Latest ·
Why October Is A Smart Month To Start Flying In Los Angeles
Why an October start lines up your first solo, your night training and your cross-countries with the calmest months of the Los Angeles flying year.
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Flight Log · Notes From Van Nuys Airport
Flight Log
Notes on discovery flights over Los Angeles and on learning to fly from Van Nuys Airport: what the flight is like, what it costs, who can fly and what to expect.
Written by You Fly LA Instructors
Call (818) 330-1318
Talk to an instructor or the owner — 9 AM–9 PM, 7 days
Latest ·
Articles
14
Published so far
Topics
05
Filter below
Newest
Oct 5
Most recent article
Reading Time
5–15 min
At about 230 words a minute
Written By
CFIs
You Fly LA Instructors
Start Here
New To Flying? Read These Three First
What a first flight really is, who can take one, and how long the road to a license runs. In that order.
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Step 01 · What It Is
Do You Really Fly The Plane? An Instructor Answers
A discovery flight is lesson one of flight training, not a sightseeing ride. Here is how the controls are shared, what the instructor does, and what the hour looks like minute by minute.
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Step 02 · Who Can Fly
Discovery Flight Requirements: Age, Weight, ID And Health
Who can take a discovery flight: age rules, weight limits by aircraft, what ID to bring, whether you need a medical certificate, and what actually disqualifies people.
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Step 03 · The Road To A License
How Long Does It Take To Get A Private Pilot License?
The FAA minimum is 40 hours, the average is about 60, and the calendar depends on how often you fly. Realistic timelines at Van Nuys, the stages in order, what slows people down and how to finish faster.
Every Article
The Whole Flight Log
Filter by topic, search for a question, or sort by the quickest read.
Showing 14 of 14 · Newest first
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Learning To Fly
Why October Is A Smart Month To Start Flying In Los Angeles
Why an October start lines up your first solo, your night training and your cross-countries with the calmest months of the Los Angeles flying year.
Read Article -
Cost & Payment
What One Flying Lesson Costs At Van Nuys, Line By Line
One flying lesson taken apart and priced line by line with our published rates, what 40 to 65 hours adds up to, and when a package beats paying by the hour.
Read Article -
Gifts
The Father's Day Gift That Flies: Discovery Flights In LA
A discovery flight is the Father's Day gift he will still be talking about next year: which flight to choose for which dad, how the gift certificate works, no expiry date, weight limits and making the day go well.
Read Article -
Lesson One
Book A Discovery Flight
$229from · 60 min
You fly from the left seat with an FAA-certificated instructor beside you, and the hour is logged as dual instruction.
- 90 minutes$299
- 120 minutes$399
- For two, 60 minutes$299
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Learning To Fly
Get Your FAA Medical First: Why It Comes Before Lesson One
You do not need an FAA medical certificate to start lessons, but you need one to solo, and it is the one item that can stop training. Why to get it first, how, what it costs and what worries people needlessly.
Read Article -
Comparisons
Helicopter Vs Airplane Discovery Flight In Los Angeles
Helicopter or airplane for a first flight in Los Angeles? How each feels to fly, how much of the flight you control, what each costs, where each leads, and which to book.
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Discovery Flights
Pilot For A Day In Los Angeles: What It Actually Includes
What a pilot-for-a-day experience in Los Angeles really includes, minute by minute: the briefing, the preflight, the part where you fly, the logbook, and how to choose 60, 90 or 120 minutes.
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Learning To Fly
How Long Does It Take To Get A Private Pilot License?
The FAA minimum is 40 hours, the average is about 60, and the calendar depends on how often you fly. Realistic timelines at Van Nuys, the stages in order, what slows people down and how to finish faster.
Read Article -
Learning To Fly
Part 61 Vs Part 141 Flight School: Which Is Right For You?
Part 61 and Part 141 explained plainly: what each regulates, the hour minimums side by side, what each gives you, and which suits working adults and career-track students.
Read Article -
Comparisons
Flight Simulator Vs Real Discovery Flight: Book Which First?
An honest comparison of the $189 full-motion simulator and the $229 discovery flight: what each teaches, who each suits, and which to book first.
Read Article -
Gifts
Is A Discovery Flight A Good Gift? What To Know First
An honest look at giving a flight: who loves it, who does not, the weight limits and nerves to check first, and how to buy it so it actually gets used.
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Discovery Flights
The Best Views On A Discovery Flight Over Los Angeles
The Hollywood Sign, Griffith Observatory, the downtown skyline, Santa Monica Bay, Point Dume and Malibu. Which route shows what, and the best time of day for each.
Read Article -
Discovery Flights
Do You Really Fly The Plane? An Instructor Answers
A discovery flight is lesson one of flight training, not a sightseeing ride. Here is how the controls are shared, what the instructor does, and what the hour looks like minute by minute.
Read Article -
Discovery Flights
Discovery Flight Requirements: Age, Weight, ID And Health
Who can take a discovery flight: age rules, weight limits by aircraft, what ID to bring, whether you need a medical certificate, and what actually disqualifies people.
Read Article -
Cost & Payment
How Much Does A Discovery Flight Cost In Los Angeles?
What a discovery flight actually costs in Los Angeles, what the price includes, why quotes differ between schools, and what to watch for before you book.
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Still Have A Question?
Ask The People Who Wrote These
Every article here was written by our instructors. If yours is not answered, call and ask one of them, or book a free consultation and talk it through in person.
- 7900 Balboa Blvd, Main Terminal Unit 108Van Nuys, CA 91406, on the west (Balboa Boulevard) side of Van Nuys Airport. Navigate to the street address, not “Van Nuys Airport”: the field has several gates.
- Calls 9 AM–9 PM, seven days a week, including weekends and holidaysDiscovery flights & consultations 10 AM–7 PM daily
Call (818) 330-1318
Talk to an instructor or the owner — 9 AM–9 PM, 7 days
Come see us in person, about half an hour, nothing to sign.
Discovery Flight
$229 from
- 60 minutes$229
- 90 minutes$299
- 120 minutes$399
- For two over downtown, 60 min$299
Rather talk first? Call (818) 330-1318