A discovery flight (we call it a demo flight) is a real, one-hour flying lesson. Not a ride-along. You fly the airplane.
Meet your instructor at Long Beach Airport, walk around the aircraft together, then fly the Southern California coastline with your hands on the controls. Every minute is loggable toward your Private Pilot certificate, and there is zero commitment beyond the hour.
$230
Cessna 152 · 1 hr
$270
Cessna 172 · bring a passenger
1.0hr
Loggable flight time
0
Commitment after
01 /
How It Works
Briefing · walkaround · you fly · debrief
No experience needed, nothing to study first. Show up with closed-toe shoes, sunglasses, and a photo ID. Your instructor handles everything else, including the radios and the busy moments. Here is the hour, minute by minute.
STEP · 01
Brief.
Meet Your CFI
A short sit-down on what you will do and see, then a preflight walkaround of the aircraft together. Ask anything.
STEP · 02
Taxi
Engine Start & Taxi
You follow along on the controls from the first radio call at a real towered airport with airline traffic.
STEP · 03
Fly.
You Take the Controls
Climbs, turns, straight-and-level over the coastline. The Queen Mary, the harbor, and Catalina on a clear day.
STEP · 04
Log
Land & Debrief
Your instructor signs your very first logbook entry. The hour counts toward your Private Pilot certificate.
02 /
Straight Answers
Price · flying · logging · passengers
How much does a discovery flight cost in Long Beach?
At Aces High Aviation a one-hour discovery flight is $230 in a Cessna 152 or $270 in a Cessna 172. That includes the aircraft, fuel, and a certificated flight instructor. There are no booking fees and nothing else to buy.
Do I actually get to fly the plane?
Yes. After a short briefing and preflight walkaround with your instructor, you take the controls for most of the flight. Your instructor handles the radios and is on the controls with you for takeoff and landing.
Does a discovery flight count toward my pilot license?
Yes. It is a real lesson with a certificated flight instructor, so the time is loggable and counts toward the flight-hour requirements for your Private Pilot certificate.
Can I bring friends or family?
In the two-seat Cessna 152 it is just you and your instructor. Book the four-seat Cessna 172 ($270) and you can bring a passenger along to ride in the back, subject to weight and balance.
What should I bring or wear?
Closed-toe shoes, sunglasses, and a government photo ID. Dress comfortably. No experience is required and there is nothing to study beforehand.
Is a discovery flight the same as a demo flight or intro flight?
Yes. Discovery flight, demo flight, and intro flight all describe the same thing: your first hands-on lesson. At Aces High we usually call it a demo flight.
Wondering what comes after the first hour? The Getting Started page walks through the whole path, the cost guide covers what training actually costs, and gift certificates for discovery flights are available on the gift certificates page. Prefer the full rundown of aircraft and hourly pricing? See rates.
Book it
One phone call. One hour.
Call and we will find you a slot this week. Mornings are smoothest air; sunset flights are the prettiest. Your call.
