Right on the LA/OC border. 10 minutes from north Orange County. Bigger fleet, better rates, no John Wayne hassle.
If you live in north Orange County, Long Beach Airport is closer than most OC airports and far less expensive to train at. Seal Beach, Los Alamitos, Cypress, Westminster, Stanton, and Garden Grove are all ten to fifteen minutes from our ramp. You avoid the high ramp fees and limited GA infrastructure at John Wayne (SNA), and you train at a towered field with commercial traffic that builds real-world skills from lesson one. Over 100 active students currently train with us, and a significant share drive up from Orange County.
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Why OC Students Choose KLGB
Proximity · value · airspace
01.
Closer Than You Think405 north to Lakewood Blvd · 10-20 min
From Seal Beach or Los Alamitos, Aces High is about ten minutes. From Cypress or Westminster, twelve to fifteen. Even from Huntington Beach or Fountain Valley, you are looking at twenty minutes on the 405. For north Orange County residents, Long Beach Airport is often the nearest towered GA training field with a full-size operation.
From Seal Beach
~7 miles / 10 min
From Cypress
~10 miles / 15 min
From Westminster
~12 miles / 18 min
02.
Better Value Than SNA-Based SchoolsNo ramp surcharges, lower hourly rates
John Wayne Airport charges steep ramp and facility fees that get passed through to students. Fullerton (KFUL) is an option but limited on fleet size. At Aces High, our nine Cessna 152s start at competitive hourly rates, and you never pay landing fees, ramp fees, or hidden surcharges. Orange County students regularly save thousands over the full course of training by making the short drive to KLGB.
Fleet size
13 aircraft
Hidden fees
None
Billing
Pay-as-you-go
03.
SoCal Airspace MasteryClass D tower, Bravo transitions, corridor work
Training at KLGB means you talk to tower from your first flight. You learn to navigate the LAX Bravo shelf, fly the Special Flight Rules corridor, and handle sequencing with airline traffic. Orange County students who train here graduate with airspace confidence that makes them comfortable flying into SNA, LAX, or any busy metro airport in the country.
Tower
Full-time Class D
Training areas
Catalina, PV, inland
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 · the foundation
Everything from ground reference maneuvers to cross-country navigation. Train in the Cessna 152 or 172, fly two to five times per week depending on your schedule, and target three to six months to checkride. Many of our Orange County students fly early mornings before the commute north.
C152 estimate
$22,035 - $22,455
C172 estimate
$25,535 - $25,955
Full-time
~3 months
Instrument RatingBeat the OC marine layer
Orange County's coastal weather means the marine layer can ground VFR pilots for weeks at a time. An instrument rating keeps you flying year-round. We blend sim time on the Redbird MCX ($90/hr) with actual IMC approaches into KLGB, SNA, and other local ILS fields.
C152 estimate
$15,750 - $15,950
C172 estimate
$16,975 - $17,175
Full-time
~2 months
Commercial Pilot License250 hours, then career options open
Time-build along the coast from Catalina to Santa Barbara, then polish commercial maneuvers with a dedicated CFI. Our fleet depth means you can book long solo blocks without competing for aircraft. Orange County students who want an airline career often pair CPL with our CFI program right after.
A 60–75 minute meeting with the owner. We will discuss your goals, schedule, and budget. We will build a schedule around your Orange County commute, work hours, and goals so PPL fits real life.
No packages, no monthly fees, no pressure. You pay for each lesson as you fly it. Increase or decrease your cadence whenever life demands it.
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Financing
Stratus Financial and AOPA financing available. We also accept money-on-account deposits for Orange County students who prefer to prepay and simplify billing.
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What It Costs
Published prices · pay-as-you-go
Orange County pilots quickly discover the John Wayne premium: SNA-based rentals and instruction price in the airport's overhead. Our published prices at Long Beach do not. A Private Pilot certificate runs $22,035 to $22,455 in the Cessna 152, an Instrument Rating from $15,750, and the complete zero-to-Commercial path from $52,270, with aircraft from $140 per hour wet and instruction at $100 per hour, strictly pay-as-you-go.
For most of north and central OC, the drive to Long Beach is 20 to 35 minutes, and what you save per flight hour pays for the gas many times over. Every number is public: see the 2026 California cost guide and the rates page.
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Common Questions
Drive time · airspace · scheduling
How long is the drive from Orange County to Aces High?
From Seal Beach, Los Alamitos, and Cypress: 10 to 20 minutes. Huntington Beach, Westminster, Garden Grove, and Buena Park: 20 to 30. Anaheim, Fullerton, Santa Ana, and Irvine: 25 to 40 depending on the 405 and 22. We are at 3501 N Lakewood Blvd at Long Beach Airport, with free parking at the door.
Why not just train at John Wayne (SNA) or Fullerton (FUL)?
John Wayne schools price in that airport's overhead, and its airline-heavy operations can leave trainers holding for wake turbulence and releases. Fullerton is friendly but has no tower amenities of a big field and small fleets that stall when one aircraft goes down. KLGB gives you a full-time tower, airline traffic exposure, 13 aircraft, and lower published prices.
How much does flight training cost for OC students?
Same published prices as all our students: Private Pilot from $22,035 all-in in the Cessna 152, Instrument from $15,750, zero to Commercial from $52,270. The 2026 California cost guide on this site breaks down every line, including examiner fees.
Do you get marine layer delays at Long Beach?
Some mornings May through July, like everywhere on the SoCal coast, but Long Beach burns off earlier than the beach-adjacent fields and logs 300-plus VFR days a year. Afternoon and midday slots are essentially never lost to it, and the Redbird MCX simulator turns a fogged-out morning into productive instrument time at $90 per hour.
Can I try a lesson before committing?
Yes: a $230 discovery flight puts you at the controls for a full hour with an instructor, and the time logs toward your certificate. No enrollment fee, no contract, no commitment afterward.
Where do your Orange County students usually fly?
The practice areas over the coastline and the harbor, with cross-countries to Catalina, Camarillo, Palm Springs, and San Diego as training progresses. You will know Southern California from the air better than you know the freeways.
Orange County Pilots
Cross the border, start flying.
The LA/OC line is just a few miles south of us. For north Orange County residents, this is the closest full-service Part 61 school with a fleet this size. Book a consultation and come see the operation.
