I have flown with a few 4 different clubs and I have had 4 different instructors. I passed my…read morepractical exam (checkride) thanks to Mathew at Red Sky Aviation. I highly recommend Red Sky Aviation!! Their rates are reasonable and their focus in on helping students achieve their goals. In my opinion, they are one of the best schools in the SF Bay Area.

I wanted to introduce our daughter to flying and on impulse, stopped by Red Sky Aviation, at the…read moreairport in Livermore, CA. My impression is that this may be the place for my girl to learn to fly. The owner and instructors have good communication skills and the patience to teach someone a new environment. ADDITION ------ 06-13-2013 Okay.....(sigh), our daughter, " just isn't very interested in flying." Sure, go ahead and break your father's heart. However, her littler brother is showing interest! Out to Red Sky to give our son an Introduction Flight! At Red Sky Aviation, we met our Certified Flight Instructor Pete. Pete understood we didn't just want to go for an airplane ride; we wanted to get our son excited about flying. Pete put the focus on our son and included him in the preflight process; explaining why we check the aircraft for safety. Our son is little - Pete got cushions and positioned him so he could control the plane and increase his visibility. Our son is shy. However, Pete was able to get past that and had our son control the aircraft during take off and flying. After the flight, our son had a Big Smile across his face. If Pete can get a shy boy to smile; he can get you to be happy you went to Red Sky Aviation. ADDITION ------ 10-26-2013 I haven't flown since 1980 but, wanted to find out if there was still enough of the Pilot in me to get back up there. I have this dream - my son and I go flying together and when he is older; gets his Pilot's License too. I went back to Red Sky Aviation and explained this to Pete. I may have a dream but, a Certified Flight Instructor is biased in reality. In in the cockpit, Pete handed me the checklist and observed as I slowly fumbled my through it. He didn't rush me but, guided me from time to time by diplomatically pointing to where I should be looking on the instrument panel. He let me taxi out to the run-up area, do the run-up and proceed to take off. I was surprised how much I still remembered and intuitively knew when to trim, check for traffic/airspeed/altitude and more. Yes, I was very rusty after 33 years. However, with Pete nudging me with positive comments was able to do 3 touch and goes. Now, do I think Pete can walk on water; well no.....but, if my wife and I have another baby boy, we are going to name him Pete.

I just went today to do a discovery flight. The process was seamless. Carsten, the front desk…read moreworker, was extremely helpful. The initial day I had scheduled didn't workout as the weather was not good for flying. Carsten helped me reschedule my discovery flight. I had a blast with my instructor Allie! She was awesome and extremely friendly. She didn't make it feel like some daunting thing, she allowed it to be fun and stress free. Highly recommend her if you're looking to obtain certifications through this club!

You Be The Judge! Here's what went down this week. 8:00…read moreMonday stopped by with applcation and all paperwork to schedule a periodic flight review. 9:00 Wednesday called them as I still had not heard back with any update. Promised to get an answer by EOD Wednesday It's now nearly 7:00pm Thursday and the EOD Wednesday has come and gone with no promised return call. Quel surprise! A business that does not have the common courtesy to commit or to just say sorry we can't help ANY pilot that wants to use their own airplane for any type of instruction or review. A bit of honesty would have saved 3 days. Moved on and will not be contacting them again. EVER.

Started lessons in the new LSA addition to their fleet... a Cessna 162 "Skycatcher". This…read morerelatively new plane (2011) is nimble but well behaved, and seems to enjoy flying as much as I enjoy flying it. Anna Zavrazhnova is a terrific instructor, looking forward to earning my Sport Pilot License under her instruction within the next couple of months. One warning... you may think that you're lost when you first arrive at their location. You aren't. Just call ahead to get the gate code, park along the curb, key in the gate code, and then stroll through the gate to their open hanger.

Great place to get license, rent a plane snd learn aerobatics! Got my PPL here, got Second place in…read morefirst competition, working on my Instrument and will continue to compete and get CPL as well.

We did the Bay tour with pilot Dave. It was a beautiful! Dave gave us incredible customer service…read moreensuring our trip was an absolutely memorable experience. From booking to landing, this company was a breeze. I recommend for anyone who is looking to give a gift for a special occasion. The day bay trip tour was amazing. Thanks Dave and team!

Amazing ride! The pilot was very friendly, and the ride was truly breathtaking. We first went down…read morethe coast near half moon bay, and then flew over the golden gate bridge, alcatraz, and the city downtown. For each of those last three spots, he did two spins around, giving you plenty of time for great pictures and appreciating the amazing view

Beware‼‼ Some kind of scam…read more Bought on their website through Yelp intro lesson as a surprise present for my husband, later I called to confirm the time and date, did not send any confirmation. They said that their pilot will call. A pilot called asking about my U.S citizenship and later offered illegal schemes for exchanging flights for weed. I do not know is it a new way of scammers but I am freaking out because their pilot keeps calling and harassing me. I blocked number but I left my address, full name and phone number on their website so I am terrified. I am this close to calling police.

I took an introductory flight with Binh today and it was great! From the time I booked my flight,…read moreBinh was responsive and very pleasant to deal with. She made me feel at ease when we met and judging by how meticulously she inspected the plane before we boarded, I knew I was in good hands. We flew a C152 and though it was a little windy, we had a nice ride over the bay. Got some nice views of Sausalito, TI, downtown SF, Alcatraz and GG bridge. Binh let me fly for a while and she was so good at giving instructions. Looking forward to learning from her and flying with her again. Thanks, Binh!

Came for my 30th birthday, left with one less irrational fear…read more I'm terrified of heights, but Nakela was so calm, funny, and reassuring that I somehow ended up actually enjoying myself. He made the whole experience feel safe and unforgettable. If you're on the fence (or white-knuckling it like I was), book with Nakela. He'll have you conquering fears and grinning the whole way. Thanks for making my 30th one I'll never forget!!! You rule!!

What a phenomenal experience! I surprised my husband with a Fly with Friends experience. No flights…read moreexperience needed, a pilot goes up there with you. Alexis took care of the takeoff and landing, and did an excellent job coaching my husband during the flight. I recommend this for anyone that wants to try flying and/or see the Bay Area from through new eyes'

I completed all of my Private Pilot License (PPL) training with Dmitriy, followed by…read morehigh-performance and mountain flying endorsements. I'm very satisfied with the quality of instruction--Dmitriy gives undivided attention to safety, pays close attention to details, and ensures a deep understanding of aircraft systems and emergency procedures, which could one day be crucial. I highly recommend Dmitriy for anyone looking to take the next step in their flying journey, no matter where you are in your pilot career.

I have worked with Dmitriy as my main CFI in West Valley Flying Club for checkouts, currency…read moreflights, and IFR instruction. His teaching covers many ratings and aircraft which makes it easy to continue training with him. He is extremely organized on his syllabus and always show up prepared for each and every lesson. You will know exactly what to expect in future lessons, how to prepare and plan, and what he wants to see for specific items. He writes detailed feedback on what went well and what to work on for every flight. Unlike most CFIs, he is not instructing to build time, or use it as a temporary job, or use it a stepping stone to the next opportunity. He seems truly passionate about aviation safety and has perfected his craft over the years of instruction.

Cecil helped make my dream come true and in 2013 I got my wings. I am really glad that I did my…read moreprime flight training with Cecil. He taught me a lot and safety has been always his top priority. Cecil is a really talented flight instructor and surely knows how to inspire people. It's been 8 years and I still remember that time as one of the best in my life! It truly was the unforgettable journey, full of delightful moments and little victories along the way!

I learned to fly with Cecil back in 2009-2010. After 7 months, I obtained my private pilot license…read moreat the age of 18. Fast forward to 2022, and not flying since 2010, I am working on passing my flight review with him. It's been a long time, but I am so happy to train and get current with such a top notch instructor. His patience, knowledge and focus on safety is unparalleled. I couldn't think of a better instructor to train with, and that is why I reached out to him to become current. I've attached a review my mom made when he was an instructor at Tradewinds Aviation. My mom has since passed due to cancer, but reading her review regarding Cecil brings a smile to my face. Keep up the great work Cecil, you are the best! Thank you for your commitment to your students and the aviation community! You will not find a better instructor!

This school is unethical. One of their customers rented their airplane and died, after trying to…read morecontrol the uncontrollable airplane for nearly 3 hours. The first thing the school did was try to shed any blame off themselves by suggesting/speculating intentional pilot actions. Their airplane that crashed, N5203H, was also previously totalled in 2016 but they kept flying it anyways. If you love life and care about your loved ones, I'd avoid this school. There are plenty of other schools that won't turn their back on you if you have an accident.

One has to wonder why all of the reviews are more the 3 years old. The biggest mistake made by…read morepeople interested in getting their PPL is naivete. They don't know what to ask. Understand that less than 20% of students actually achieve their PPL. The challenges are cost, availability of instructors and planes, weather, instructor objectives, personal availability, and other minor obstacles. Instruction quality can be both lacking or superior depending on who is teaching. If your goal is to get your PPL quickly, a flight school is a bad choice. Do some research before you decide. I didn't and I've spent over 4 years, $90K, and have had 5 instructors in pursuit of my PPL. If you're not in a rush and are just curious, it will work for you. It isn't easy and requires commitment. Get some guidance and explore the alternatives. Instructors have to complete your training and sign you off for your check ride. If they leave for better opportunities, you have to start over. At $300 and hour for rental and instructor cost, it gets expensive fast.

Abdi is the best! He has taken care of my 182P for decades. it still flies like it was new!read more

Here's the corrected version of the text:…read more Worst annual experience ever! Abdi broke things--the DG, the hydraulic system, the brakes, etc. In the process of covering up what he had broken, he broke more things and damaged the aircraft even further. The first time he told me the plane was ready, the nose wheel was installed backwards, and the brakes couldn't hold at anything over idle RPM. Who knows what else was wrong. I stopped checking after the brakes. The second time he told me the plane was ready, the magnetos were miss-wired, and the P lead wouldn't kill the engine. He also damaged the hydraulic system and couldn't fix it. After four months and my insistence on bringing another A&P into his shop to inspect it, he finally called LASAR for help.