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Desert Skies
Book · $199

Gift · Discovery flight

Give themthe left seat.

The left seat is the pilot's. A discovery flight puts them in it for an hour, with a certificated flight instructor beside them, and they fly the airplane.

$199

One hour in the air
Airplane, fuel and instructor

Give a discovery flightHow it works
What the gift includes

Desert Skies Aviation

Gift

KFFZ

Falcon Field

KFFZ

Same field

Seat
Left
the pilot’s
Instructor
Beside
the whole time
Logbook
It counts
a real lesson
Price
$199
all in

01How it works

You book it.They fly it.

You buy it and book it, so the day is set when you hand it over. Right after checkout we ask who is flying.

  1. Buy it

    Check out with your own details. $199 covers the airplane, the fuel and the instructor.

  2. Tell us who

    Their name, date of birth and a weight estimate, so the instructor can plan the flight.

  3. Pick the date

    Choose a time on our instructors’ calendar and an instructor confirms it. Moving it is free with 24 hours of notice.

  4. Hand it over

    Your confirmation email has their paperwork link. Pass it on, or keep it for the day if it is a surprise.

02Surprise

Keep it a surprise,if you want.

Tell us it is a surprise and we do not contact them. They sign the waiver and show their ID at the airport on the day, or we email them the paperwork 30 minutes before the flight. Ready to tell them sooner? Send it from your dashboard.

  • Ride along

    You, or someone else, can ride in the back seat at no charge, as the airplane’s weight limits allow.

  • Under 18

    A parent or legal guardian signs the waiver before the flight.

  • Weight

    Small airplanes have weight limits. The estimate you give stays private.

  • Weather

    We only fly when it is safe. If we cancel, we reschedule at no cost.

The wing of a Desert Skies training airplane at sunrise over desert mountains

03Their hour

What theywill do.

  1. Meet

    They meet their instructor at our office on Falcon Field and talk about what they want from the day.

  2. Brief

    At the table, they go over the controls, the instruments and the plan for the flight.

  3. Preflight

    They walk around the airplane with the instructor and do a real preflight inspection.

  4. Fly

    After takeoff they take the controls. The instructor is beside them the whole time.

  5. Land

    Back to Falcon Field, with the instructor talking them through the approach and landing.

  6. Debrief

    They go over what they did and what training from here looks like, and log the flight.

More about the discovery flight

Questions

Giftquestions.

All questions
  • Can I choose the date later?

    The date is picked when you book. Not sure yet? Choose a likely day and move it when you know; with 24 hours of notice it is free.

  • Do they need any experience?

    None. Their instructor explains everything on the ground first, and flies with them the whole time.

  • Will they actually fly the airplane?

    Yes. After takeoff they take the controls. The instructor handles anything they are not ready for yet.

  • Can I come along?

    Yes, in the back seat at no charge, as the airplane’s weight limits allow. You add it when you book.

  • Does it count toward a pilot certificate?

    Yes. It is a real lesson with a certificated flight instructor, and the time goes in their logbook.

  • Is it safe?

    Your instructor is FAA-certificated, our airplanes are inspected on the FAA schedule, and we only fly when the weather is safe.

Gift a discovery flight

Their first hour at the controls.

$199 at Falcon Field in Mesa, with a certificated flight instructor beside them the whole time.

Give a discovery flight · $199Ask a question