Best flight school in Southern California. Airplanes are well maintained, instructors are excellent, the ground classes are top-notch, facilities are great, and the overall environment at the academy promotes a safe space for students to grow and learn. No better place to learn how to become a pilot. read more

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Thank you for the experience. We were pleased with Leslie's expertise in flying and the rest of the staffs' hospitality. I highly recommend this place for someone who wants to get into flying an aircraft as a passion or career. Different programs available for anyone interested. Located in Torrance area. 1-31-2023 read more

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Sling Pilot Academy has great flight and ground instructors. For Academy students, they even have a mentor program that allows you to get mentoring from a student at a higher level. However, their scheduling policy is something to be aware of. In the Student Cancel Policy changes document they sent out in February 2025, they say that you are allowed to cancel your flight 24 hours in advance without getting charged a cancellation fee of $250. They do offer this fee to be waived if the student hasn't had a late cancellation in the preceding 6 months, and that the penalty can be refunded after 14 days if the student presents a training record showing 10 flights in the 14 days after the late cancellation. What they don't make clear in this document is if your fee will still be waived if you are unable to complete some of the 10 required flights in 14 days for a reason out of your control (such as maintenance or weather). To avoid any gray areas like this, I decided, don't be late and always show up. However, I have had instances when my flight schedule has changed drastically the night before to a time when I had already told scheduling I couldn't have a flight - and now I'm forced to cancel, risking a late cancellation fee. Being at the mercy of their schedule changes is always waived off like "this is what it takes to be in the aviation industry." I understand that they need to enforce late cancellations for students that are actually last minute cancelling, but this strict fee is an added worry for students who get their schedule changed for them less than 24 hours in advance. On top of that, the way the Academy package was advertised to me was that you will go from 0 to CFI through the program, and receive a guaranteed interview. One of the documents first sent out to new students even states, "Any Student making it through the Accelerated Pilot Course will end up holding a Certified Flight Instructor rating." The package itself comes with 200 single engine hrs, 50 AATD sim hrs, and 30 multi engine hrs. You need 250 flight hours as a pilot to apply for a commercial certificate in the first place (FAR 61.129), which is still a while away from CFI. That leaves little to no wiggle room at all. Every student I know is already out of their hours before reaching training for their commercial license, and they have already exceeded the "12 month" timeline. It is extremely unlikely that anyone can finish the program in 12 months, which is how they now advertise it (at the time I enrolled they told me it would take 9 months). Also, during the time when you do still have academy hours, every solo hour that you are required to do isn't subtracted any differently from dual training hours. That is theoretically costing you $275/hr at the current rate even though you are not receiving instruction for solos ($189/hr for aircraft rental and $85/hr for instruction). Imagine how fast the money/hrs goes when you have to complete the 50 hrs PIC XC time requirement for your instrument training. Now that I am out of hours like every other student, my invoices include the aircraft rental, flight instruction time, landing fee, and also a mysterious 0.3 hr ground instruction fee (which is also $85/hr, so $25.50) for every single flight. This surprise fee was never disclosed to me before I saw it on my invoice. I now know that it's a non-negotiable "pre and post flight debrief" (which never takes that long). So if my flight was 1 hr long, I would pay $110.5 just for the instructor, yet Sling only pays their instructors $17.30/hr. Waiting at least a month for your checkride is also normal, with limited communication on Sling's part. Not only will you have to pay an outside DPE an average of $1500 to be tested, but now you have to pay a lot of money for flights in between so you don't lose proficiency. If you run out of Academy hours, you need to get a job on top of being at Sling full time, which brings back the issue of scheduling. And that "guaranteed interview" they promise when you sign up is more of a formality anyways. There is such a lull in the aviation industry that they don't need many more CFI's, so it's unlikely that you will be hired after completing all your training here. This would be even worse for someone who has literally started from 0 here at Sling only flying the Sling NGT aircraft (which can only go into VFR conditions), because then they won't be able to fly confidently in a Cessna, for example, without additional training in that aircraft in order to be hired somewhere else. Overall, if you are considering Sling for your training, starting from a PPL would probably be the smarter choice. If you do start from 0, it would be extremely beneficial to know the exact hour requirements for every certificate, have a lot of money, and have a strong understanding of aviation before you even step foot into the hangar. read more

Came here for an event. So not sure about the classes. The event was fun, lots of activities for little kids. Not much for older kids. You could also see the planes and sit in them and take pictures. There was also a flight simulator which is great for the older kids but they only had one running so the line was very long. read more

I came here because they were offering free flights to highschool/college students who were willing to try it out. They had a nice venue going on with some free burgers, chips, sodas and even shaved ice. Unfortunately it was raining so they had to postpone the flights and they would send emails out to reschedule. However, I still had the privilege to try out their simulator with a flight instructor. He told me right after our session to speak with Jan and so i did. They gave me a rundown on the flight schooling and that since i got a sticker right after I'm eligible for a scholarship. I was very excited to hear that and even more excited to join the program to become a CFI. But, I still haven't gotten an email yet on the flight reschedule.. read more

Sling Pilot Academy - Flight Instruction Near Me - Torrance, California

I have two complaints about Sling: 1) I flew multi-engines here. I had two bad flight instructors at this place - the third one was fine. Armando was yelling at me in the cockpit, pushed the nose almost vertically down at 1,000 ft and made me feel unsafe to fly with him. I reported Armando's conduct to Sling management - but no action was taken. 2) I wanted to do further training. I call/email several times and can't get a response. They respond once for every 6-10 calls/emails with a partial answer. I had too many bad experiences at this place. I do not recommend Sling to anyone. read more

This company is pretty disappointing. They are unresponsive and unprofessional. Kinda weird employees too.. I set myself low with this place, glad it never worked out lol read more

No nonsense scheduling and clear cost. I changed from the light sport school at Fullerton. Very happy for nice used to the Sling LSA

totally dishonest they over charged me a few times for debriefing when there was no debriefing. When I called them on it they where rude and unapologetic, 3 of the CFIs also didn't sing my long book due to them not doing a debrief so 6 hours of training didn't count. stay away from this place. I called them a few times after that to at least get them to help get the CFIs signatures they just said that those CFIs are now gone and there is nothing they could do read more

Sling Flying Club is awesome. I've wanted to learn to fly my whole life - since my dad put me in an F-4 seat on his base as a kid. The cost was always so prohibitive I never thought I could make it a reality. Then along comes SFC with this amazing little plane the Sling 2 and everything changed last Monday. I'd flown a Cessna 152 a long time ago, but the Sling 2 was such an advanced feeling comfortable state of the art plane that I know it will be the plane I will own one day. On my first flight, I flew with Omar, who is super cool, energetic, knowledgeable and clearly loves to fly. In fact, everyone I spoke with from the first conversation on the phone with Jean made me feel like I was among friends and true aviation enthusiasts - not guys just trying to make a buck with assembly line certificate factory tactics. These guys and the Sling 2 have made my dream something I can see and feel now and I can't wait to continue training with my next flight and to get my Sport Pilot's license. If you want to learn to fly with real fans of flight, and at great pay as you go pricing, Sling Flying Club/The Airplane Factory should be your first and only stop. read more

Sling Pilot Academy - Flight Instruction Near Me - Torrance, California

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Great flight school highly recommended. Got my private and instrument rating at a school that shall remain nameless and left due to issues with their instructors and this school is a complete night and day difference. I would recommend sling to anyone looking into learning to fly whether as a career or just recreational! read more

Joined the academy less than a year ago and seen it grow every week. Had the chance to choose between here and ATP and glad I chose Sling. The planes are modern, all glass, and way more fun to fly. If you are looking to learn to fly and want to learn with modern technology this is the way go. read more

Excellent school and highly skilled instructors. Safety should be your biggest concern and, I can't say enough about the friendly people there. I recommend Justin Hill, as one of the best for flight instruction. read more

I tried out two other flight schools before settling on Sling Pilot Academy, and Sling is in a league of its own. You can't beat the price for an accelerated program like this, and the camaraderie is priceless. The owners are down to earth, friendly and accessible. If you come for a test flight you'll be hooked and if you enroll in the program you'll be welcomed like family. read more

Sling Pilot Academy - My daughter took this photo riding along for a cross country flight. - Flight Instruction Near Me - Torrance, California

I went here for a multi-engine rating add-on to my commercial certificate, and after spending a few thousand dollars, they would not let me test to get my rating unless I flew the plane below what is known as safe single engine speed and if I ignored the first signs of a stall during the VMC demonstration. The... - FAA Airplane Flying Handbook in the Chapter 12 Addendum on page 12-4; - King Schools Multi-Engine course in chapter 5; - Airplane's pilot's operating handbook on page S4-8; - Multi-Engine Oral Exam guide (page 2-15), ...and more all warn against this because doing so decades ago led to too many fatal accidents. When I showed this evidence to my flight instructor and the chief pilot, they were sympathetic and didn't disagree but said Sling is an aggressive flight school and they didn't have the power to change that. When I asked for my money back, the owner made up all kinds of things that aren't true. Here are two quick examples. He insisted it's okay to fly the Tecnam twin engine aircraft below safe single engine speed and said that's specifically noted in the pilot's operating handbook. He also claimed it's fine to put the plane in a spin, and that the flight school chose it because it recovers from spins so well. Yet he could not provide any evidence the plane had ever been spin tested, and the pilot's operating handbook says just the opposite about safe single-engine speed. Do yourself a favor and get the training you need from an established flight school that has integrity and cares about your safety. Is it really worth taking chances with your life in hopes of saving a few dollars? You've been warned! read more

The club is the most professional flying school I have been to. "Flight circle" scheduling is super easy to use I had no problem making a reservation the first time. With 2 of the best light sports flying I hope they get a third one online soon. With all the demand we will need it. Looking forward to my solo soon after only a few weeks taking Ali up twice a week. We have a great time together she is awsome to learn from! The plane is super easy to use and no bad habits just the ones I brought flying brand X. You should come try it on for size no matter your experience level from retired airline pilots to teenagers not yet driving mom's car It's your time on earth now, What are you going to do with it? read more

Sling Pilot Academy - Here I am on my first flight with Ali doing a checklist on the display instead of a checkmate card makes it handy anytime! - Flight Instruction Near Me - Torrance, California

Hands down, Ali is an awesome instructor, the Sling LSA is a great plane to fly, and the school seems to be a lot more interested in seeing you succeed instead of you taking more time to finish so they can take your money. They are definitely more catered to the consumer, real people wanting to fly. The atmosphere is so much different than the competitor, "Santa Monica Flyers", more positive, helpful and they keep it real. read more

Nice fleet of planes to choose from and my instructor Anastasia is super knowledgeable and helpful. I really like their booking system, it makes tracking past and future flights really easy. I looked into other flight school prior to starting here, some were a little cheaper but then you're stuck flying boring old Cessna Trainers. The Slings are a blast to fly and have all the latest tech...highly recommend! read more

Absolutely 100% impressed with Sling Pilot Academy. I have been a pilot for over 30 years, and this is one of the best run flight schools/FBOs that I've been to. The aircraft are new and meticulously maintained and management goes above and beyond to help their students and rental customers. Having visited many flight schools in Southern California, there is none better than Sling Pilot Academy. I've flown with several of their flight instructors (decided to up my game and get my instrument rating) and all CFIs have been top notch. Look no further if you're searching for a flight school or a place to rent a plane for a leisure flight. A++ read more

I have been a pilot for twenty years and have flown the normal stock of Cessnas and Pipers. I saw the Sling and wanted to fly it. The Sling is a great little airplane. It is modern, reliable and safe. Options are unheard of in this type of airplane - EFIS, autopilot, ADS-B, loaded. A joy to fly, cheap on gas with long legs. I love the plane and the people are great. read more

Jordan, CFI Nick, and owner Mike are top notch! I highly recommend checking this club out. The Sling is a beautiful, modern airplane including 4-point harnesses and a whole airframe parachute (BRS). The club makes this beauty available for aircraft rental! read more

Sling Flying Club is a very unique, dynamic place to learn to fly. The plane sells itself. The staff is competent and compassionate. You'll walk away with a sense of belonging. Choosing to get certified as a sport pilot in a Sling was a no-brainer, after seeing my options to get into the sport. read more

The Sling LSA is a fantastic airplane. Anyone who already has their PPL should definitely get a check-out in this. Additionally, the Flying Club is one of the smoothest club operations I've experienced. Highly recommend! read more

Sling2 aircraft at Sling Pilot Academy are incredible. Lots of fun to fly, great trainers for primary and advanced instruction, and for flight reviews---with excellent instructors. After 25+ years away from flying, it's great to be back in the Sling of things! read more

Excellent flying club; Vaughan my instructor is great! He knows the plane really well and is a very confident pilot. BTW the sling is an amazing plane - I'm hooked. read more

I've been flying with the Sligng flying club for over 2 years now. The staff is very friendly and helpful and can be reached even on the weekends. And the Sling airplane is just a beauty to fly. read more

I got my most recent BFR in the Sling-2 from Matt. It's a great airplane--a REAL airplane and easy to fly. This BFR was actually great fun. The Sling Flying Club has a great on-line system for reserving the plane and paying for its use. I have been a pilot for 56 years and usually fly a Lancair, but this airplane uses less than half the gasoline per hour as my usual ride and is more comfortable. I suggest you give it a try! read more

The Sling is without a doubt the best light-sport plane available for rental in all of Los Angeles. I have flown this airplane for two years now. No matter where I fly the airplane becomes the center of attention--it is truly beautiful! The club is well managed by Jordan and Matt and the airplane and facilities are well maintained. read more

WOW... I am so impressed with the Sling Flying Club from the staff, instructors and owner. Vaughan was an excellent instructor and helped me get my Sport Pilot License in 60 days, I couldn't have done it without his excellent instruction and enthusiasm. The staff is always very nice, helpful and really makes you feel like your part of the Sling family. Planes are always fueled up, clean and ready to fly. The Sling 2 is such an amazing LSA, i was so impressed that once I passed my check ride i purchased the plane i trained in. Jordan the Fly Boss is very knowledgeable on the Sling 2 and 4, he can answer any question you throw at him. Flight Circle is the reservation application for renting the plane and assigning instructors super easy to use. Matt the owner is one of the nicest guys i have ever met, always happy and smiling and willing to answer any questions you have. Honestly i highly recommend Sling USA, Sling Club and MGL to anyone that wants to become a pilot or is a pilot..... read more

I've flown both of this club's planes several times, and they are awesome. Responsive, dynamic, and a blast to fly. The club is very well managed, the team is friendly, and if KTOA is a convenient airport for you, it really can't be beat. Fly the Sling once and you will be left with ZERO desire to get into a beat up 40 year old 172 again. read more

Matt, Jordan and the team at the Sling flying club have helped me through the process of getting my Sport Pilot cert. Iv been flying with them for about a year and a half, i have recommended them to all my friends. Cant wait to get back in the sky this weekend. If your thinking of getting certified this is the place to do it. read more