I relocated from the Bay Area to Riverside during my PPL training due to an Air Force PCS to March…read moreARB. I chose this school for convenience and because they advertised Piper Archers, which I had been flying, but upon arrival I was told they had sold them, so I transitioned to their Cessnas. After about 15 to 20 hours, I was becoming comfortable in the new aircraft. During a short field landing, I applied firm braking as part of the maneuver. On a hot day, the left main tire failed. I took responsibility and agreed to cover the cost of the tire replacement. I was then charged $300, while a document at their front desk clearly listed Tire and Labor as $222. When I raised the discrepancy, I was told over the phone the difference would be refunded. About a week later, I received an email stating the refund would not be issued and that the form had been rectified to match the higher price. Because of this incident, I was told I was not a good fit for the school and was advised to train elsewhere. Flight training is already a significant financial commitment, and situations like this make cost transparency even more important. The issue here is not the tire, it is the inconsistent pricing and reversal after acknowledging the discrepancy. Being shown one price and charged another, then having it changed after the fact, is not a good standard for a training environment. I would strongly recommend prospective students get all pricing and policies clearly in writing before committing, or consider training elsewhere.

Making the appointment was easy and flexible given we went on Valentines. Waiting for our…read moreinstructor upon check in gave us enough time to look around the room without feeling like we're waiting too long. Our instructor was great, I felt safe as I learned and he wasn't hesitant to any answer. He allowed me most of the flight to control minus part of the landing which I was ok with and it opened my eyes to the amount of multitasking a focus that's needed during flight. Before I left, he walked me through everything I need to kick off if I'd like to continue with schooling. 10/10

Not one to typically write reviews, but wanted to share my experience at this school. I started my…read moreprivate training here (I am now a CFI) and have been to a total of 5 flight schools throughout my training, due to moving for college. OCFL was unfortunately my least favorite by far. What caused me to eventually leave and find a new school was a transponder issue on my night flight to Camarillo. A transponder is required equipment when flying through LA airspace, and ATC reminded us that we are not allowed to fly through the LA airspace with this issue. My instructor wisely chose to land at Van Nguys Airport instead of (illegally) flying back to John Wayne. Yes it's inconvenient, but certainly the safe (and legal) choice. He called Omar, the owner, to notify him of this inconvenience. Omar then proceeded to get upset with my instructor because of the time and money it would cost to pick up the airplane in Van Nguys. Omar advised that my instructor should've just flown over LAX, at night, and pretended to not notice to issue. This was years ago, but since then I have only heard of similar negative experiences from other past students of this school. Now that I am further along in my training, I see how dangerous this money-over-safety mentality truly is. I write this review only in hopes for other aviators to look for safer flight school options or for this school to hopefully institute some safer practices. Thank you!

This is a great school. I got my private pilots license here and everyone was very helpful. Great…read moreinstructors all around. Very encouraging and very resourceful. You won't find a better school than this!

Great school, great environment, and great instructors. Good prices too. Daniel was a very…read morecompetent instructor who took my training seriously, while still making it fun. Also, flying at the Fullerton airport you see some pretty cool aircraft.

Fun Outside is such a amazing flight school. So many good instructors and planes. I had a great…read moreexperience and the staff is super friendly and nice. Would definitely recommend this to anyone who is curious to learn how to fly.

Incredible Experience with Next Gen Flight Academy! I had an…read moreabsolute blast during my flying lesson at Next Gen Flight Academy in Riverside! Taking to the skies in a Cessna was an unforgettable experience from takeoff to landing. A massive shoutout to our instructor, Grant, who made the entire experience top-notch. He was professional, super knowledgeable, and extremely patient, making me feel confident and comfortable behind the controls the whole time. Whether you're looking to start your pilot's license journey or just want an amazing introductory flight experience, I couldn't recommend Next Gen Flight Academy and Grant highly enough. 5 stars all the way!

You won't be disappointed by Next Gen Flight Academy from start to finish . Stephen was amazing…read moregetting me scheduled for flights for my grandson Joseph and his dad Jose. The front. Caitlin the from desk was awesome and the instructor Grant WoW what can I say he put my grandson at ease. Greatest gift ever for that someone special.

Thank you so so much to Dubois Aviation (specifically Weston) for taking us out on the coolest trip…read moreto Catalina and back. My son gained his first hour of flying and after spending time with Weston, wants to pursue flying more seriously. Weston was so kind and detailed with my kiddo. He was also very aware of everyone's needs on the plane. He made sure everyone felt comfortable the entire time. I highly recommend trying them out. This was easily one of the best days of my son's life. *While we were signing waivers inside, I noticed there was a crew of kiddos there for camp. I wish we lived closer so my son could participate! Very very cool!

I brought my dad here for his birthday, and everyone was so friendly!…read more Our reservation fell through (they said only women pick up the phone, but a man had answered when I called, so maybe there was a mix-up?), yet they were so accommodating to reschedule us for a few hours later in the same day. From the receptionist to the licensed pilot who instructed my dad to the employee who drove the cart to allow me to watch take-off, everyone was amazing! Jose (the flight instructor) allowed my dad to take control of the majority of the flight, which we appreciated so much! His hands-off approach helped my dad achieve his lifelong dream of flying a plane :) He was even so humble, he wouldn't accept a tip for his helpfulness even when he deserved it Bryce (who drove me to the take-off area) spotted their plane that I would've otherwise missed, and ensured I had the perfect angle for the video! He also told me about the tracking site which gave me peace-of-mind as I checked their location and progress The receptionist (whose name I didn't catch) was so patient with all of my questions while in the waiting area for an hour. She even went to the back to retrieve different T-shirt color and size options and a plastic bag to carry the clothes in! There were a few other employees who greeted us and made small-talk as well~ One woman informed us to the complimentary coffee and the locations of the restrooms. A different instructor calmed our nerves while we waited for our appointment. Overall, extremely pleasant customer service! Thank you Jose and Bryce for the hospitality and the one-of-a-kind flight experience! And thank you Jose for taking a beautifully-captured video of my dad flying the plane!

The staff are the best, my instructor specifically, Jonah and the receptionist Audrey are helpful,…read morepatient, knowledgeable, and friendly. Their fleet of planes are nice, clean, and well maintained. I feel safe in the skies with their fleet of planes and instructors. My personal favorite plane I've flown is N651KC, it's awesome due to it's a new and refurbished instruments. If you want a good fight school, come to Pacific Flight Aviation.

I've been a student at PFA about 6 months now and I couldn't be happier! I was looking for a school…read morewith a program specifically designed to help helicopter pilots transition to fixed wing. I looked at 5 or 6 schools, some of them even out of state. Some schools required huge loans upfront (80k or more), other schools didn't have a syllabus's, other schools had questionably airworthy aircrafts, and a lot of places had no idea what the requirements even where to transition to fixed wing. More often than not, pilots were trying to pressure me, and sell me their school. Thank God I am already a CFI and I know EXACTLY what to look for in a reputable school. Being actively involved in aviation on the helicopter side (6-7 years), and working as a CFI, I knew exactly what I was looking for but it was hard to find. There are a lot of shady things that go on in aviation unfortunately, but right away after meeting with the Chief/Owner Wayne I knew this school would be different. Wayne is transparent, honest, knowledgable, and truly cares about his students and their progress. All of his aircrafts/SIM are maintained in pristine condition, his logbooks are always in order and he is never late or unprofessional. He has a background in business and it reflects in his demeanor, and the way he treats students/employees. He hired a new pilot Summer a few months ago and she has easily become my all time favorite instructor! To call her smart would be an understatement, she is one of a kind. She constantly surprises me with her vast knowledge and skills. I feel safe with her and she accurately gives me feed back along with necessary critiques. She creates an atmosphere where I have fun flying and I'm learning new skills. Im just so thankful Wayne hired her. Usually you find an instructor that's fun, but just wants to fly or smart but too rigid. She's super fun and when she critiques me she isn't harsh. I have done some dumb things while learning how to fly (you will do them too!) but we laugh them off, refocus and overcome challenges together. Thank you Summer for not loosing it with me while I learn how to land! If you're looking for a flight school you need to find a place that checks all the boxes, specifically these; - Has an organized syllabus - Excellent maintenance - Professional, honest, knowledgeable CFI's that are staying abreast in the industry - Fits your budget ( don't ever give a school thousands and thousands of dollars upfront) - Accommodates your schedule - Understands your goals whether it be a PPL or ATP, and can keep you on track. Trust me the last thing you want to do is have a school send you to a Checkride unprepared. You will fail, look like an idiot, and waste your money. In aviation reputation is everything, it's a small world, the school you go to along with your character and credibility will matter immensely in aviation. If you're considering this school, do your research, go in and talk to Wayne. As you narrow down your choices, and filter out options im sure you will also realize this is absolutely the best place to fly in SoCal. Stay safe, have fun and happy flying!

In many professions, there are trade secrets that can only be learned through experience. Sometimes…read morethat experience may come at a dire cost. At OC flight lessons, safety is the top priority as expected of a reputable flight school. Students will be allowed to fail up to the skin of catastrophe. That is good. In failure, we learn many things, assuming we live to reconsider the circumstances. The flight instructors at OC Flight Lessons will make sure you will learn all the most crucial details in being a pilot while making sure you are safe. It is a noble ambition to pursue flight and test the limits of humanity and Omar's team of instructors are all eager to explore its complexities and impart knowledge and experience in supporting you become an aviator.

I had an amazing first intro flight with my instructor Chris! He took me over the ocean and I was…read morealso able to see the city skyline from a beautiful vantage point. After performing a perfect landing, we went back into the building and Omar was able to answer any questions I had about the flight school. The experience was out of this world! 10 out of 10 would recommend!

Such an awesome opportunity. My stepson turned 11 so we decided to give him something out of the…read moreordinary.. Flight lessons and he loved it and is looking foward to starting his pilot training when he grows a couple more inches most likely around 13. Thanks for the opportunity I'm so glad he has something to look foward too and learn about.

This has to be the friendliest and most informative flight school I have been to. Joe and his…read morestaff are more than accommodating. I felt very comfortable and confident with Joe, I highly recommend anyone interested in flight lessons to talk to Joe or any member of his staff before making the "leap" into lessons. Thank you Joe!!