Instructor and student beside a Piper Warrior before a discovery flight at Van Nuys Airport, Los Angeles

Discovery Flight In Los Angeles (60 Minutes)

$229.00
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Instructor and student beside a Piper Warrior before a discovery flight at Van Nuys Airport, Los Angeles
  • Instructor and student beside a Piper Warrior before a discovery flight at Van Nuys Airport, Los Angeles
  • First-time pilot wearing a headset in the left seat during a discovery flight briefing at Van Nuys
  • View of Los Angeles from the cockpit window during a discovery flight at sunset
  • Student's hands on the flight controls of a training airplane over Los Angeles
  • Instructor and student beside a Piper Warrior before a discovery flight at Van Nuys Airport, Los Angeles
  • First-time pilot wearing a headset in the left seat during a discovery flight briefing at Van Nuys
  • View of Los Angeles from the cockpit window during a discovery flight at sunset
  • Student's hands on the flight controls of a training airplane over Los Angeles
Discovery Flight In Los Angeles (60 Minutes)

Discovery Flight In Los Angeles (60 Minutes)

$229.00

Sixty minutes in the air. You fly it. This is the flight future pilots start with and the one most people book for themselves after years of wondering. You sit in the left seat of a four-seat Piper Warrior, an FAA-certificated instructor sits in the right, and once the airplane is climbing away from Van Nuys the words you hear are "your controls."

Free rescheduling up to 24 hours before · if the weather says no, you do not pay · questions? Call (818) 330-1318

What you'll fly over

Van Nuys sits in the middle of the San Fernando Valley, so everything is close. Four minutes after takeoff the Santa Monica Mountains are off the wing. From there the route depends on the weather and what you want to see, but a typical hour takes in the Sepulveda Basin and Lake Balboa, the Mulholland ridge, the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Observatory, Dodger Stadium and the downtown skyline, then swings back across the Valley for the approach. On clear winter afternoons you can see Catalina from altitude.

How much of it you actually fly

Most of it. Your instructor handles the radios, the takeoff and the landing, and stays on the controls with you the entire time. You fly the climb, the level-off, the turns over the landmarks, the cruise and the descent back toward the airport. The airplane answers immediately and with far less effort than people expect; that surprise is usually the moment the day becomes memorable.

Minute by minute

  1. Check-in and briefing (about 25 minutes). Weight and fuel, how the controls work in plain English, what you'll see and what your instructor will say and when.
  2. Walk-around (10 minutes). You help inspect the airplane: fuel, oil, control surfaces, propeller.
  3. Start, taxi and takeoff. You'll taxi out among the business jets of Van Nuys; your instructor flies the takeoff and narrates it.
  4. Your flight (60 minutes). Hands on the yoke, feet on the rudder pedals, instructor beside you.
  5. Landing, debrief and logbook. Your instructor lands, then signs your first logbook entry. Plan on about two hours at the airport altogether.

What's included

  • Aircraft, fuel and FAA-certificated instructor
  • Preflight briefing and walk-around
  • 60 minutes of flight time with you at the controls
  • A signed logbook entry; dual instruction time counts toward the FAA's 40-hour private pilot minimum
  • Headset for the flight; phones and cameras welcome

Requirements

  • No flying experience, license or medical certificate required
  • No minimum age; children fly with a parent's blessing and the instructor's judgment
  • Weight: a 180 lb limit applies to this aircraft. Close to it, or not sure? Call us on (818) 330-1318 before you book and we will talk you through the options: the Cirrus SR22 allows 200 lb and the simulator has no limit.
  • Bring a government photo ID, closed-toe shoes and sunglasses that are not polarized (polarized lenses black out the instrument screens)

Weather and rescheduling

If the weather isn't right we call you before you leave the house and move you to another slot at no charge, or you can switch to the simulator, which no weather cancels. You can also reschedule yourself free of charge up to 24 hours before your flight. See the full weather and cancellation policy.

Questions people ask before booking

Is a discovery flight the same as a scenic tour?

No. On a tour you're a passenger. On a discovery flight you're the student pilot: it's a real first lesson, flown by you, logged in your name.

Can someone come with me?

Yes: book the Discovery Flight for Two and your guest rides in the back seat with a headset, or give them their own flight with a gift card.

Will I get airsick?

Rarely. The three usual causes are afternoon thermals, an empty stomach and staring at the instrument panel, so we fly you smoothly, ask you to eat something light beforehand, and keep your eyes outside. Morning flights are the smoothest of the day.

What should I wear?

Whatever you'd wear for a walk: closed shoes, long pants, layers. Leave the large bag in the car.

Want to see everything on offer? Compare all discovery flights or read what to expect on the day.

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