Discovery Flight Scheduling and FAQ

Congratulations on the gift of your discovery flight (even if your bought it for yourself)! Already scheduled for your flight or haven't purchased a flight yet and have more questions? See the sections below.
Scheduling
Don't have the flight scheduled yet but are now ready to get it scheduled? This is the place to be! An easy way to see the days & times that are open to schedule the flight is to go to the Discovery Flight purchase page for the aircraft you were gifted a flight for, then enter "1" in Passengers and the calendar will show the days in green that have availability, then select the desired day and available times will show in the Reservation Time window. Then call, text, or emailthe preferred day and time. Have more questions? See below:

Can I reschedule a discovery flight once it's scheduled?

Of course! Just follow the above process to find another day/time that works, or just call, text, or email your request. Please reschedule as far in advance as possible but at least 24 hrs prior to your flight.

What if the weather is bad on the day of my flight?

The weather can, and does vary from the forecasts and if it becomes un-flyable then we'll reach out to you to reschedule the flight to another day/time.

How early do I need to show up before my scheduled flight time?

Please show up at least 5-10 minutes earlier than your scheduled time. However, there's no reason you can't come out earlier to watch the other aircraft operating out of the airport.

What all is done as part of the flight?

You flight instructor will talk with you to discuss your background and goals, then give a short introduction to flying, and do a pre-flight on the aircraft with you. In the aircraft your instructor will guide you through starting the aircraft, performing pre-flight checks, setting the instruments and radios, and taxiing to the runway. Your instructor will then handle most of the takeoff (with your hands loosely on the controls) but will hand the controls over to you shortly after liftoff. Yes YOU are the one flying the plane! Your instructor will guide you through climbing to altitude, leveling off for straight & level flight, regular turns to different directions, basic navigation, and various other (gentle) air maneuvers that you're comfortable with. Your instructor will then guide you in the return to the airport and will demonstrate a normal landing, taxiing to the parking area, and shutdown process.

How long is the flight?

The discovery flights will consist of approximately 1/2 hr of ground 'training' and about 40 minutes of flight time. The flights are scheduled in 1.5 hr blocks to account for fueling the aircraft if necessary, pulling it out of the hangar, parking, and 'chit-chat' time.

What do I need to bring with on my flight?

Nothing special is required, just be sure to dress for the weather. In cold weather the aircraft are heated but like a car - there are cold drafts. In hot weather there's a lot of ventilation while flying but while on the ground it can get toasty (there's no air conditioning).

Can I fly longer than the regular time?

Not a problem! As mentioned above the standard discovery flights are about 40 minutes, but if you're having too much fun and don't want to come down then we can certainly do that and you'd just pay the difference.

Can I change planes?

No problem! If you visit the Discovery Flight page and decide you want to change to a different plane then just call, text, or email and we can change you over and you can just pay the difference in cost.

Does the discovery flight apply toward a license?

Absolutely! Our discovery flights are structured as mini flight lessons so both the flight and ground instruction time count toward your license when logged appropriately.

Can I take passengers?

If you scheduled in one of our 4-seat airplanes or the helicopter, then yes! However, there are weight restrictions so typically only one adult passenger or multiple children can ride along.

Will I be able take pictures during the flight?

Generally you'll be too busy to take pictures (you are flying the airplane after all!), but your instructor will happily snap a picture of you at the controls during flight.

Can I give my discovery flight to someone else?

Life is life, and things happen that get in the way of doing fun things like a discovery flight, or perhaps you were gifted a flight and it doesn't sound like it's something you want to try. In any case - yes, you can re-gift your discovery flight to someone else. While it's best to have the person that purchased the flight contact us, we realize that some people would prefer to do that quietly. If that's the case Just call, text, or email and we'll be happy to accommodate.