This is a small school run by fun people who are easy to do business with…read more However, they don't deliver good value. They charge a high price per hour for airplanes and instruction, for which we should expect better equipment and more professionalism. I flew nearly 100 hours with this school and didn't get my license before giving up on them. Many schools claim that good students can do it in 50 hours, 60-80 seems average, and not finishing by 100 hours is rare; a good student should finish in half the time for a third the price. If you live near Palm Springs and want to learn how to fly, you owe it to yourself to shop around for other schools. Although this may be the only flight school in the valley, there are many others to choose from on the west side of the Banning pass, especially in Riverside.

This is an excellent school. It's small and friendly, yet, professional at the same time…read more As a student pilot, I am allowed to make mistakes and feel perfectly safe since John, the Certified Flight Instructor, can take a plane that I've positioned badly while landing, and ease it to the runway so smoothly you don't feel the tires touch. That's exactly the kind of instruction a student needs when learning the skill of flying an airplane, you need to feel safe making mistakes,so that you can progress from not knowing how to land to landing safely, landing well, landing consistently well and then doing it in a cross wind! I now have over 20 hours, I can land safely, I enjoy cross wind landings, and will be soloing soon. Flying is the best part of my week. I am very happy with this school. They have far exceeded my expectations.

Don't be fooled by a nice website and "free introductory flight". I signed up for the private pilot…read moreprogram and got ripped off. Every time I went to fly I was told that I could not go because the owner (Andy Dutzi) did not pay the fuel bill, mean while they had over seven thousand dollars of mine. My instructor told me he had a hard time getting paid as well and one of the workers at the FBO (Signature Flight Support) informed me that this happens all the time there. "The school will get some students and the going will be good for about a moth, until the prepaid money dries up, the the owner splits town and goes to Austria for a few weeks. And all the students are left with no aircraft or fuel to fly them with." Do not be fooled as I was this place is a rip off, and the owner is a total crook!

The weather in the Pacific Northwest during February and March makes for tough student pilot flying…read moreconditions so what else but to come to the Coachella Valley and fly here. Palm Springs Flying School is a dress-right-dress top notch operator I'd recommend to anyone. They have locations at KPSP and KTRM. I'll be back for sure.

I am currently learning to fly with Palm Springs Flying School, and I cannot speak highly enough of…read moreBrian Carr and the rest of the team. Brian is a phenomenal instructor and has really made me feel confident in my flying. I would recommend (and in fact have) PS Flying School to anyone looking to learn to fly, obtain a new rating or just brush up.

I just completed my private pilot license here and I can't praise this school enough. The people…read morerunning it are truly top notch, as is the organization of the school, the instruction received from the Flight instructors and the airplanes themselves. They feature newer Cessnas 172's with G1000's, unlike many schools. Do yourself the favor of learning here. You won't regret it.

SoCal Pilot Center is owned and operated by Kay and Leen Vereeken--true aviation citizens of the…read moreworld. They have brought their passion for aviation and helping people achieve their aviation goals to the Palm Springs area. As a Cessna Pilot Center they use the best aviation learning system available. Pilots who want to learn from the best, in a fun, rewarding environment in the Palm Springs area, couldn't do better than SoCal Pilot Center. We are proud to know them. --John and Martha King

Flight training with Joe has been great. He takes his time and gives the individualized instruction…read moreyou want. He's a pleasure to talk to as he guides you through the whole process. I would highly recommended Joe Scarcella to anyone looking to learn how to fly.

I have flown a few times with Joe instructing me in working toward my glider rating. He is a great…read moreinstructor and conveys the knowledge clearly so you can correct anything you are doing wrong. As well as providing needed encouragement when doing things correctly. Taking on a powered or glider rating is a big undertaking both in study and flight experience, so it can be daunting and discouraging. Having an instructor who helps you to not form bad habits while helping to make you a better (and safer!) pilot is essential. While also reminding you of the fun it is to fly even when you are stressed out trying to perfect your skills.

My daughter he's been flying with EFI for several years. She's almost ready to solo, and I can…read moreattest that everyone at EFI has been amazing. From the front desk to the instructors to the team ensuring that the aircraft are ready to safely fly, every flight has been safe and above expectations. My daughter is planning to become a military or commercial pilot, and EFI gave her a wonderful foundation.

so much fun doing a one hour lesson in December 2023. My instructor was super helpful and I love…read morethat there's an option to bring other people along.

I relocated from the Bay Area to Riverside during my PPL training due to an Air Force PCS to March…read moreARB. I chose this school for convenience and because they advertised Piper Archers, which I had been flying, but upon arrival I was told they had sold them, so I transitioned to their Cessnas. After about 15 to 20 hours, I was becoming comfortable in the new aircraft. During a short field landing, I applied firm braking as part of the maneuver. On a hot day, the left main tire failed. I took responsibility and agreed to cover the cost of the tire replacement. I was then charged $300, while a document at their front desk clearly listed Tire and Labor as $222. When I raised the discrepancy, I was told over the phone the difference would be refunded. About a week later, I received an email stating the refund would not be issued and that the form had been rectified to match the higher price. Because of this incident, I was told I was not a good fit for the school and was advised to train elsewhere. Flight training is already a significant financial commitment, and situations like this make cost transparency even more important. The issue here is not the tire, it is the inconsistent pricing and reversal after acknowledging the discrepancy. Being shown one price and charged another, then having it changed after the fact, is not a good standard for a training environment. I would strongly recommend prospective students get all pricing and policies clearly in writing before committing, or consider training elsewhere.

Making the appointment was easy and flexible given we went on Valentines. Waiting for our…read moreinstructor upon check in gave us enough time to look around the room without feeling like we're waiting too long. Our instructor was great, I felt safe as I learned and he wasn't hesitant to any answer. He allowed me most of the flight to control minus part of the landing which I was ok with and it opened my eyes to the amount of multitasking a focus that's needed during flight. Before I left, he walked me through everything I need to kick off if I'd like to continue with schooling. 10/10

My new pilot son is a member of a flying club in San Diego and had a rental for the day. Landed at…read moreFrench Valley for fuel and a bite to eat and couldn't take off due to a dead battery. The guys at French Valley Flyers were extraordinarily helpful in getting him a new battery early the next morning. He went back up there to fly his plane back to SD but weather was horrendous, zero visibility. He is two weeks away from his IR check ride so he couldn't take off. Next issue was that he goes to school in AZ and had to be back at school before conditions improved. FVF found a CFI to fly the plane back to SD later in the day for him. FVF saved the day and relieved a lot of stress! Can't thank French Valley Flyers enough for all of their help and professionalism! Good guys who run a great shop with a nice fleet. Highly recommend checking them out!

If you're looking for a flight school with excellent instructors, fair pricing, flexible…read morescheduling, and a genuinely supportive atmosphere, French Valley Flyers is one of the best options out there. Whether you're just starting or building advanced ratings, you'll get strong value and feel good about where you're investing your time and money.

I did my homework looking around form a flight school that was a good fit for me…read more Chris, the owner, rolled out the red carpet and showed me around. I got to meet many of his instructors. All were great guys, great to talk to, all very experienced, competent and patient. I continued to look at other schools, as I wanted to make the best choice for me. So, I booked a lesson, Mark is my assigned instructor. The guy was awesome! I've flown quite a bit previously, this was an aircraft I was not familiar with. Mark gave me a great run down of the plane, and had me do the pre-flight myself, but supervising to make sure I didn't miss anything, which was perfect, I learn best by doing things myself, Mark zeroed in on that, and let me do my thing, and alerted me to anything that I missed and explained it. That was perfect. Mark had me taxi, I was unfamiliar with this aircraft, and a little nervous about it, but Mark zeroed in on that and encouraged me to taxi, and get familiar with the rudder controls, and get the feeling for it. Mark was super patent the entire time and kept giving me information, and also had me using the radio, holding me to performing as PIC, he didn't let me allow my nervousness to hold me back, he comfortably encouraged me to push forward. Which again is how I learn the best. Chris was there, overseeing operations and checking in with me as to how it was going. Again, what a great guy. Both of these men had a great sense of humor, were encouraging. I'm used to flying a very old C172, and these aircraft are very new with very modern avionics that I am not familiar with, but eased me into finding everything. What this did was give me just enough to want to jump back into lessons feet first. What a great day. I'm anxious to have my next lesson with my instructor, and fly as many planes as they offer so I can have experience flying several aircraft They make becoming a pilot lots of fun. Yeah, I got very nervous being in an unfamiliar aircraft, and the modern avionics intimidated me, but Mark kept me busy and hands on, and didn't let me talk myself out of adapting to the modern avionics. A little on the aircraft, it was a very new airplane, very sensitive and responsive to the controls, I'm using to a very old 172 that is like pushing draft horse around, these aircraft respond to a light touch, this is teaching me to fly a modern plane that flies like it is supposed to that didn't make me have to wrestle with the controls like I am accustomed to, which made that plane a pleasure to operate. My only complaint is that it is not my day to fly today! And I want to fly more. I have to pay as I go, so, I'm flying on a budget, yet Chris and Mark are good with that, and have a plan to keep me flying often, and keep on learning. This is exactly the kind of learning environment that I need. I am impressed. I can't speak highly enough about the school or the quality of instruction. This is exactly what I need, as in my not so distant future, I am acquiring my own airplane, and am going to tour 48 states by air. I'll be traveling alone, and these guys are giving me thorough instruction to help me grow into a competent and confident pilot so I can accomplish my dreams. So, if you're looking for a great flight school, with great instructors that are other yet will push you to learn hands on, and flying NEWER aircraft, you'd be hard pressed to find a better school. The school is a very veteran friendly place, treating this old Jar Head like a VIP. SEMPER FI.

From the owner: Flight Ventures Aviation Academy is a full-service flight school providing both Rotor and…read morefixed-wing training for private pilot, commercial, and instrument up to CFII, MEI, and ATP/CTP, including sports pilot licenses and twin engine ratings. Come and train at our state-of-the-art facility in our all-glass cockpit, New TAA aircraft, & Advanced Simulators. Call to schedule a Discovery Flight Today. We also offer Helicopter Wine Tours, Helicopter Beach Tours, Proposals, Special Occasions, and gender reveals. Treat yourself to a private helicopter tour in Temecula Valley Wine Country. Enjoy spectacular views of California while flying over the coast, where beaches stretch for miles, and the Pacific Ocean teems with marine life. Then, head inland to Temecula Valley and land at an award-winning winery for a gourmet lunch and wine tasting. Custom Tours and Lengths are Available. Start your Aviation Career Today! Job Placement Available, Call Now!

The people running this business are very dedicated to their customers. Everyone is so friendly,…read moreand down to earth. Joyce has always made it a point to say hello to anyone that opens the door, and make sure they are helped. Even if it's just someone coming in to ask for directions. Safety always comes first, and the prices are fair especially in todays economy. No one is forced to come here. If you are looking for kind people that care about their customers than this is the place to come! The people there at this business are like a family, and it's sad to see someone make such stupid remarks about how someone there is treated poorly. Especially over a chair......I do believe there are plenty of chairs in there for whoever to choose.

I went there to take a FAA written test. The owner was very polite and informative. Really…read morehelpful by explaining what I had to do to get a pilot's license. Clean facility.