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Discovery Flight in Redlands: The $189 Intro Flight

If you've been looking for a discovery flight in Redlands, here's exactly what ours involves. At Cornerstone Flight Academy we call it an intro flight: about an hour with a flight instructor at Redlands Municipal Airport (KREI), roughly 15 minutes on the ground and 45 in the air, for $189. You don't need any experience, and you fly the airplane.

A real first lesson, not a tour

Many flight schools call this a discovery flight. We call it an intro flight. Either way, it's the first lesson of flight training, and it's open to anyone, whether or not you ever take a second one.

Your instructor is a certificated flight instructor (CFI) and the pilot in command for the whole flight. That's why you don't need a pilot certificate, a medical certificate or any background to take the controls. Your instructor handles everything you're not ready for yet.

How the hour goes

Booking. You reserve online and tell us which days work for you. We get back to you to set a day and time.

On the ground, about 15 minutes. Your instructor explains what you'll do in the air and how the airplane works, then walks around it with you for the preflight inspection, the same check pilots do before every flight.

In the air, about 45 minutes. Your instructor handles the taxi, the radio calls and the takeoff. Once you're up and it's safe, they hand you the controls and you feel for yourself how the airplane responds, with your instructor beside you the whole time. Redlands sits at the foot of the San Bernardino Mountains, so the view to the north is hard to miss.

Back on the ground. Your instructor talks through how it went and what your options are if you'd like to keep flying. There's no pressure either way.

Which airplane you'll fly

Intro flights go up in one of our two Cessnas: a Cessna 172, a four-seat airplane, or a Cessna 150, a two-seat trainer. Both have the wing above the cabin, which leaves the view below wide open, and both are equipped for instrument flying, so the panel in front of you is the same kind you'd train on later.

If you feel uneasy at any point, say so. Your instructor can keep things gentle or head back to the airport whenever you like.

What it costs

The intro flight is $189 in total, paid in two parts:

• $144 online when you book. That reserves the airplane and covers the aircraft and fuel.
• $45 to your instructor at the airport. Our instructors are independent: each one sets and collects their own fee, so you pay it to them directly on the day.

That's everything. The airplane, the headset and the fuel are included, and there's nothing else to buy.

What to bring

• A photo ID
• Sunglasses
• Clothes for the weather
• $45 for your instructor

If the weather doesn't cooperate

We only fly when it's safe. If the wind, clouds or visibility aren't right on the day, we reschedule at no charge, so you never lose your flight to the weather.

Does it count toward a pilot's license?

Yes. If you decide to keep going, the time you fly logs as dual instruction toward your pilot certificate. (The FAA calls it a certificate; most people say license.)

For a private pilot certificate in an airplane, the FAA requires at least 40 hours of flight time, including at least 20 hours of flight training from an instructor and 10 hours of solo flight training (14 CFR 61.109). Your intro flight is the start of those 20 hours, so nothing about the day is wasted.

If you decide to keep going

The next steps are a little paperwork and a plan. Before flight training begins, federal rules (49 CFR part 1552) require a flight school to see proof that you're a U.S. citizen, such as a U.S. passport or birth certificate; non-citizens need approval from TSA first. A discovery flight itself is exempt from that rule. Before you fly solo, you'll also need a student pilot certificate and an FAA medical certificate. Your instructor will walk you through each one.

Our training page lays out the rest of the path, from ground school and your first solo to cross-country flying and the checkride, with a typical cost estimate.

Who it's for

• Anyone curious about flying, with no experience at all
• Anyone thinking about a career in aviation who wants to try it before committing
• Anyone who simply wants to fly once. A one-time flight is a perfectly good reason to come.

Where to find us

Cornerstone Flight Academy is a pilot- and mechanic-owned flight school and aircraft rental operation at Redlands Municipal Airport (KREI), 1745 Sessums Drive, Suite 180, Redlands, CA 92374. We fly a Cessna 172 and a Cessna 150, both IFR-equipped.

Ready for your first hour at the controls? Book your intro flight, or call or text (909) 330-4748. You can also find us at flycornerstone.com.

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