A helicopter discovery flight and an airplane discovery flight in Los Angeles are both real flight lessons, both put you at the controls with an instructor, and both show you the city from a few thousand feet. They differ in what it feels like to fly, in what it costs, in where a first lesson can lead, and in the practical details of the day. You Fly LA flies airplanes from Van Nuys Airport, so this is not a neutral article, but the differences below are the ones we would want a friend to know before choosing, and some of them point toward the helicopter.
The Short Version
| Airplane Discovery Flight | Helicopter Discovery Flight | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical price in Los Angeles | $229 for 60 minutes at You Fly LA | Generally higher per minute; helicopters cost more per hour to operate |
| How much you fly | Most of the flight after takeoff | Usually straight-and-level and gentle turns; hovering is harder and comes later |
| Feel | Stable; the airplane wants to fly straight | Responsive; the helicopter needs constant small inputs |
| Views | Higher, wider, cruise past landmarks | Lower, slower, can hover or circle a point |
| Path to a license | Private pilot airplane, 40-hour minimum; most affordable route | Private pilot rotorcraft-helicopter, 40-hour minimum; higher hourly cost |
| Motion sensitivity | Smoother in most conditions | More vibration; some people prefer it, some do not |
| Weight and seating | Piper Warrior: 180 lb per person; Cirrus: 200 lb | Varies by type; small training helicopters are often tighter |
What It Feels Like To Fly Each One
The Airplane
An airplane is designed to be stable. Trim it and take your hands off, and it keeps flying more or less where it was pointed. That stability is why a first-time flyer can be handed the controls ten minutes into a discovery flight and be climbing, turning and holding altitude by the halfway point. It also means the instructor can teach rather than guard: the airplane gives both of you time. Over Los Angeles, that translates into flying yourself past the Hollywood Sign, Griffith Observatory and the downtown skyline, and on longer flights out along the coast, with the instructor handling the radio and the takeoff and landing.
The Helicopter
A helicopter is not stable in the same way. It hovers because the pilot is constantly making tiny corrections with both hands and both feet, and the classic description of learning to hover, balancing on a ball while patting your head and rubbing your stomach, is not far off. On a helicopter discovery flight you will usually be given the cyclic in forward flight, where the machine is far more settled, and you may try the collective and pedals briefly. Hovering, the thing everyone wants to try, is usually demonstrated rather than handed over, because it takes many hours to learn. In exchange, the helicopter can fly slowly, circle a single building, and land in places an airplane cannot. The views from a helicopter over Los Angeles are lower and more intimate; the views from an airplane are wider.
Cost
Helicopters are expensive to operate. The rotor system and transmission require frequent, costly maintenance, and even a small training helicopter costs considerably more per hour than a training airplane. That shows up in the price of a discovery flight and, far more, in the price of a license. An airplane discovery flight at You Fly LA is $229 for sixty minutes. A helicopter introductory flight in Los Angeles is typically priced higher for a shorter flight. For a certificate, the difference compounds: a private pilot license in an airplane at Van Nuys is $10,400 as a 40-hour package, while the same 40-hour minimum in a helicopter usually costs a great deal more because of the hourly rate. If you want to become a pilot of either kind, that difference should be part of the decision.
Where A First Flight Can Lead
Both discovery flights are logged and count toward a certificate in their category. An airplane hour counts toward an airplane certificate; a helicopter hour counts toward a helicopter certificate; they do not cross over, though a pilot who holds one can add the other later with reduced requirements. From an airplane private certificate the path continues through the instrument rating, the commercial certificate and, for many people, the airlines. From a helicopter certificate the professional paths are tours, utility work, emergency medical services, news and law enforcement, and offshore flying. Both are real careers. The airplane path has far more seats in it and costs less to reach.
Practical Differences On The Day
- Weather. Both are cancelled for low cloud and poor visibility. Helicopters can sometimes fly in lower ceilings; airplanes are more comfortable in wind. In Southern California both fly most days of the year.
- Noise and vibration. A helicopter vibrates noticeably and the rotor noise is constant. Some people love it; some find it tiring. An airplane is smoother in cruise.
- Doors. Some helicopter operators fly doors-off for photography, which is exhilarating and windy. Airplanes fly with the doors closed.
- Space. Small training helicopters are cozy. A Piper Warrior or Cirrus SR22 has a proper cabin, and on the flights for two a passenger rides in the back.
- Weight limits. Both types have them. In our airplanes the limits are 180 lb per person in the Warrior and 200 lb in the Cirrus. Ask any helicopter operator for theirs before booking.
- Motion sickness. Rare in either on a calm morning; the airplane's smoother ride and higher altitude tend to be easier on sensitive stomachs.
Which One Should You Book?
Book the helicopter if the thing you want is the helicopter: the hover, the low pass over the beach, the sensation of a machine that responds to a fingertip. If you have a specific goal of becoming a helicopter pilot, start in one.
Book the airplane if you want to actually fly for most of the flight, if you are curious about becoming a pilot and want the most affordable path, if you want the wider view of Los Angeles from altitude, if you are bringing a passenger, or if the price matters. The airplane is where nearly every pilot in the world started, and it is the flight that turns into a license most often.
Book both if you can. They are different enough that the second is not a repeat of the first, and many people who take one end up curious about the other. For the full picture of what we fly, the routes and the requirements, read our guide to discovery flights in Los Angeles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is A Helicopter Or An Airplane Discovery Flight Better For A First Time?
For most first-timers the airplane, because you fly more of it, it is smoother, it costs less, and it leads to the most affordable license. Choose the helicopter if the helicopter itself is the attraction.
Which Is Safer, A Helicopter Or An Airplane Discovery Flight?
Both are flown by certificated instructors in maintained aircraft under the same FAA rules. A discovery flight in either is a well-regulated, routine flight.
Do Helicopter Hours Count Toward An Airplane License?
No. Each category has its own certificate, though pilots who hold one can add the other with reduced training.
Which Is More Expensive, Helicopter Or Airplane?
The helicopter, both for the discovery flight and, by a wide margin, for the license, because helicopters cost more per hour to operate. An airplane discovery flight at You Fly LA is $229.
Can I Try Hovering On A Discovery Flight?
Usually it is demonstrated rather than handed over, because hovering takes many hours to learn. In an airplane you fly most of the flight from shortly after takeoff.
Take The Airplane Up First
Sixty minutes, $229, your hands on the controls over Los Angeles with an instructor beside you, and a logbook entry at the end. Book a discovery flight at Van Nuys Airport, seven days a week. If you are weighing a license in either category and want honest advice, book a free consultation or call (818) 330-1318 any day from 9 AM to 9 PM.