I'm incredibly grateful to LA Flight Academy and especially to Anthony, the owner. When I was researching flight schools in the area, he was the only one who took the time to answer my questions immediately and honestly. While others felt focused on selling, Anthony felt focused on peopleand that made all the difference. During my Private Pilot License training, I genuinely had the best experience. As a queer pilot, I felt fully embraced, respected, and supported by everyone at the school. That kind of environment matters more than people realize, and LA Flight Academy delivers it effortlessly. Mason, my CFI, has an incredible way of connecting with studentsclear, patient, and motivating. Sean Haughey is also outstanding, both in ground instruction and in the air. You can tell they truly care about teaching, safety, and your growth as a pilot. The level of professionalism, security, and safety at this school is incomparable. I couldn't be more thankful to have landed here. Thank you again for an amazing semi-accelerated PPL experience. I'm excited to continue all my ratings and commercial training with you. read more

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Wish I completed all my training here. I just finished my commercial multi with such an amazing experience . I've attended several schools , taught at several schools and work here at Van Nuys as a flight instructor. It is known that LA flight academy is the premier flight school here. Great planes, instructors , HONEST business, owners and just a great community and vibe. If I could do it all over again, I'd do all my training here and try to work for them. read more

LA Flight Academy - Checkride passed - Flight Instruction Near Me - Van Nuys, California

I came from abroad to build time. I spoke with the owner beforehand and asked for a special request. He was really nice responsive and helped me to get exactly what I needed. When I arrived I had flights with several flight instructors, they were all kind, informative and professional. They always try to help you with whatever you need and are really there for you to learn and become a good and safe pilot. I recommend LA Flight Academy for anyone who is looking for a Great company, good, carefully maintained airplanes and the best instruction you can get. read more

Seriously, if you are thinking of flying for fun or for a career check out LA flight Academy. I was in that same position where you determine what flight school fits best for your needs, and these guys have been very accommodating and helpful from the start. I was skeptical at first but once you know the operations and what to expect, this place will feel like a nice hang out place for studying. You get to experience people that are in the same position and network - find out what works for them etc. it's great! I'll be doing the zero to hero at this place as I wouldn't imagine a better place to do it at than this. Thanks Anthony! read more

LA Flight Academy - Flight Instruction Near Me - Van Nuys, California

Everyone at LAFA is awesome from the owner Anthony to all the instructors. Super knowledgeable and more than happy to answer any questions you have. Planes are all well maintained and up to date. If you're thinking about getting your licenses/ratings this is the place to go! read more

Matt was our instructor and he was the best!! Truly an amazing first experience. We want to go up asap and get our license.

Just passed my Private Pilot checkride thanks to LA FLIGHT ACADEMY. I've been to 3 other flight schools and have found most either want to drain you for your money/flight hours or are so balls-to-the-wall about getting you to your checkride that they compromise safety. LAFA's instructors are actually invested in getting you to your checkride while still ensuring you are a capable pilot. I wish I had found them earlier. I would have saved a ton of time and money. read more

LA Flight Academy - Flight Instruction Near Me - Van Nuys, California

Great instructors, delivered there promises to finishing my multi fast and providing a dpe as soon as I was ready. Highly recommend them for all types of ratings!!! read more

It can be really hard to find the right flight school for you. It comes down to many factors: the airplanes available, the scheduling, the quality of the instructors, and the ownership of the school itself, among other things. For me, LA Flight Academy checks all the boxes. I finished my PPL, instrument, and commercial single here and plan to do the rest of my ratings here as well. Throughout each level of my progress, I was partnered with excellent instructors and always had my questions answered. The owner treats all of the planes extremely well, and it only adds to your confidence as a student knowing that you have a safe aircraft available for your training. Additionally, there is a really strong community you will find at LAFA, and you will enjoy meeting and getting to know your fellow students and other instructors, building out your aviation family. I heartily recommend LAFA to any student pilot seeking to earn their wings, or any current pilots looking to add on ratings. See you in the SoCal skies! read more

Just finished my private pilot license with LAFA and it is absolutely the best school on the strip. I started my training at a different school which pales in comparison looking back. Did 80% of my training with a CFI named Evan who moved onto the big leagues (as they all eventually do) and finished the rest with a CFI named Saif. Could not be happier with both of them! Amazing experience and the owner of the school is extremely attentive to his aircraft and is on top of repairs and maintenance as well as very communicative. If you're going to learn how to fly, fly here. read more

LA Flight Academy - PPL - Flight Instruction Near Me - Van Nuys, California

A friend recommended LA Flight Academy for the multi engine commercial add-on. I reached out to the owner, and he was very responsive and helpful! Worked with instructor Joe Sokhn, and he made the whole process relaxing and fun. I'd highly recommend LA Flight Academy as well as Joe! read more

My time at LA Flight Academy has been great! The team at LAFA works very hard to guide and help you achieve your goals. During my time, I have worked with several great instructors, who have each taught me so much and have helped me grow as a pilot. Anyone looking to find a great school should look no further, as LA Flight Academy is an amazing place to begin, or continue your aviation journey! read more

I was very interested in joining the school from all the reviews that it posted online from yelp and Google show that it was a promising school to go to, but from the moment I entered the location. The staff in flight instructors were very rude unprofessional didn't know what they were talking about or unwilling to help The owner. Anthony was also intoxicated. read more

I am so proud to have done my Multi Engine Instructor license at La Flight Academy. At this stage in the game, I have had many flight instructors and flight schools. Here is why I would recommend them: 1.They had and presented a full syllabus and plan of action prior to day one. 2. They provided all training materials prior to day 1 which gave me time to self-study and try to get ahead. 3. They developed lesson plans that perfectly balance efficiency and enough time to absorb the material. 4. They are priced very fairly and really care about being fair in all their billing. 5. I felt like family. 6. I loved my Instructor(s). My primary instructor was Alex Feldman. He felt very professional the entire time and I really liked that it did not feel like I was "flying with my best friend." Even though he and I got along greatly. He is extremely knowledgeable, honest, efficient, and a great aviator. The owner Anthony treats everyone like family. 5/5 stars from someone who has been around the industry for a while. Thank you La Flight Academy for helping me achieve my goal. read more

LA Flight Academy - Flight Instruction Near Me - Van Nuys, California

I wish I could have found this place sooner. After 100s of hours of flying at different flight schools across LA, I settled at this flight school. I completed my Commercial and finished up on my previously incomplete instrument checkride in less than 2 months, and am currently working on my CFI and soon my MEL. The owner is amazing and honest and the CFIs work with me directly. Pricing is great and the aircraft that are maintained excellently. read more

LA Flight Academy - SFRA over LAX! - Flight Instruction Near Me - Van Nuys, California

If you are looking for somewhere to learn to fly, seriously look no further. After coming from a not so good flight school, LA Flight Academy took me in and turned me into a really confident safe pilot. I went from student pilot through to CFi with them and I wouldn't have it any other way. The aircraft are always maintained well and are safe, the flight instructors are professional and their only goal it to have you succeed. The business is very transparent and the owner is extremely accommodating and it is a very friendly Environment place to come and learn. I can't recommend this place enough, go see for yourself! read more

LA Flight Academy - Soaring over the LA skyline - Flight Instruction Near Me - Van Nuys, California

From the moment I stepped foot in the door, everyone was more than accommodating. Even though I have a set instructor, I feel like they all jump in and help if needed. That said, Roman is amazing. I'm about halfway through my training and I already feel comfortable enough to take my 8 year old son up. Highly recommended! read more

I've been to 3 other flight schools at Van Nuys and LA Flight Academy has exceeded my expectations. I wish I had found them sooner.. the instructors are very knowledgeable about the material. Planes are super clean, maintained very well and I've never been hesitant to fly any of them. Definitely the best flight school @ Van Nuys. I would highly recommend for any kind of flight training! read more

LA Flight Academy - Views over Catalina Island - Flight Instruction Near Me - Van Nuys, California

Incredible staff. Incredible instructors. Incredible owner. I flew for the first time as a surprise birthday gift from my wife and the experience was all so unimaginably incredible that I'm now considering actually getting my pilot's license! Thank you LA Flight Academy. read more

LA Flight Academy - Flight Instruction Near Me - Van Nuys, California

Hi guys My name is Tony I am a private pilot with instrument rating This best flight school the I have been to. I came from a part 141 school because wasn't helpful for me. I can to LA flight academy to Anthony and Arthur and they help to get my private and instrument in short amount of time . Also they are trying to help you as much as they can for plane availability and making hours. Honestly it's hard to find a school like that these days. Thank you for everyone that help me to get these certificates. read more

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I seriously can't recommend LA Flight Academy enough! I'm a career student here and the instructors, planes, and staff are the best I've come across since I started flying. If you are thinking about getting your pilot's license for fun or flying as a career you should definitely make LA Flight Academy your first stop when looking for a school! read more

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LA flight academy was one of the most honest and genuine flight schools I've been too. They made what most flight school make complicated super easy. Checkout flight was less than 2 hours, and I rented for pretty much 2 days straight. Great planes, great service. Huge thanks to Anthony and all other staff read more

This is the best flight school in Van Nuys, hands down! I'm working on my 4th rating and this is the best experience I've had in all of California. I seriously won't be able to squeeze all my compliments in this review! The airplanes are always current, very very clean, and we'll taken care of. I always feel safe flying any plane owned by LA Flight Academy. I came here after having a terrible experience at a school in Van Nuys. Anthony was AMAZING in making sure I got what I needed and was always available by email or phone call if I needed anything. I completed my commercial rating and am working on my CFI now. My instructor Alex is pretty dope. He makes every lesson engaging, and I look forward to coming to school! He's always readily available and is very knowledgeable about any topic we cover. If I have any questions, there are plenty of people willing to answer them. The whole team at LA Flight Academy is positive and they want the best for you. They're not after your money- they seriously want to help students succeed. I can't wait to finish my flight journey with LA Flight Academy and I highly recommend everyone come and check them out. Parking available on site and the facility is always kept very clean. read more

If you're looking for a fun unique LA experience this is it. I have done the LA plane ride 2x and paid for my family to go as a gift and we all had an amazing time. They are extremely responsive, great pilots and it's absolutely amazing seeing So Cal from a plane and getting to see the Hollywood sign and all the iconic locations from an aerial view. Highly recommend and I'll for sure be back. read more

I got my private pilot license thanks to the amazing team and the CFIs at LA Flight academy. They are one of the most honest companies in Van Nuys and if you ask me the only place to learn to fly! Take my word for it I tired a few of the schools and LA Flight academy is the best. All the aircraft are serviced properly and always ready to fly. The planes are CLEAN and Fueled so you don't have to spend time fueling up or cleaning them like other schools. Good Luck and see you up in the skies read more

LA Flight Academy - Flying over Malibu - Flight Instruction Near Me - Van Nuys, California

Great place to fly, maintenance ON ALL AIRCRAFT are always up to standards. This is truly a place that does not screw around with airworthiness of aircraft. If you want to fly an aircraft that matches the performance numbers in the aircraft manual, this is the place. Super friendly people with an awesome learning environment and extremely welcoming. You know its a safe and reliable top notch flight school when you can take a piston pusher across the Nevada border twice in one day and burn little to no oil. Stop over paying for airplanes that don't perform by the book and head over to LA Flight Academy! read more

LA Flight Academy - You know its a safe and reliable top notch flight school when you can take a piston pusher across the Nevada border - Flight Instruction Near Me - Van Nuys, California

I joined LA Flight Academy November of 2022 and completed my private pilot certificate in January of 2023. My experience was great all around from my flight instructor, the aircraft availability and maintenance, and support from the flight school. My flight instructor, Julian, went above and beyond for me. He worked around my schedule and was always a phone call away for any questions I had. The aircraft are always well maintained and clean. I always felt safe and never had issues scheduling the planes. Even when the plane was being worked on, I was able to oversee the work and learned about proper aircraft maintenance. The flight school was able to provide me with all the equipment and books that I needed through their pilot shop. I want to thank the LA Flight Academy team for making this a smooth process for me and now moving on to my instrument rating. read more

If you're thinking about attending any other flight schools in Van Nuys please don't waste your time. LA Flight Academy is easily the best school I've come across. Well maintained fleet, awesome instructors, and great pricing. I started here after my PPL and have gone all the way through my CFI checkride. Definitely make LA Flight Academy a stop when you're touring schools! read more

Wow! LA Flight Academy is the best! They taught me everything I needed, and I passed my Private Multi-Engine Instrument rating! I am 67 years old and they can even teach us old dogs new tricks! Alex C. was my Baron instructor, and he is an expert in all aspects of multi-engine knowledge and techniques. He began each session with an outline of what to expect that day, then we did the flight, then he gave a blow by blow positive debrief, covering every detail of the flight in chronological order. I suspect he must have a photographic memory. Next, he told me what we would be doing the following session, so I could prepare for it. No time was wasted; if we couldn't fly as planned due to weather, radar out, etc., we didn't fly. Alex teaches the multi engine ground school and the flying. I had gone to another FBO, and there was little ground school involved, with the instructors just trying to build time on my nickeI so they could get a job with the airlines, leaving me fragmented. Alex is a partner in the business and not planning on leaving you! As a Master Board Certified teacher, I appreciated having theoretical and practical knowledge integrated to help solidify the information in my memory. When the Baron had maintenance issues, they were taken care of quickly, for a minimum loss of flying time. I heartily recommend LA Flight Academy for your multi-engine ratings. read more

I want to start off by thanking everyone at LA Flight Academy for helping me get to the finish line. I started my training at a different school for my private pilots license and felt like it was taking such a long time to get to the end. I ended up walking in and getting some advice from Anthony and Alex. We discussed my options and what would be best moving forward. A week later I started my training with Minfei and in a matter of a month she was able and determined to push me through the end. I officially got my license on December 14th after starting with them in November. Everyone is very welcoming and the environment is perfect for learning and having fun at the same time. Best decision I've ever made! read more

CFI training with Alex Contreras My CFI training started in May 2021 after I became a commercial pilot the same month. In March 2022 I accomplished my goal of becoming a CFI. When looking for a flight school, a trusted friend and coworker strongly recommended Alex Contreras from LA Flight Academy in Van Nuys Airport(VNY). At first, I was hesitant to train in VNY due to the high traffic volume. But after some research and careful consideration, I decided the benefits outweigh the risks. The flight school is very welcoming, experienced, and has a fleet of well-maintained airplanes. Alex has a very organized and systematic way of instructing which I would like to adapt in my flight instructing. The first time we met in person, we had an orientation on the CFI training. According to the Practical Test Standard for CFI candidates, there are certain subjects that must be covered in a checkride, such as Airspace, Runway Incursion, Risk Management, and a few more. We prioritized working on the lesson plans on those subjects. For each lesson plan, I was taught to structure it in a logical and accessible way. The lesson plan first starts with PTS requirements, which is a good reminder of what is expected from a flight instructor. The lesson plan continues to cover two important "W"s: Why this subject needs to be covered and What are the important definitions. This structure helps to introduce a new concept by comparing new material to something a learner already knows. For example, airspace is like the road system: Just like there are different kinds of roads, such as streets and highways, there are also different kinds of airspaces. In other subjects, using scenarios is a more interactive way of learning. For runway incursion, I used the scenarios of a flight that departs from VNY to LGB during the day and returns at night, to cover important topics: taxi diagram, runway hold short sign, airplane lighting requirements, etc. The risk management lesson plan is based on a scenario where a pilot with a few friends goes to Santa Barbara for a concert and stories that happened along the way to develop a student's Aeronautical Decision Making skills. As our ground lessons come to a conclusion, I practiced teaching those lessons on my own. When the flight training started, I thought I would be too overwhelmed with everything happening in VNY, but with Alex's help, it felt okay and enjoyable. My CFI flight training lessons are structured as a very accelerated private pilot course. The first lesson's goal is to get me familiar with the airport, the practice areas, and the aircraft. The second lesson is on the slow flight - a very important lesson to help a student acquire skills for approach and land on the final. The third lesson is on stalls. From there my flight lessons continued to landings, emergency procedures, and maneuvers. I was surprised to learn a few new things about flying when training with Alex. As I was always nervous to do stalls, Alex introduced stalls to me as riding a horse. At a safe altitude, he pulled the power off and held the airplane to enter a stall. He said it is just like riding a horse, how do you tell a horse to stop? You hold its nose. As the plane lost energy, it dropped some altitude. The altitude drop gave the airplane energy to stay stop in the air. Then when the energy are gone, the plane dropped a little bit more. It is just like stepping down the stairs. That experience was new to me, as I would always recover from a stall right away in my previous flight training. The lessons were very inspiring and gave me a lot of aha moments about how a learner learns. The spin training comes last, and spin training was one of the most memorable and mind-opening experiences. A C172 was used for this training. The airplane had minimum fuel and no loose objects on board. We flew to the Malibu area and climbed. With each new maneuver, we broke it down into small sectors. For the spin training, Alex started by entering a spin and recovering at half of the spiral turn. Then eventually, we moved on to three full spirals. The acronym for recovering from a spin is P.A.R.E. P stands for power idle. As I pull the power idle, the airplane's nose naturally rises to level itself. I have been told how Cessna 172s are stable and want to fly. The spinning training proved that is true. This training has improved my knowledge of the limitation of my airplane. That gave me a lot of confidence in my flying. read more

My pilot career started off with a school that promised me to get me through all my licenses and help me whenever I needed them, but instead they just drained all the money they could from me, taking me on random flights, and to just sitting in the plane for 30+ minutes. After a year and a half and just getting my private and 6 months of instrument training it was a must for me to look for another flight school and I couldn't have made a better decision then joining LA flight Academy. From the quality of planes, instruction, staff, and within a month into my instrument training I will be ready for my checkride in a couple of weeks. read more

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They seem to be nice people but I've been ghosted since I asked for a refund for the $2800 worth of unused flight credits due to a health issue. It's been six weeks. Just wanted to see if this review works before I dispute my payment, because disputes hurt businesses track records and I don't want that. I'll update my review if anything changes. read more

I had the great pleasure of completing my PPL at LA Flight Academy. It was by far one of the best experiences of my life, as I achieved a lifetime goal of mine. Anthony, Grant, and the entire staff are nothing but helpful, knowledgable, and uphold the highest standards. Their planes are also impeccably maintained. As a transferee from another un-named flight school I cannot stress how important a well maintained plane is to the safety and the quality of the learning environment. As a student on the PA-28 platform, and having flown many different N numbers from other flight schools I can tell you that N9172Y and N32462 are some of the best maintained and true flying planes at KVNY. You will regret going anywhere else for any of your aviation studies. Would HIGHLY recommend! Take my advice and give them a call. read more

Made it from zero experience to private pilot in two months with Bobby. These guys are professional, the planes are in perfect condition, and they really care about your success and safety as a pilot. I never had a problem scheduling, had no mechanical issues, nothing. I would absolutely recommend LA Flight Academy to anybody looking to get flight training. read more

LA Flight Academy - Flight Instruction Near Me - Van Nuys, California

Experienced pilot and well maintained aircraft. I flew baron A55 for the time building and high performance endorsement. The school itself is like a small happy family. They are friendly folks. read more

I have been working in aviation for years and decided to get my PPL. I was shopping for schools and only heard great things about LA Flight academy and decided to give them a shot. After one intro flight I knew they were who I wanted to train with. Fantastic staff, airplanes are taken care of, reasonable rates, and people who WANT to see you succeed. CFI Julian fit my learning style perfectly and had me confidently flying a plane through the tricky Los Angeles airspace. I finished up my Private Pilot license in a short window and am now working on instrument. I have recommended both newcomers and seasoned pilots to get their ratings with them. Flight school is an investment and you can be confident LA flight academy is going to get you to your end goal. read more

All the teachers my son had at LA Flight Academy have been great!! The owner is very nice and personable with my son as well as us parents when we met him. My son got his pilots license in record time during his summer break from college, took me for a flight, and I felt very safe with his knowledge and the plane he rented from LA Flight Academy. read more

LA Flight Academy - Flight Instruction Near Me - Van Nuys, California

Came to LA Flight Academy for a spin endorsement with CFI Alex and had a great experience! Alex is an excellent instructor and very knowledgeable. The plane we used, a 152 was in excellent shape very well maintained. Spin training was so much fun and the price was right they were very honest and transparent about the cost and accepted credit cards. Highly recommend. read more

I left another flight school due to some shady practices, and went to LA Flight Academy. Since starting there in October 2020, it's exceedingly clear and obvious how much this school cares about their students' training/progress, as well as the maintenance of their aircraft. There's nothing more comforting knowing that while flying in one of their planes, you'll no doubt be flying with safety at heart. From Anthony (the owner) to Grant and Bobby (CFI's) everyone there is not only passionate about aviation, but even more so passionate about YOUR success. Look no further than LA Flight Academy. With the best rates in SoCal, I've saved (probably hundreds if not thousands) on my Pilot's License. read more