Cullen was our instructor and we couldn't have asked for a better experience. He was extremely…read morefriendly and knowledgeable and a delight as a guide and pilot. He took care to make sure the three of us all saw the sights as best as possible and the flight was the highlight of our trip to Yosemite. I highly recommend the firm and especially Cullen as a pilot and guide. Will definitely do this again, given the chance.

I took a solo flight with the delightful Cullen O'Conner. It was in May 2026 and I've been…read moretraveling and working a great deal since. I wanted to be sure to review Cullen because this was the best tour I've taken in years. Read the other reviews for what all you will see. Cullen is a fount of information and at the same time paid a lot of attention to safety and my comfort. He not only told me all about Yosemite, he told me about Mariposa. Where to eat, drink, etc. It was a short trip but I promise to return with more family and take this tour again. It's well worth the price.

Super responsive, amazing and friendly pilots. I keep coming back for more fun and adventures!read more

Take wing and DO THIS! I bought this adventure as a birthday present for the hubby, and he loved it…read more(as well he should have). Andy was a great pilot and flew that biplane with gusto. Needless to say, I made sure to pay the little extra so hubby could experience the aerobatics this plans could do...giant loops and barrel rolls and cutting toilet paper (you'll have you fly to know what I'm talking about on that one). If you've been thinking about it, I highly encourage anyone and everyone to try this adventure at least once. You'll be glad you did...hubby is already planning his next ride up into the wild blue yonder in the warbird. We call dibs!

My neighbor took his wife for the second time on her birthday and this time he invited me since…read morethere was one extra seat available. Lucky for me, not even his son, nor his wife and kids wanted to go. I guess they think it is dangerous. Anyway, the weather was perfect and our pilot, Brennan was a true professional and set my mind at ease. We flew over our houses, over Folsom Lake and parts of the North Fork and Middle Fork of the American River. Flying low through the river canyon was an unforgettable experience. The option to have the doors removed is something the we did not do sitting in the rear, but they did in the front. I would definitely go without doors next time. Hopefully, nobody will want to fill in the empty seat next year so I can go again!

Ohhh La La‼ To celebrate our 33rd anniversary my husband and I chose a helicopter tour of the…read moresierras. What an experience!! Our pilot was Dylan. Dylan is professional and thorough. We enjoyed our personal flight experience SO very much! What a thrill. Treat yourself or someone you love with this once in a life time opportunity. We picked our flight plan with a few desired sights for our hour tour. I took plenty of photographs and videos and have really enjoyed sharing them with family and friends. After our flight we walked over to the airport cafe and enjoyed a very yummy lunch! A+ experience‼

We had the absolute best experience on my discovery flight with Brett! From the moment I arrived,…read morehe made me feel completely at ease. Brett has a perfect balance of professionalism, knowledge, and enthusiasm that instantly shows his passion for aviation and teaching. He explained everything clearly before we got in the plane, walking me through what to expect and answering all my questions with patience and detail. Once in the air, he gave me just the right amount of guidance--making sure I felt safe while also letting me truly take the controls and experience what flying is all about. His calm, encouraging style made the whole flight both exciting and comfortable. What really stood out was how much Brett wanted me to enjoy the experience. He pointed out landmarks, shared tips, and celebrated every little success along the way. By the time we landed, I not only had an unforgettable memory but also a much deeper appreciation for flying. If you're even thinking about trying a discovery flight, do yourself a favor and go with Brett--you won't find a better instructor to make your first flight as fun, safe, and inspiring as possible!

Mach5 helped me check off my highest bucket list item - to get my private pilots license on…read more4/29/23. Thanks to Mach 5 I was able to get high marks from my FAA examiner. The operation is top notch from the office/operations management, aircraft maintenance, flight logistics and coordination, and instruction. I transferred from another flight school and instantly saw the Mach 5 difference and high standard. I was fortunate to get paired with David Wells who did a perfect job of helping me reach my full potential. I just had fun flying at Mach 5, David, and will continue to fly with Mach5 in the future. KAUN (Auburn Airport) location provides good vibes, valuable flight experience as it is located in the base of the foothills with access to the Sacramento valley, and up front views/access to various aircraft. There is a cafe and two breweries near by. The mechanics are amazing and provide great exposure to maintenance and repair being an open shop right next to the office. This helped with my understanding of the aircraft and its systems. The planes are very well maintained and it is very clear where each plane sits with regards to maintenance and repair. It is clear Mach 5 has the highest standards for instruction. There are numerous layers and checks within the process. I was required to complete thorough flight reviews and marks after each flight which are recorded in my file and reviewed by chief instructors. At various points in the training I had to fly with a chief instructor for sign off to the next stage. This greatly increased my confidence moving forward by having multiple people give you a green light prior to the next step. The way Mach 5 operates, David Wells taught, and all that flying out of Auburn provided made me a very confident and safe pilot as I move forward in my training. Thank you to the team at Mach 5! Special shout out to Matt Behnam as well! Thanks Matt for all the help.

We did the Bay tour with pilot Dave. It was a beautiful! Dave gave us incredible customer service…read moreensuring our trip was an absolutely memorable experience. From booking to landing, this company was a breeze. I recommend for anyone who is looking to give a gift for a special occasion. The day bay trip tour was amazing. Thanks Dave and team!

Amazing ride! The pilot was very friendly, and the ride was truly breathtaking. We first went down…read morethe coast near half moon bay, and then flew over the golden gate bridge, alcatraz, and the city downtown. For each of those last three spots, he did two spins around, giving you plenty of time for great pictures and appreciating the amazing view

Richard is the fucking man. I never write reviews but this guy is a true badass. If you are daring,…read moreadventurous, or want a 1-1 life experience, this is the best thing you can do in the Northern California area. Talk about a great time, this shows you what you're really made of.

I recently visited Sky Combat Ace in Lake Tahoe and it was one of the craziest and best experiences…read moreI've ever had. After having my run canceled last year due to smoke, I decided to give it another try and it was well worth it. The Extra 330LC plane does things you wouldn't imagine is truly an unforgettable experience. Add lake Tahoe views and it's breathtaking . I worked with Josh, who was the pilot, and he was amazing. I purchased the full package to extend the flight over lake Tahoe, my option to fly, and advanced aerobatics and if you have the means too I highly recommend that you do too. It's a once in a lifetime experience. The advanced aerobics included a tail spins, the plane flipping front over back and an inverted spins over Lake Tahoe. It was insane and the views were unbelievable. I do recommend taking motion sickness pills (night before and 2 hrs before). I don't typically get motion sickness but I did feel a little queasy by the end, even taking the pills, but it was well worth it. This was one of the best experiences I've ever had. If you're looking for an adrenaline rush, Sky Combat Ace is the place to go!.

Vintage Aircraft has been the go-to place for a true vintage airplane experience. Chris and Tom…read moreare both excellent pilots and the restoration of the planes is impeccable. If you are in the Sonoma area, don't miss it.

Mother's Day - A Birthday Extravaganza!…read more Two years ago I flew in the SNJ-4 Texan for a birthday thrill; this year my wonderful wife gave me an hour ride in Vintage Aircraft's P-51 Mustang! She's the best! If you love the sound of a WWII high performance engine, love speed and appreciate the 20 year old pilots who flew these magnificent machines during a war, the P-51 is a plane to experience. Drove to the Schellville airport on Mother's Day for my ride. Travis pulled the P-51 from it's hanger, went through it's extensive pre-flight check and fueled her up. At this point, my heart was pounding with excitement and anticipation of a ride in a P-51! I told Travis I was also taking another P-51 crew with us that day, he had a quizzed look. My mother's deceased husband was stationed in England during WWII and was assigned to a P-51 squadron as an armourer (loaded 50 cal ammo and fueled the planes for their next flight). Found a picture of Mick, the pilot, mechanic, crew chief all standing beside their assigned P-51, the GlenGaryGuy. Pilot had his wife's name "Jackie" on the other side. They all got to go for one more ride! Chris Prevost, the pilot, asked where I wanted to go? I'd done the Golden Gate Bridge, out over Marin County to Tomales Bay and back in the Texan. Chris had a suggestion - Schellville to Lake Berryessa and over into the San Joaquin Valley, up along the Vaca Range to Middletown, over to Santa Rosa, out to Bodega Bay, Tomales Bay and down to Mill Valley and Mt Tam with a ride down Miller Ave, out to the Golden Gate Bridge and back to Schellville - heck yeah, sign me up!! Travis gave me instructions on how to climb onto the plane and into the rear seat, tight but comfortable and buckled in. Thank goodness I had a hat. I'm 6'1" and just barely had head room (though I was too excited to care). Chris brought the Merlin V-1650 to life and we taxied down to the end of the runway, brought the oil temp up, closed the canopy and we rolled down the runway - full speed ahead. Pulled back and up we went - what a rush! Travis had taken my wife to a point where she could record the whole liftoff - yeah! My adrenaline rush was in high gear! I immediately thought of the young pilots who risked their lives for our freedom; here I was just on a joy ride in a plane they flew in actual combat or escorting bombers - kind of surreal. Great sidebar to the flight was being actually being able to see the devastation from all of the fires from Lake Berryessa all the way too Middletown - scorched earth. Bodega Bay to the mouth of Tomales Bay gives a real perspective how beautiful our coastal area is. Chris did a couple of sharp turns, the P-51 cut the sky like a sharp knife. I kept the headsets halfway on, wanted to "hear" the roar of the P-51's engine. Down to Mill Valley, lined up on Miller Ave and out we went to the Golden Gate Bridge. What a day! I guess I should end my story, though writing about flying in the Mustang brings back all the fun I enjoyed that day. Travis and my wife had been monitoring our flight and were ready for our landing. Again, Travis set my wife up in a location to capture the event. Thanks again to Vintage Aircraft, Chris, Travis and my wife for an epic day of flying in a P-51 Mustang.

Wow. As a treat for my 14-year-old nephew I wanted to surprise him with a helicopter tour of…read moreSacramento. I had originally called one of the only other companies in town that advertises helicopter tours in Sacramento but they weren't very helpful. In fact, the guy who answered the phone at that other company was downright rude and unwilling to quote me a price. When I kept pushing him for a quote he actually hung up on me. So, I contacted Capitol Helicopter (this time by email) instead and got an extremely nice guy named Jeff Hendry. Jeff immediately responded to my email, quoting me a price and was totally open to whatever we wanted to do, whenever we wanted to do it. My nephew and I ended up choosing a 30-minute tour of downtown Sacramento on Saturday 11/7 at 10:00 AM and it was SPECTACULAR. Our pilot, Jesse, was very friendly and made the experience so fun for us. It was definitely worth every dime and I will not hesitate to do this again should the opportunity ever present itself.

I booked a tour with the help of a Group-On. It was a pleasant experience right from the start…read morescheduling the flight till the day of. The pilot was right on time and fun to interact with. Helos are maintained in pristine conditions. Too bad these machines are so expensive to fly otherwise I would definitely make these guys my go-to place for rotary aircraft flight training.