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Meet The Sporty One
Picture a two-seat sports car: you sit low, side by side, and it feels light and nimble in your hands. The DA20 shares that layout, adds a bubble canopy and takes it over Los Angeles.
The forward-hinged canopy wraps around and over you, so you see in every direction, straight up included. The Valley, the city and the coast surround you rather than passing by a side window. Fair warning: on a July afternoon it gets warm under there.
Where most trainers put a yoke, the DA20 puts a center stick between your knees. A light touch is all it asks for, and it feels nimble and responsive, much like a well-balanced two-seater on an open road.
A long, high-aspect-ratio low wing and a molded composite airframe give the DA20 its clean lines and its light, nimble feel. No wonder we call it The Sporty One.
Two seats sit side by side under one canopy: yours and your FAA-certified instructor's. There is no room for a passenger, so the Sporty flight is for one person and nobody waits for a turn.
Your instructor takes off and lands; you fly 50–80% of it in between. The time can go in your logbook, and if you enroll within 24 hours of landing, The 24-Hour Credit puts 100% of what you paid toward your training.
Same Loop, Any Length
From Van Nuys you pass Universal Studios, the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Observatory, circle Downtown LA, stay north of SoFi and LAX on the way to Venice Beach, then follow the coast past Santa Monica Pier to Malibu and cross the mountains home via Warner Center. Pick a stop.
Simplified Map, Not To Scale
Your instructor handles the takeoff from Van Nuys Airport, our home base since 2007. Once you are clear of the airport, it is your turn on the stick.
Stop 01 Of 10
Every length flies this same loop; a longer booking adds time in the air, not stops. Weather and air traffic control set the final path on the day.
At A Glance
180 lb
For the one person flying. You confirm it and accept the Terms before the booking calendar opens.
The Sporty One, Up CloseEnroll in training within 24 hours of landing and 100% of what you paid is credited to your program. The same credit comes with every discovery flight.
Wear comfortable clothes and closed-toe shoes. Sunglasses help, since the canopy lets light in from every side.
Booked time is engine-running time, about 5 minutes to airborne included. The briefing comes first, off the clock.
5.0
120+ Google reviews. 2,000+ discovery flights flown, training at Van Nuys since 2007.
7900 Balboa Blvd, Suite 108A, Van Nuys, CA 91406. Free parking at the door. Open 9 AM–9 PM, seven days a week.
Sporty Or Classic
Either way you take the controls yourself, fly the same loop and have an FAA-certified instructor beside you. What changes is the airplane you get and the price.
| What You Get | Sporty Discovery Flight | Discovery Flight For One |
|---|---|---|
| All-In Price | $349 60 Min | $229 60 Min |
| Airplane | The Diamond DA20, Guaranteed | Diamond DA20, Cessna 162 Or Piper Warrior, Whichever Is Available |
| In Your Hand | A Center Stick | Depends On The Airplane |
| The View | Wraparound Bubble Canopy | Depends On The Airplane |
| Who Flies | One Flyer And An Instructor | One Flyer And An Instructor |
| You Fly The Airplane | Yes, 50–80% | Yes, 50–80% |
| FAA-Certified Instructor Beside You | Yes | Yes |
| The Full Loop, Downtown LA To Santa Monica Pier | Yes | Yes |
| Goes In Your Logbook | Yes | Yes |
| The 24-Hour Credit | 100% If You Enroll Within 24 Hours | 100% If You Enroll Within 24 Hours |
| Weight Limit Per Flyer | 180 lb | 180 lb |
| View The Classic Flight |
You want the DA20 for certain: the low seat, the bubble canopy, the center stick and that light, nimble feel.
You want to start from $229 in whichever DA20, Cessna 162 or Piper Warrior is available.
Compare Every Discovery Flight5.0 · 120+ Google Reviews
“I recently had the chance to take my first-ever discovery flight, and it was nothing short of amazing! …”
“Had an amazing discovery flight! Alex, the instructor was friendly, patient, and explained everything clearly. …”
“We had such an amazing time! What a cool experience flying over LA and experiencing those views from above! Loved it so much. Highly recommend booking!”
Real Google reviews of LA Flight School, quoted as written and shortened where you see an ellipsis. They describe our discovery flights in general, not the Sporty flight in particular.
None, and no medical certificate either. Your FAA-certified instructor briefs you before engine start, takes off and lands, and coaches you while you fly 50–80% of the flight yourself.
It is 180 lb for the one person flying. Before the booking calendar opens, you confirm you are within it and agree to the Terms.
It is all-in: the Diamond DA20-C1, fuel, an FAA-certified instructor, a briefing before engine start that is not counted in your time, and the full route, for $349, $499 or $649 (60, 90 or 120 minutes). Wear comfortable clothes and closed-toe shoes; sunglasses help under the canopy.
The Discovery Flight For One starts at $229 and is flown in a DA20, Cessna 162 or Piper Warrior, whichever is available. The Sporty Discovery Flight always puts you in the Diamond DA20-C1. The route, the instructors and The 24-Hour Credit are the same.
No. The DA20 has two seats, one for you and one for your instructor, so the Sporty flight is for one flyer. To bring someone along, choose the Luxury Discovery Flight in the Cirrus SR22 Turbo with Add A Passenger, or the Discovery Flight For Two in a Piper Warrior.
Yes, the time can go in your logbook. With The 24-Hour Credit, if you enroll in training within 24 hours of landing, 100% of what you paid is credited toward your training program.
Choose 60, 90 or 120 minutes from Van Nuys Airport. One flyer, one all-in price.
Book A Free Consultation · Prefer The Classic? See Every Flight
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What you receive the moment you book
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You're booked! Discovery Flight, 60 min in the aircraft, on the date and time you chose. Details are in your email.
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