I took my husband on a helicopter ride for his birthday about 12 years ago, and ever since then…read moreI've been fascinated by flying. Recently, I decided it was finally time to see whether learning to fly was something I wanted to pursue, so I booked a discovery flight with Essence Flight School. It was an incredible experience! My instructor was knowledgeable, patient, engaging, and made the entire flight both fun and educational. I had the opportunity to learn some basic maneuvers, including making left and right turns, performing a 360-degree turn, maintaining straight-and-level flight, and getting a feel for the aircraft controls. It was such a unique and rewarding experience. If you've ever been curious about flying, I highly recommend scheduling a discovery flight. It's the perfect way to see if aviation is right for you. I'll definitely be back to learn more about earning my pilot's license. Thank you to my instructor and everyone at Essence Flight School for making my first flight such a memorable one!

The guy on the phone was really unwelcoming, rude and didn't even explain to me properly. But i…read moredon't mean this to the whole business but just this guy on the phone was giving me a ick. (Here is the reason's why) I never been in person to this place. And I called them and let them know about my weight cause I know with Cessna 172 , it is going to be tight since I am 6'3" with 280 pounds,Tall and big guy. But he told me I am over weight (which probably I am) and it is impossible for me so he said I have to choose multi engine to be able to lift me which is 500 $ for me. No way I am paying for 60 minutes discovery flight. So, I asked him if I sign up as a student, how do I able to learn an aircraft an he said I have to pay extra 20 k since I need a bigger airplane. Feels really insulted on the last question. So if you are a big guy then this is really not a best option cause they don't find a solution for you with care. And even in my mind, if the discovery flight goes well and the vibes of the school was good, I was going to sign up as a student for PPL program and now their first impression on me was really trash and I am disappointed.

I'm incredibly grateful to LA Flight Academy and especially to Anthony, the owner. When I was…read moreresearching 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.

I'm currently training at LA Flight Academy, and it has been an incredible experience. The training…read moreand aircraft are excellent, but what really makes this school special is the people. From the owner and management to the instructors and every staff member, everyone is welcoming, helpful, and truly cares about the students. You can feel that there's a genuine sense of community here. It's a place where I always feel comfortable, supported, and excited to keep learning. I highly recommend LA Flight Academy to anyone pursuing their aviation dreams.

If you are curious about flying, I think the perfect place to start is here at One Source. We were…read moreactually recommended to go here by a friend who had a son go through their training program and is now a fully licensed pilot. The location is professional with ample easy parking. The large hanger has multiple planes that students can choose from. It is super cool to walk around in if you haven't been around any aircraft, like me! The folks there were so nice and patient with us and answered all our questions which gave us peace of mind, knowing that our child would be in good hands up in the air. We are really pleased with our instructor, Zach, who is just amazing. My daughter loves being taught by him because he is easy-going and very thorough & patient with his teaching. He is extremely knowledgeable and it seems like he eats breathes and dreams all things aviation. If we have any questions in regards to flying, he has all the answers. We are really excited for our daughter as she progresses through her aviation journey and can't wait until she reaches her goal of getting her pilot's license. Rumor is, One Source is actually the best flight school there is at Van Nuys Airport so we are happy we made the right decision by coming here.

These guys are some of the coolest dudes youll meet. I got about 30 hours training with one source…read more Jake is my main instructor and Zach is my back up. Both of them are super knowledgeable and able to keep us safe in the sky. Just like them, im sure the other instructors that are a part of one source are just as good. Also very cool dudes. The hanger is nice. Sweet planes inside and a spot to chill. Very welcoming to all. The planes are well maintained and on schedule. These guys respect the condition of the aircrafts they use. Always taking care of issues right way if one comes up. Good for me , good for you. I recommend One Source Aviation because of the professionalism, friendship, and all around knowledge i have gained from them. Special thanks to Alex! You the man! Still want to do that barrel roll jake!

Amazing Experience! Must Try!!!…read more Booked: Discovery Flight for my 16 year old son Check-in Process: Simple, Booked the Room with the Owner Blake couldn't have been easier. Parking: Parking was free and is located directly in front of the hangar this was not a issue at all. Facilities: Waiting area has a clean bathroom, Mini Arcade :) tons of cool stuff to see. Offered us water. People: Mason - Flight instructor - My son could not stop talking about how great Mason was. He really explained everything to him before and while on the flight. My son was able to both fly and do a callout while in the air. If he was at all afraid mason put him at ease you rock! Blake - Owner Honestly could not be a nicer guy, explained the whole process and let me hear the ATC and we were able to track the flight the entire time. We were also able to go out and see the plane off and see it come back in. Such a cool experience and I didnt even do the flying! Plane: SportCruiser looked to be in perfect condition, such a cool little plane. My son mentioned it was extremely comfortable and he had an absolute blast. If you or anyone you know has any interest at all in flying you need to get them here ASAP. Thanks again guys

Thank you Blake and Bridger for the excellent discovery flight, I look forward to what is nextread more

Clipper Aviation is the best! Love training with the…read moreInstructors and the facilities are top notch! I'm working on getting my PPL and started with very little experience in aviation. My instructor (Riese), and secondary instructors (Alex G, Zach G), not only make my training fun, informative, and educational but also are helping build my confidence and skills in becoming a great general aviation pilot! I highly recommend Clipper Aviation for all you pilot training needs if you're interested and enthusiastic about the Aviation Industry and community!

I'm not a student at Clipper but my friend Omar is getting his instrument rating there and…read moresuggested I come along for one of his lessons. His instructor Darien allowed me to sit in the backseat and tag along for the lesson. It was such a great experience!! Darien was really knowledgeable, a great instructor and made the whole experience really fun and very memorable. From my experience, I would highly recommend getting your lessons from Darien and at Clipper in general. Their facilities are clean, everyone there is friendly and they take really good care of their planes. For all new pilots definitely check out the Cirrus! Such an amazing plane.

This was my first time ever being in a small prop plane like this, let alone flying one. An AirBnB…read moreExperience called "Fly an Airplane over LA" popped up and caught my interest, and I'm glad I checked it out. It was a great one-hour experience that was part sight-seeing flight, part introductory flight lesson. Nirvan at The Flight Academy was my copilot/instructor, and did a great job explaining everything and guiding me through the controls and the process. It didn't actually take long to feel pretty comfortable with controlling the yoke to ascend, descend, and bank/turn. The weather was great and the whole thing felt very safe and comfortable. Highly recommended!

English is my second language and it was difficult for me to understand, I had to repeat it and…read moreexplain it more slowly. The teacher didn't pay attention to me at all. I asked for help explaining how to use the application they sent and where to open the information for study that they sent me. I thought I had passed all the tests and didn't know what else was there. As a result, I was accused of not coping with the task. I immediately felt that she hated me. she said that I needed to wear a wedding ring, because because of my attractive appearance, I could lose my job. then she got drunk when we opened wine and champagne and brought alcohol to training in the pool. when I needed to clarify something or repeat it, she brushed me off and ignored me. she put on a show in class and lifted her legs above her head, showing off her incredible gymnastic abilities. She probably didn't like me because I didn't express any obvious ADMIRATION for her tricks and old-fashioned ways of sculpting roses from sausage and avocado. I didn't clap my hands or smile wide enough to satisfy her ego like everyone else did. Then they inflated a rescue slide at school and she screamed at the student to jump on it. the unfortunate student fell down! BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T INFLATE ENOUGH AIR!!!! THE TEACHER PRETENDED THAT NOTHING HAPPENED! It's good that there were mattresses on the ground for insurance. she herself did not jump first. after that I was afraid to jump, and asked if I could just sit down and slid down. SHE MADE me JUMP. then on a video in class they also showed emergency evacuation training. NO ONE JUMPED!! all the people sat down and moved slid down!!!! at the end the school principal talked to me AND EATED!!!! HE DID NOT STOP CHEWING WHILE TALKING! it was disgusting... I did not expect such discrimination in America. this is a paid school and I expected support and assistance in studying I decided to go to another school, which I didn't regret.... thank you for your attention )

Took my friend Jason there today for his first lesson and he LOVED IT! Julie was so professional,…read moreanswered all our questions, they had snacks and AC. She was so friendly and made everyone feel at ease. His instructor Henrik was so thorough and helpful and took his time with Jason. The flight was smooth and they bonded so well. Jason can't wait for his next lesson! Parking was plentiful and bathrooms were clean. Prices were great. Tons of merch to buy. THE BEST! Thank you!

Took my bride for a 60-minute (well, more like 52-min. Engine start/stop) Air Tour in one of the…read morecompany's Cessna 172S's. Pilot Martin S. was fantastic -- great host, excellent flying. We enjoyed views of the SFV, Universal Studios, Hollywood and Griffith Park, Dodger Stadium, DTLA, Santa Monica, and the Malibu coastline before flying high above the Santa Monica Mountains en route to VNY. Overall, great flight and service from start to finish (reservation to exit).

This is the essence of a great training school -- not fancy but in the zone. Seth is totally…read moretransparent about fees and sets us students up for success. They have a large fleet and great group of instructors.. It can be busy so you better book your planes and instruction in advance but the instructors here are all excellent. They really care about learning and helping me along what's a long and complex learning journey. They have the best safety records and a near perfect PPL pass rate Too. Although I haven't attended another school as a student pilot I did a lot of research and visited other places. The big advantage of having the fueling system they do saves so much time and money compared to others.

***UPDATE 7/2/2024***…read more Whatever you do, without a doubt, do not go to Ascent Flight Academy!!! STAY AWAY! This place will rob you blind and not prepare you for any checkride at all. I was sent to a checkride without being properly endorsed for it and was made a fool when I arrived to my checkride. I was told over and over again that I was ready when in fact I was not even close to being ready. As a student, we put our trust and faith into the CFI, and to see that they don't take care you of you is insane. Not to mention their planes are absolute trash, barely taken care of, parts missing or broken, Jerry rigged and improperly calibrated. It's just a matter of time before there's an accident. Seth, the owner is horrible. He only cares about you when you are lining his pockets with money. DO NOT BUY THE TIME BLOCKS. If for some reason you have extra money left over, you will not get a refund. Make sure you turn off "auto renew" on your account so they don't automatically charge you. Leave that place as soon as your account drops to zero and never look back.

I got my PPL through Active Pilot and now working on my instrument rating. The facilities are…read moregreat, makes it really easy to plan and debrief flights with your instructor as well as spaces to study. The instructors are all great as well I've trained with a few of them, but wanted to give a shoutout to my instructor Joe! The planes are all very clean inside and out and well maintained. They're washed every week and if there are any squawks placed they'd handled pretty much immediately. Prices are reasonable for Van Nuys and would definitely recommend if you're looking to fly.

From the moment I walked through the door, Leo and Ari made me feel supported, encouraged, and…read morecared for every step of the way - even long after earning my license. My instructor, Ryan, was simply exceptional. His depth of knowledge, patience, and commitment to helping his students succeed go far beyond what you could ever expect. Every flight lesson with him made me a more confident and capable pilot. If you get Ryan as an instructor, consider yourself very lucky! The entire ActivePILOT team shares that same passion and dedication, and it shows in everything they do. Thank you ActivePILOT!!

I recently had the pleasure to work with Alex and Joey. From the very beginning, I was greeted and…read moremade felt welcomed, not just as a student but as part of the family. Alex and I had a great conversation about life experiences and background in aviation and goals. Working with Joey was great as well. He was patient, knowledgeable, friendly, and professional. Did receive my endorsement but willing to work with him to become proficient. Overall it was an amazing experience and will be back.

From the owner: Vainer Aviation is your one stop shop to satisfy your aviation needs. Located at the world famous…read moreVan Nuys Airport, Vainer Aviation has plenty to offer. Our team is equipped with top notch instructors who have plenty of experience in aviation and are here to go the extra mile for you. Whether it's Flight Instruction, Aircraft Rental, Aircraft Management or Professional Pilot Services, we are the one's for you. We look forward to seeing you!