Alexis is a flight instructor at You Fly LA at Van Nuys Airport, and the speciality is the first twenty minutes of somebody's flying life. Alexis teaches primary training and discovery flights, and is the instructor people remember for handing over the controls sooner than expected and making it feel like a reasonable thing to be doing.
This page covers what Alexis teaches, what a first-timer actually does in the airplane, and what you need before you can book. The full team is on our flight instructors roster; the flights themselves are on our discovery flights page.
What Alexis Teaches
Discovery flights and primary training toward sport and private pilot certificates. Under 14 CFR 61.193 a flight instructor gives the ground and flight training and issues the endorsements that lead to a student pilot certificate, a first solo and a practical test. Alexis spends most of the week at the start of that sequence, with people who have never handled an aircraft control in their lives.
Trust is the working material. A first-timer will not fly the airplane properly while they are waiting to be told they are doing it wrong, and they will not relax until they believe the person next to them can take over instantly. Alexis establishes both in the briefing: here is what the controls do, here is what I will say if I need the airplane, here is what happens if you do nothing at all. After that, most people fly.
What "You Fly It" Actually Means
The phrase is used loosely by a lot of operators, so here is ours precisely. You sit in the left seat, which is the pilot's seat. The airplane has dual controls, so there is a yoke or stick in front of each of you and both sets of rudder pedals work. Your instructor flies the takeoff and, on a first flight, the landing, usually with your hands and feet following through so you can feel what the inputs are. Once you are clear of the airport, the airplane is yours: climbs, descents, turns, holding a heading, flying toward a landmark you picked. If anything at all goes sideways, the instructor says "my controls" and has the airplane in under a second.
None of that is a demonstration ride. The flight is logged as dual instruction in the pilot logbook you bring (we do not provide logbooks), and it counts toward a certificate if you go on to train. That is the difference between what we sell and a sightseeing ride, and it is why we call it a discovery flight.
What You Need Before You Can Book
| Requirement | What Applies |
|---|---|
| Experience | None. This is designed as a first flight. |
| Pilot certificate | Not required. You fly under the supervision of a certificated flight instructor. |
| Medical certificate | Not required for a discovery flight or for dual instruction. Required before you fly solo. |
| Photo identification | Bring it. For a minor, bring a parent or guardian too. |
| Weight | 180 lb per person flying the Warrior single; 360 lb combined for two; 400 lb combined in the Cirrus. |
| Age | No minimum to fly with an instructor. Our teens course runs from age 10. |
| Citizenship | Discovery flights are exempt from the TSA Alien Flight Student Program clearance. Training is not. |
| Headset | Provided, at no charge. |
If you are not a US citizen and intend to continue past the first flight, read our guide for international student pilots, because the TSA clearance takes time and should be started before you enroll rather than after.
Who Should Ask For Alexis
- Anyone who has never flown a light aircraft. That is the whole brief, and Alexis is very good at it.
- People who are more nervous than they will admit. Say so when you book and the lesson is paced for it.
- Gift recipients. Someone handed a voucher they did not ask for needs an instructor who reads the room.
- Students deciding whether to commit. One honest hour tells you more about whether you want a certificate than a month of research.
How To Request Alexis
Call (818) 330-1318 and ask for Alexis by name, or add the request when you book a free consultation. We are at 7900 Balboa Blvd, Main Terminal Unit 108, Van Nuys, CA 91406, open 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM, seven days a week. Morning slots have the smoothest air and are the kindest to anyone worried about turbulence, so ask for one if that is a concern.
Related Reading
- Our flight instructors — the full roster and how we match students.
- What is a discovery flight — how the hour is structured and what it includes.
- What to expect — arrival, briefing, flight and debrief.
- Frequently asked questions — identification, weights, weather and rescheduling.
- Adam — another instructor first-timers are often paired with.
Alexis: Frequently Asked Questions
What Does Alexis Teach?
Discovery flights and primary flight training toward sport and private pilot certificates, working mainly with people who have never flown a light aircraft before.
Will I Really Get To Fly The Airplane?
Yes. You sit in the left seat with dual controls, and once clear of the airport the airplane is yours for climbs, descents, turns and headings. The instructor flies the takeoff and, on a first flight, the landing.
Do I Need A Medical Certificate Or A License?
Neither, for a discovery flight or for dual instruction. A medical certificate under 14 CFR 61.23 is required before you fly solo, so start that application early if you plan to continue.
What Should I Bring?
Photo identification, sunglasses and clothes you can move in. Headsets are provided at no charge. For anyone under 18, bring a parent or guardian.
Is There A Weight Limit?
Yes: 180 pounds per person flying the Warrior single, 360 pounds combined on a flight for two, and 400 pounds combined in the Cirrus SR22. The simulator has no weight limit.
I Am Not A US Citizen. Can I Book?
Yes. Discovery flights are exempt from the TSA Alien Flight Student Program clearance. If you go on to train toward a certificate, the clearance is required and takes time to obtain.
Does The Flight Count Toward A License?
Yes. It is logged as dual instruction in your logbook, and the cost is credited in full toward a course if you enroll within 24 hours of flying.
Book A Flight With Alexis
A 60-minute discovery flight is $229, you fly it from the left seat, it is logged, and it is credited in full toward training if you enroll within 24 hours. If you want to ask everything first, book a free consultation and nobody will sell you anything. Call (818) 330-1318, 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM, any day of the week.