Noah is a flight instructor at You Fly LA at Van Nuys Airport, and the thing students mention about flying with him is how ordinary he makes it feel. He teaches primary training, spends most of his hours in the traffic pattern working on landings, and is the instructor to ask for if you want the scenic way home at the end of a lesson.
This page covers what he teaches and who he suits. The full team is on our flight instructors roster, and the airport itself, which shapes almost everything about how we teach landings here, is described on our Van Nuys Airport page.
What Noah Teaches
Primary training, mostly: discovery flights, the first lessons, airwork, and a great deal of pattern work. Under 14 CFR 61.193 a flight instructor gives the ground and flight training and issues the endorsements behind a student pilot certificate, a solo, and eventually a practical test. Noah's share of that is the part people find hardest and remember longest, which is putting the airplane on the ground in the same place twice.
He is also good with passengers. On a discovery flight the person in the back, or the person in the right seat on a flight for two, usually gets ignored. Noah briefs everybody before start-up, says what is about to happen before it happens, and points out what is under the wing. That is a small courtesy, and it is the difference between a passenger enjoying the flight and a passenger enduring it.
Why Landings Take So Long To Learn
A landing is four things happening at once: a descent that has to stop at exactly the right height, an airspeed that has to decay on a schedule, a centerline that has to stay under you in a crosswind, and a flare that depends on judging a distance you have never had to judge before. Students plateau on landings more than on anything else, and they plateau for a boring reason: gaps between lessons. Every week you do not fly, the sight picture fades.
Noah teaches it by breaking the approach into fixed decisions rather than a continuous feel. Abeam the numbers you do this. On base you check that. If it is not right by short final you go around, and the go-around is a success, not a failure. Students who learn it that way stop having good days and bad days.
The Pattern At Van Nuys
| Feature | Detail | What It Means For A Student |
|---|---|---|
| Runway 16R/34L | 8,001 feet | The long runway; jets and heavier traffic use it |
| Runway 16L/34R | 4,000 feet | The usual training runway for light singles |
| Airspace | Class D, under the Los Angeles Class B shelf | You talk to a tower from your first lesson |
| Traffic | One of the world's busiest general aviation airports | Sequencing, spacing and radio discipline from day one |
| Hours | We fly 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM, seven days | Early and late slots are the smoothest air |
| Aircraft used | Cessna 162 Skycatcher, Piper Warrior | $179 and $179 per hour inside a package; $269 retail |
Learning here is harder at first and better afterwards. A student who learns to fly a tight pattern at a busy towered field, under a Class B shelf, in Los Angeles radio traffic, is a more useful pilot at fifty hours than one trained at a quiet uncontrolled strip. Our page on airspace classes explained covers what the shelf above you actually is.
The Scenic Way Home
A lesson does not have to end with a straight-in. When the schedule allows it, Noah will take the long way back over the Santa Monica Mountains or out toward the coast before rejoining the pattern, which costs a few minutes of Hobbs time and buys a lot of motivation. Students who are grinding through landings need to be reminded what the landings are for. If that appeals, say so at the start of the lesson rather than at the end.
Who Should Ask For Noah
- Students stuck on landings. The most common plateau in flight training, and the one he spends most of his week on.
- People bringing passengers. On a discovery flight for two, everyone gets briefed and everyone gets a view.
- Anyone who finds a busy tower intimidating. The radio is a skill, not a personality trait, and it can be taught.
- Students who need the flying to stay enjoyable. Pattern work is repetitive; the route home does not have to be.
How To Request Noah
Call (818) 330-1318 and ask for him by name, or note it when you book a free consultation. We are at 7900 Balboa Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91406, open 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM seven days a week. If landings are the thing you want to fix, book two shorter sessions in a week rather than one long one; it is the single most effective change most students can make.
Related Reading
- Our flight instructors — the full roster and how we match students.
- Van Nuys Airport — runways, airspace and what it is like to train here.
- Your first solo flight — what 14 CFR 61.87 requires before you go alone.
- Best views over Los Angeles — what you can see from the training area.
- Logan — another instructor who flies the scenic routes.
Noah: Frequently Asked Questions
What Does Noah Teach?
Primary flight training toward sport and private pilot certificates, discovery flights, airwork and traffic pattern work, including the landing practice that leads up to a first solo.
Why Are My Landings Inconsistent?
Usually because of the gap between lessons rather than a lack of ability. Flying twice a week holds the sight picture; flying twice a month rebuilds it every time.
Is Van Nuys A Hard Airport To Learn At?
It is busier than most training fields, with a control tower, two parallel runways and Class D airspace under the Los Angeles Class B shelf. That makes the first few lessons harder and makes you a better radio operator afterwards.
Which Runway Will I Use?
Light training aircraft usually work from 16L/34R, the 4,000-foot parallel. The 8,001-foot 16R/34L carries the heavier traffic. The tower decides on the day.
Can We Fly Over The City On A Lesson?
Often, if the schedule and the airspace allow it. Ask at the briefing rather than in the air, because it changes how much fuel and time the lesson needs.
Can My Friend Come Along?
On a discovery flight for two, yes, within the combined weight limit of 360 pounds. On a training lesson, ask when you book, because it depends on the aircraft and the exercise.
How Much Does A Lesson With Noah Cost?
Instruction is $110 per hour with any instructor. The Cessna 162 and Piper Warrior are $179 per hour inside a course package and $269 per hour retail, both wet.
Book A Lesson With Noah
A 60-minute discovery flight is $229, flown from the left seat, and credited in full toward training if you enroll within 24 hours. If you are already training elsewhere and landings are the problem, book a free consultation and tell us where you are stuck. Call (818) 330-1318, 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM, seven days a week.