Cerritos · Pilot Training

Cerritos
Flight School

8 miles south via the 605. 10 minutes to the ramp.
The closest full-service flight school to Cerritos.

Cerritos does not have its own airport, but it does not need one. Aces High Aviation at Long Beach Airport is a quick ten-minute drive south on the 605 freeway. Exit at Spring Street or Carson, head west, and you are on Lakewood Blvd at the airport entrance. With 13 aircraft and 15+ instructors, you will never be stuck waiting for a plane. Cerritos residents who want to learn to fly have been making this drive since we opened in 2010.

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Why Cerritos Residents Train Here

Distance · fleet · value

01.

10 Minutes on the 605Exit Spring St or Carson · west to Lakewood Blvd

From the Cerritos Towne Center area, hop on the 605 south. In about eight miles you exit, head west, and turn onto Lakewood Blvd. The school is directly on the airport. From Artesia or the residential streets near Cerritos Park East, the drive is even shorter. Ten to twelve minutes in normal traffic, and you are walking through the door.

Distance: ~8 miles
Drive time: 10-12 min
Route: 605 south to Spring/Carson

02.

No Nearby Alternatives This Size13 aircraft vs small field operators

The nearest airports to Cerritos with flight training are Fullerton (KFUL) and Los Alamitos (KSLI), both with smaller operations. Long Beach Airport gives you a full-time tower, commercial traffic exposure, and a fleet of nine Cessna 152s, two 172s, a Diamond DA-42 Twin Star, and a Redbird MCX simulator. If you want professional-grade training close to Cerritos, this is it.

C152s: 9 (4 IFR-equipped)
C172s: 2
DA-42: 1
Simulator: Redbird MCX ($90/hr)

03.

Tower Experience from Day OneClass D, airline traffic, SoCal airspace

Training at a towered airport means you talk to ATC every single flight. You learn to sequence with JetBlue, FedEx, and other commercial operators. By checkride day, busy radio environments feel completely natural. Cerritos students who train at KLGB leave with a level of airspace confidence that non-towered field students have to build later.

Tower: Class D, full-time
Practice areas: Catalina, PV, inland
SoCal weather: 300+ VFR days/year

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Training Programs

PPL through CFI

How we quote · Every cost estimate below assumes the realistic US national average of ~70 flight hours for the Private Pilot License, not the FAA minimum of 40 hours. Almost no one finishes at the minimum. We quote what students actually fly so the numbers reflect real-world cost.

Private Pilot LicenseFAA Part 61 · where it all starts

Maneuvers, navigation, radio work, weather theory, and FAA regulations. Cerritos students typically fly three to four times per week. At that pace, most earn their PPL in three to five months.

C152 estimate: $22,035 - $22,455
C172 estimate: $25,535 - $25,955
Full-time: ~3 months

Instrument RatingFly through the marine layer

Coastal SoCal weather means the marine layer can ground VFR-only pilots. This rating removes that limitation. We blend sim time ($90/hr) with real instrument approaches into KLGB and surrounding fields.

C152 estimate: $15,750 - $15,950
C172 estimate: $16,975 - $17,175
Full-time: ~2 months

Commercial Pilot License250 hours, then the career starts

Time-building in long solo blocks along the coast. Commercial maneuver polish with a dedicated instructor. The 250-hour requirement adds up quickly when you fly five to seven days a week.

C152 estimate: $14,485
C172 estimate: $17,735 - $17,935
Full-time: 2-3 months

Certified Flight InstructorSmall class, high pass rate

Two months, max three students per class. The fastest way to build hours toward airline minimums while earning a paycheck. Top graduates may be offered an instructing position at Aces High.

Duration: ~2 months
1-on-1 ground: ~$5,000 (50 hrs)
Flight: $675 - $1,850

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Getting Started

Cerritos to cockpit

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Free Consultation

A 60–75 minute meeting with the owner. We will discuss your goals, schedule, and budget. Cerritos is a short hop down the 605, so fitting in lessons before or after work is straightforward.

Book Consultation →

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Demo Flight · $230

~1 hr 45 min on-field over the Long Beach coastline. You fly, the CFI guides. No commitment needed.

Book Demo Flight →

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Pay-as-you-go

No packages, no monthly fees. You pay per lesson. Fly once a week or five times a week, and adjust whenever your life demands it.

S · 04

Financing

Stratus Financial and AOPA financing available. Money-on-account deposits also accepted for students who prefer a prepaid balance.

Cerritos Pilots

Ten minutes
to the runway.

From Cerritos to the ramp at Long Beach Airport in about the time it takes to order coffee. Book a free consultation or jump straight to a demo flight.

Get Started → Book a demo flight → (562) 726-3719 →

Doc. AHA · Cerritos · Rev. 26.05 · KLGB

CerritosFlight School