Six aircraft types — from the glass-cockpit Skycatcher you'll solo in, to the complex Arrow, the twin Seminole and the turbocharged Cirrus flagship — all maintained in-house and flying seven days a week from Van Nuys Airport.
Tap an aircraft to open its bay — tail numbers, engine, cruise speed, panel and the wet hourly rate. Every airplane below lives at Van Nuys Airport and is maintained by our own shop.
Five Skycatchers we own outright — the most affordable way into a logbook, with a modern glass panel from day one and five identical tails so you always fly.
The classic four-seat trainer — stable, roomy and IFR-equipped. It's the airplane most students take from first lesson all the way through the instrument rating, and it's the Discovery Flight for Two aircraft.
Stick controls and fighter-like visibility under a bubble canopy — the most fun airplane on the line. A composite airframe and a sportier feel for students who want one.
New · Discovery Flight For One
Fly The Sporty One yourself: a bubble canopy, a center stick and a light, nimble feel, with an FAA-certified instructor beside you.
$349All-In · 60 Min · One Flyer
The complex trainer. Retractable gear and a constant-speed prop are exactly what FAR 61.129 commercial training requires — this is the airplane that turns a private pilot into a professional one.
The twin airlines want on your resume. Counter-rotating propellers remove the critical-engine problem, making it the ideal multi trainer — engine-out work done right.
The airplane many pilots actually buy. Train in it and you graduate fluent in Perspective avionics, turbo engine management and CAPS decision-making — turbonormalized means full sea-level power all the way to FL250.
Every aircraft, every engine, every panel. Enrolled students fly the single-engine fleet at $179 an hour, wet — fuel included — and the twin and the Cirrus come inside their own programs rather than by the hour.
| Aircraft | On Line | Engine | Cruise | Panel | Best For | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cessna 162 SkycatcherN60225 · N7030B · N6039M · N179LC · N5208V | 5 | 100 hp Continental O-200-D | 118 kt | Garmin G300 glass | Sport Pilot · Private Pilot | View |
| Piper WarriorN3034Q · N6312C | 2 | 160 hp Lycoming | 128 kt | Full IFR-equipped | Private Pilot · Instrument Rating | View |
| Diamond DA20-C1N306EF · N308EF | 2 | 125 hp Continental IO-240 | 130–138 kt | Garmin 430 | Private Pilot · Commercial | View |
| Piper ArrowN316EF | 1 | 200 hp Lycoming IO-360 | 135 kt | Garmin 430 | Commercial · Complex endorsement | View |
| Piper Seminole (twin)N311EF | 1 | 2 × 180 hp Lycoming, counter-rotating | 162 kt | Garmin 430 | Multi-Engine Rating · MEI | View |
| Cirrus SR22 TurboN422SN | 1 | 310 hp turbonormalized Continental IO-550 | 215 kt | Garmin Perspective glass | High-performance · IFR · Cirrus transition | View |
| Redbird MCX (full-motion sim)FAA-approved AATD | 1 | Full-motion simulator | n/a — ground | Glass & analog, real Garmin 430 | Instrument · procedures · emergencies | View |
| Redbird TD2 (sim)Desktop procedures trainer | 1 | Fixed-base simulator | n/a — ground | Configurable glass / analog | Procedures practice between lessons | View |
| Fleet total | 12 aircraft | 6 types | 118 → 215 kt | Glass & Garmin throughout | Sport Pilot through Airline Program | Back To Hangar |
These six airplanes aren't a random collection — they're four rungs. Start in a two-seat trainer, add complex time, add a second engine, then step into the flagship. Same ramp, same instructors, same logbook.
Your first hours, first solo and first certificate. Three types to choose from — glass high-wing, roomy IFR low-wing or the stick-and-canopy Diamond.
Retractable gear and a constant-speed prop — the complex time FAR 61.129 requires for the Commercial certificate.
Counter-rotating props, no critical engine. The accelerated seven-day rating that airlines want to see on your resume.
310 turbocharged horsepower, Garmin Perspective and a CAPS airframe parachute — the FAR 61.31(f) high-performance endorsement.
Our Redbird MCX is a full-motion, FAA-approved AATD — dual controls, a real Garmin 430, glass and analog configurations, and loggable time. Pair it with the Redbird TD2 procedures trainer and you can drill approaches, holds, engine failures and emergencies as many times as it takes — five repetitions of a botched approach in an hour, against one per flight in the airplane.
A fleet is only as good as the shop behind it and the schedule in front of it. Here's how ours is run.
Our own maintenance team works on our own airplanes, on our own field. Nothing gets trucked out and waited on — squawks get fixed here, which is why our airplanes stay on the line instead of sitting in someone else's shop.
All five Skycatchers are set up the same way. Both Warriors are the same. Both DA20s are the same. You learn one panel and one checklist — and if your airplane goes down for maintenance, the next tail flies exactly like it.
Early mornings before work, evenings after it, weekends when you finally have time. Twelve aircraft and a seven-day schedule are what make one-on-one training around a real life actually possible.
Every discovery flight is a real lesson in a real airplane with a real CFI — you'll take the controls over Los Angeles. Pick the airplane you're curious about.
Your first hour at the controls — Skycatcher or Diamond DA20, over the Hollywood Sign, downtown LA and the coast.
Bring someone. Flown in the four-seat Piper Warrior so a passenger rides along while you fly.
The flagship SR22 Turbo — Garmin Perspective glass, 310 hp and a CAPS airframe parachute.
Two engines on your first flight — the Piper Seminole, counter-rotating props and all.
We operate 12 aircraft across 6 types at Van Nuys Airport (KVNY), plus 2 FAA-approved simulators. The fleet is five Cessna 162 Skycatchers, two Piper Warriors, two Diamond DA20-C1s, one Piper Arrow, one Piper Seminole twin and one Cirrus SR22 Turbo — supported by a Redbird MCX full-motion simulator and a Redbird TD2.
Most students start in a Cessna 162 Skycatcher — it's the most affordable airplane on the line at $179/hr package and it has a Garmin G300 glass panel, so you learn modern avionics from lesson one. If you want a four-seat cabin and a full IFR panel from the start, the Piper Warrior is the same rate. If you want a control stick and a bubble canopy, the Diamond DA20 is the same rate again. All three lead to the same Private Pilot certificate — it's your call, and your instructor will help you choose on day one.
$179 an hour, wet, for enrolled students across the whole single-engine fleet — Skycatcher, Warrior, DA20 and the retractable-gear Arrow all cost the same. Wet means fuel is included. The Piper Seminole comes inside the $5,100 Multi-Engine Rating and the Cirrus SR22 Turbo is a +$400-an-hour upgrade on any private pilot package. We are a flight school, not a rental counter, so aircraft time is sold as part of a course.
No. We are a training operation, not a rental club — every aircraft hour we sell sits inside a course: Sport, Private, Instrument, Commercial, Multi-Engine or the Airline Program. That is deliberate. It keeps the fleet on our own maintenance schedule and it means the $179 an hour you enroll at is the number you finish at.
Yes, and that's exactly why the fleet is built this way. Step 1 is the Skycatcher, Warrior or DA20 for your Private. Step 2 is the Piper Arrow for complex time and the Commercial certificate (Complex Endorsement $999). Step 3 is the Piper Seminole for your Multi-Engine Rating ($5,100, seven-day accelerated course). Step 4 is the Cirrus SR22 Turbo for the high-performance endorsement ($1,799). You never have to change schools, change instructors or start over somewhere new.
We maintain the fleet in-house at Van Nuys Airport. Our own team works on our own airplanes on our own field, which means squawks get addressed immediately rather than waiting in an outside shop's queue. Aircraft within each type are kept in identical configurations, so every Skycatcher flies like every other Skycatcher.
Two, both FAA-approved. The Redbird MCX is a full-motion AATD with dual controls, a real Garmin 430 and both glass and analog configurations — the time is loggable and it's built into our Instrument and Airline syllabi rather than sold as an add-on. A standalone 1-hour Redbird MCX session is $189 if you just want to try it. The Redbird TD2 procedures trainer is free to enrolled students. See The Simulator Page →
Absolutely — that's what a discovery flight is for. Discovery Flight for One $229, for Two $299 (in the four-seat Warrior), Luxury Cirrus $499 and Multi-Engine $499 in the Seminole. You fly the airplane with a CFI beside you, and 100% of the cost credits toward your training if you enroll within 24 hours. Prefer to start on the ground? The 1-hour Redbird MCX sim discovery is $189. Book a discovery flight →
The Piper Warrior is our IFR workhorse — a stable four-seat platform with a real IFR panel, and it's the airplane most students fly from first lesson through the instrument checkride. The Piper Arrow and Diamond DA20 (both Garmin 430) are also used for IFR work, and the Cirrus SR22 Turbo with Garmin Perspective is available for pilots who want to fly instruments behind a modern glass flight deck. Twenty of the hours in our Instrument Rating course happen in the Redbird MCX. Instrument Rating — $11,700 →
The full rate sheet is in the comparison table above — every aircraft, both tiers, effective March 2026, all wet. Each aircraft page carries the same numbers with the specs in detail. If you'd like the rates walked through against your goals and budget, call (818) 290-8249 — we're open 9 AM to 9 PM, seven days a week.
Book It Or Gift It
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
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 Or Gift
Same Price
Two Seats
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 Or Gift
Same Price
The Nice One
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
$499Book Or Gift
Same Price
Twin Engine
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 Or Gift
Same Price
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.
Loved On Google
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
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...
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...
Reviews shown verbatim, exactly as each reviewer published them.
Our Courses
Ten programs flown out of Van Nuys Airport, with real pricing on every one. Start with an hour at the controls, or go straight through to airline-hireable qualifications — it is the same ladder either way.
5.0 Average Rating
100+ Google Reviews
Start Here
The first hour at the controls, over Los Angeles, with an instructor beside you. It is the entry point to every course below — and the cheapest way to find out whether flying is actually for you.
From$229
Open 9 AM–9 PM, Seven Days · (818) 290-8249
CertificateMost Popular
The one most people mean by “learn to fly.” Fly with an instructor, fly alone, then carry passengers on your own certificate.
Fly With An Instructor Fly Solo Carry Passengers $10,900 Enroll Now
Youth Program
Ages 10–15. For young people who want to start before they can legally solo.
$4,200 View Course
Milestone
Enough training to take an aircraft around the pattern alone. The day everything changes.
$5,500 View Course
Certificate
A real certificate with fewer hours and narrower privileges. The shortest honest route to flying yourself.
$8,400 View Course
Bundle
Private Pilot with flight time, ground instruction and study materials bundled into one price.
$15,900 View CourseBundle
The same certificate as Private, with the most flight time before your checkride. Eighty logged hours, ground instruction and materials, all in one price.
80 Logged Hours Ground School Included Materials Included $22,500 View Course
Rating
The rating after Private. Turns a fair-weather pilot into a useful one who can file, launch and land in cloud.
$11,700 View Course
Rating
For pilots already certificated who are adding a twin. Trained in our own Piper Seminole.
$5,100 View Course
Our Fleet
Diamond DA20, Cessna 162, Piper Arrow II and our Piper Seminole twin — all on the field at Van Nuys.
View The FleetThe Full Route
Zero experience to airline-hireable qualifications, in one continuous program rather than nine separate ones. Financing is available, and every hour of it is flown out of Van Nuys.
$89,000Financing Available
Free In-Person Tour Before You Commit
Twelve aircraft, two simulators and instructors seven days a week at Van Nuys Airport (KVNY). Come fly one before you decide anything.
