"Pilot for a day" is the phrase people search for when they want to know what it would feel like to fly an airplane themselves, for real, without signing up for a license. In Los Angeles, that experience exists, and at You Fly LA it is called a discovery flight. You sit in the pilot's seat of a real airplane at Van Nuys Airport, an FAA-certificated instructor sits beside you, and you fly it over the city. This article walks through exactly what a pilot-for-a-day experience includes, minute by minute, what it does not include, how it differs from a sightseeing tour, and how to choose between the 60, 90 and 120-minute versions.
What "Pilot For A Day" Means Here
Some experiences sold under this name are rides: a pilot flies, you look out of the window. Ours is a flight lesson. You are the one on the controls for most of the flight, the instructor is teaching, and the hour goes into a logbook with the instructor's signature and certificate number, which makes it the first hour of a private pilot license if you ever want one. Nothing about it requires experience, a medical certificate or a minimum age; the requirements are a government photo ID, closed-toe shoes, and fitting within the airplane's weight limits.
What The Day Includes, Step By Step
Arrival And Briefing, About 20 Minutes
You arrive at our ramp at 7900 Balboa Blvd, Van Nuys, and meet your instructor. The briefing covers the airplane, the three primary controls and what each one does, what the instruments show, how the flight will go, and what the instructor will handle. If you have a route or a landmark you particularly want to see, this is when you say so. Nervous is normal; the briefing is where most of it goes away.
Preflight Walk-Around, About 15 Minutes
You do the preflight inspection yourself, with the instructor showing you what each check is for: fuel quantity and quality, oil, control surfaces, tires, the propeller. Pilots do this before every flight, and doing it yourself is part of being the pilot rather than the passenger.
Start, Taxi And Takeoff
You will be in the left seat, the pilot's seat, with a headset on. The instructor runs the checklist with you, handles the radio calls to Van Nuys ground and tower, and flies the takeoff itself, usually with your hands lightly on the controls so you feel what happens. Van Nuys is one of the busiest general aviation airports in the world, so the taxi and takeoff are a lesson in themselves.
You Fly
Shortly after takeoff, at a safe altitude, the instructor says the words: "your airplane." From that point you are flying. You will climb, level off, make turns, and steer toward the landmarks: the Sepulveda Basin below, the Santa Monica Mountains, the Hollywood Sign, Griffith Observatory, the downtown skyline, and on the longer flights the coast at Santa Monica and out toward Malibu. The instructor talks you through everything, keeps a hand near the controls, and takes over only when needed. Most people are surprised at how stable the airplane is and how quickly they are turning it where they want it to go.
Return And Landing
You fly back toward the Valley, the instructor handles the radio and the approach, and flies the landing with you following on the controls. Then taxi in and shut down.
Debrief And Logbook, About 15 Minutes
The instructor goes over what you did well and what a second lesson would work on, and signs your logbook. If you do not have one, we provide it. The entry records the date, the aircraft, the time, and what you did, and it is yours to keep.
Plan on about two to two and a half hours at the airport for a sixty-minute flight, and longer for the 90- and 120-minute versions.
What It Does Not Include
Honesty is worth a paragraph here. You will not take off or land the airplane yourself on a first flight, and you will not fly alone; both take training and, for solo flight, a student pilot certificate and a medical. You will not fly in a jet; this is a piston airplane, which is what every pilot in the world learned in first. You will not be in the air for the whole time you are at the airport; the briefing and the preflight are part of the experience and, arguably, the part that makes it a lesson. And if the weather is not safe, you will not fly that day; you reschedule, free, and pay nothing for the cancellation.
The Three Versions
| Duration | Price | Typical Route | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 minutes | $229 | Sepulveda Basin, Mulholland, the Hollywood Sign, Griffith Park, downtown | The classic first flight; the most-booked option |
| 90 minutes | $299 | The same loop extended to Santa Monica and the coast | A fuller "pilot for a day" with more time on the controls |
| 120 minutes | $399 | The Valley, the city, the coast to Malibu and back | The longest single-person flight we offer; the most flying per visit |
If "pilot for a day" is the feeling you are after, the 90- or 120-minute flight is closer to it than the 60, because the extra time is almost all spent with you flying, and the coastline is worth seeing from the left seat. If you are buying the flight to find out whether you like it, the 60-minute flight answers the question. All three fly the Piper Warrior with one person at the controls; if you want someone to ride along, the flights for two and the Cirrus SR22 flight are covered in our guide to discovery flights in Los Angeles.
How It Compares To A Sightseeing Tour
An aerial tour of Los Angeles puts you in a seat behind a pilot; you look, you photograph, you land. A discovery flight puts you in the pilot's seat and teaches you to fly the airplane. The views are the same, often better because you choose where to point the airplane, and the price per minute is usually lower. The difference is who is flying. If the point of the day is to see the city from above, a tour is a fine choice. If the point is to find out what it is like to be a pilot, only one of them answers that.
Who It Suits
Almost everyone. First-timers who have wondered about flying for years. Teenagers, who can log the hour at any age and count it toward a license at 17. Nervous flyers, who often find that being at the controls removes the fear that sitting in the back creates. Gift recipients, since the flight is available as a gift certificate. Pilots-in-waiting who want a low-cost way to test the idea before committing to training. It suits less well someone who wants a ride with a champagne toast; we do lessons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Really Fly The Plane On A Pilot-For-A-Day Experience?
Yes. From shortly after takeoff until the approach, you are on the controls, with an instructor beside you who can take over at any time.
Do I Need Any Experience Or A Medical?
No. No experience, no medical certificate, no minimum age. Bring a photo ID and closed-toe shoes.
What Are The Weight Limits?
180 lb per person in the Piper Warrior on the single-person flights. The full-motion simulator has no weight limit and is the alternative if the airplane cannot take you.
Does A Pilot-For-A-Day Flight Count Toward A License?
Yes. It is logged dual instruction and is the first hour toward the 40-hour minimum for a private pilot certificate.
What If The Weather Is Bad?
We reschedule and you pay nothing for the cancellation. Rescheduling is free up to 24 hours before your slot for any reason.
Be The Pilot This Weekend
We fly seven days a week, 9 AM to 9 PM, from Van Nuys Airport. Book a discovery flight, choose 60, 90 or 120 minutes, and spend the time at the controls over Los Angeles. If you are thinking past the first hour and want to talk about training, book a free consultation. Questions any day at (818) 330-1318.