Private Pilot Lessons At Van Nuys: Start With Lesson One

Two hours at Van Nuys Airport with an FAA-certificated instructor: 30 minutes of ground school, 10 minutes for your own preflight, about 70 minutes of flying and a 10-minute debrief. Your instructor flies the takeoff and landing; you are on the controls for the Valley climb, the turns over the Santa Monica Mountains and the practice area off the Malibu coast. The flight is logged as dual instruction.

No. You don’t need a license, a medical certificate or any flying experience for a lesson with an instructor. Your instructor is the pilot in command and sits beside you with an identical set of controls.

Yes. Training from an authorized instructor is loggable under 14 CFR 61.51(h), and it counts toward the 20 hours of instruction that 14 CFR 61.109 requires for a private pilot certificate. Under 14 CFR 61.109(k), up to 2.5 hours of training in an approved simulator or training device, given by an authorized instructor, can be credited toward the flight training the private pilot certificate requires; the Redbird MCX is approved through its FAA Letter of Authorization.

For the $349 lesson we assign the Cessna 162 or Piper Warrior by availability; note a preference when you book. The Cessna 162 and Piper Warrior carry our lowest hourly rates, the Diamond DA20 has a center stick and a bubble canopy, and the Cirrus SR22 Turbo has a glass cockpit and a parachute for the whole airplane. If you’re unsure, start in the Redbird MCX simulator or book a free consultation.

Yes, in the four-seat Piper Warrior only, for $100 more ($449). Your guest rides in the back seat and watches. No children under 5, and guests under 18 come with a parent or guardian. The Cessna 162 and Diamond DA20 seat two, so they have no guest option.

Each aircraft has a certificated weight limit that we cannot exceed. For lesson one it is 180 lb per person in the Cessna 162, Piper Warrior and Diamond DA20; 180 lb each and 360 lb combined for the lesson with a guest; and 200 lb in the Cirrus SR22. The simulator has no weight limit. Our Terms: “If you exceed the published limit for the flight you booked, we cannot fly you. In that case the booking is treated as a cancellation inside 24 hours and the full amount is charged and forfeited.” If you’re close to a limit, call (818) 960-1285 before you book.

Anyone under 18 must come with a parent or legal guardian, who signs the liability release. The FAA sets the ages for later steps: 16 for a student pilot certificate and solo flight, and 17 for the private pilot certificate.

A valid photo ID if you’re 18 or over (a passport if you’re not a U.S. resident), and your logbook if you have one. We provide the headset. Our Terms: “Please arrive 15 minutes early. Arriving more than 30 minutes late is treated as a no-show. The flight is marked complete and charged in full.”

Safety comes first. If weather, maintenance or another safety reason means we cancel, our Terms say: “If we cancel, we will reschedule you at no cost and your purchase stays valid indefinitely.”

From our Terms: “Reschedule: free with 48+ hours notice. A $50 rebooking fee applies inside 48 hours.” “Cancel: cancellations inside 48 hours, and no-shows, are charged the full price.” “Instead of a refund, you may give your flight to someone else, free of charge, with at least 48 hours written notice to info@essenceflight.com.”

Our Private Pilot course starts at $10,400 (Standard) and $15,400 (Comprehensive), with ground school included. At a free consultation we give you a written training plan and price.