07
Comprehensive Private Pilot
Private with flight time, ground instruction and materials bundled.
$15,900
08
Premium Private Pilot
The most flight time before your checkride - 80 logged hours.
$22,500
09
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
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.
Talk To A Real Instructor
Add Your Multi-Engine Rating, 15 Minutes From North Hollywood
If you are already flying and want the twin on your certificate without losing a week to it, this is $5,100 and a fifteen-minute drive from North Hollywood. Call (818) 290-8249 or come to Suite 108A at 7900 Balboa Boulevard and we will find a run of consecutive days that works.
Or Send Us A Message And We'll Come Back To You The Same Day →Multi-Engine Rating
$5,100
Complete Add-On Rating
Book A Discovery Flight
Full Multi-Engine Rating Details