Bay Area Scenic Discovery Flight Lesson

Fly a Cessna 172 Over San Jose During this 60 Minute Introductory Flying Lesson

(27 ratings)
Price for 1 Participant

Extended Bay Area Flight Lesson (optional):

90 Minute Bay Area Scenic Discovery Flight Lesson Add an additional 30 minutes to your Bay Area Scenic Discovery Flight Lesson for a total of 90 minutes of flying time enjoy views of the Bay Area from San Jose to the Golden Gate Bridge!

+ $93 Total: $338
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About This Experience Gift

One-Hour Introductory Flying Lesson, No Experience Required!
Enjoy Views of San Jose, Palo Alto and the San Francisco Bay
Plus, You can Bring a Friend to Ride Along as a Passenger

General Information

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Learn to fly a plane as you take the controls of a Cessna 172 this one hour Introductory Flying Lesson over the San Francisco Bay area. This airborne adventure begins at the Reid-Hillview Airport in San Jose, California. Here you and your guest will meet your Certified Flight Instructor and head out on to the tarmac where you will learn about the plane and go through the prefight safety check.

Following the briefing, it’s time to strap yourself into the aircraft. Your Instructor Pilot will taxi the plane down the run way for take-off. Once airborne, it’s time for you to take over the controls and discover first-hand what it is like to pilot an airplane! Depending upon weather and air traffic, you will fly south along the Pacific Coast or north over Highway One.

Throughout this Introductory Flight Lesson, you will have the opportunity to learn some of the basics of flying a light aircraft, managing complex airspace and aerial landmark recognition. This Bay Area Discovery Flight is an unforgettable gift that you will continue to relish for years to come!

Where It's Located

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San Jose, California

Who Is Included

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Participants
The Bay Area Scenic Discovery Flight Lesson Experience Gifts Certificate is valid for one participant.

Guests
You may invite one guest to join you for your Hands-On Scenic Flight at no additional cost. (The maximum combined weight of both passengers may not exceed 500lbs.)

When It Is Offered

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Additional Dates Coming Soon

The Flight Lessons are offered seven days a week year round, subject to availability. Flights may be scheduled between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM.

How Long Is It

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The Introductory Flight Lessons include 20 to 30 minutes of ground instruction followed by a 60 Minute flight and have a total duration of approximately 1½ hours, unless an Extended Option is selected.

Weather

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The San Jose Flying Lessons may be rescheduled by the Instructor due to high winds, heavy rain, fog or other inclement weather.

What To Wear

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Comfortable clothing and rubber soled shoes are recommended for this experience.

Additional Information

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Flight time logged can count towards training in the future should the participant pursue their Pilot’s License.

Participation is limited to individuals weighing less than 300lbs. The maximum combined weight limit for the participant and their guest is 500lbs. Individuals who are pregnant, have broken bones or other physical conditions which are considered unsafe conditions are not eligible to participate.

All pilots are accident and incident free and the Company has a 100% safety record. Pilots are trained beyond the rating they currently hold and are Certified Flight Instructors.

Participants are required show Government issued Photo ID such as a US Driver’s License or a Passport and to sign a Liability Release Form prior to flight. If the participant is under the age of 18 a parent or guardian will need to sign the form prior to participation.

ITEM/SKU NUMBER: 02GR31300B

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Reservation Information

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All changes to reservations for the Bay Area Scenic Discovery Flight Lesson require fourteen (14) days advance notice.

Xperience Certificates® cannot be exchanged once a reservation for the experience has been made.

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Experience Gifts are delivered in the form of an open-dated Gift Certificate redeemable at the recipient’s convenience, making it easy for them to book the date that works best for them.
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Certificates are valid for one year from the date of purchase. After 12 months from the date of issue, the redeemer will be responsible for any price increase for the activity (if there is one at the time of redemption).
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Hands-On Bay Area Flight Customer Reviews

Average Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Great experience!

Taking the discovery flight was a great experience! I arrived not knowing what to expect, other than maybe taking the controls while in flight. Instead I was truly taking part in everything including the preflight, fueling, doing the takeoff and having the controls for everything but the landing. The instructor was very calm, confident and clearly wasn't worried that I could screw something up bad enough to be unrecoverable. I left the experience wanting to do more flying and confident that it is something that I could achieve!
Zac - San Jose
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Great experience!

First time in the air, and it was a great flight! Other than the take-off and landing, I was in control — we flew over the Santa Cruz/Scotts Valley area, which was quite beautiful from the air.
Emma - San Jose
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Pretty Amazing for a first lesson

I had an amazing time with my instructor kat. She’s an awesome teacher and I learnt a lot about flying. The whole experience was outstanding. I recommend Aerodynamic Aviation and Experience Days for their amazing services.
Akshaya - San Jose
Verified Xperience Days Participant
First Flying Lesson was a Blast

The instructor, Scotts, is a competent pilot and instructor. He gave the initial training in an easy to understandable manner and he was inclusive during the flight by letting me take over the controls. I liked that he explained the behavior of the plane and why it would do so (technical reasons) as we made the moves. It was a gorgeous day with calm winds, 80 deg ground temp, and clear skies, an ideal flying day.
Zoaib Rangwala - San Jose
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Fantastic!

Great experience. Other than takeoff and landing I was the pilot! Lovely staff, welcoming and friendly and were genuinely keen on getting me into flying. Can't forget the views also, they were amazing!
Timothy Fox - San Francisco
Verified Xperience Days Participant
INCREDIBLE

Honestly one of the most fun, exhilarating experiences I've had in a while. Would recommend!
Saylor - San Jose
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Great Experience

This is probably the best birthday gift!! I didn't have a pleasant experience scheduling my flight, charging an extra $20 to re-schedule your reservation is just a bit much, especially when my reservation was still pending and I called to change it right after online reservation was made. So be sure you are certain on your schedule before making it. The flight was awesome! Everyone was nice and my pilot instructor was excellent! He made us feel safe and comfortable, he gave us a detail introduction on the plane and very easy to understood, he knows his stuff, and he must have a lot of flying hours.
Yudi Iskandar - San Jose, Reid-Hillview Airport
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Fun Flying a Plane!

Wow, talk about fun! Jason was the perfect host, guide and instructor all in one. From plane inspection to fueling, taxi and takeoff, climb out and cruising, he gave me the stick and let me fly. An hour soaring over San Jose, Watsonville, and Santa Cruz in perfect air was super. OK, he didn't let me land, but talked us down so I could see how it's done. Maybe next time.
Michael Gariepy - San Jose, CA
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Unbelievably amazing

This was one of the best experiences in my life! I'm a pretty diverse person and get into some crazy sports from extreme mountain biking, motocross, car racing and this experience topped it all! The instructor was very nice and funny and very easy to talk to and ask questions. I took this discovery class in san jose. Definately recommended!
Gabriel - Stockton, Ca
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Bay Area Flight Lesson

This flight was a birthday gift from my family which far exceeded all our expectations. The instructor was a lovely gentleman who gave me plenty of confidence during this first-ever flying lesson. The day was absolutely beautiful so we were able to see San Francisco at its finest and my husband was able to take some great photos too. This was an experience I'd thoroughly recommend for all ages and stages of life.
Christine M - Batemans Bay Australia
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Bay Area Scenic Flight

My wife got this for me for our anniversary and it was the best gift ever! Patrick was my instructor and he was very professional, knowledgeable, and fun. We had a great time and my wife was able to come along too. I would definitely recommend this experience.
Samuel Akins - San jose
Verified Xperience Days Participant
A Wonderful Flying Experience

This was a surprise birthday present for my boyfriend. I picked this specific flight lesson because the description stated that you get to fly the plane and it goes over the scenic bay area. Just want to clear the description up, they do not fly you over scenic parts of the bay area. This is not a scenic flight. This is a hands on flight to allow the person the most flying time to experience flying. We still had a wonderful time of course. My boyfriend was excited to learn and take control. This one also allows you to bring a passenger and I loved having the opportunity to fly with him. The instructor was knowledgeable and I felt completely safe. It was a fantastic surprise! And I'd recommend this to anyone who wants hands on action! Great experience!
Jen S - San Francisco
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Flight Lesson

It was great. The pilot (Jen) was wonderful - calm, professional and skilled. She allowed me to fly the plane as much as I was capable and helped when necessary. My passenger (my wife Michele) is next!
David Johnson - San Jose
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Great time!

How can you beat this - a gret flight over Santa Cruz and got to take the controls for about 35-40 minutes. Sergie was very patient terrific experience - highly recommended!
John Schmitt - Reid Hillview Airport
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Bay Area Scenic Flight

An experience of a lifetime.
Patrick Gleeson - Fremont
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Flying Lesson

This was probably the most amazing experience I've had to date. My instructor (Rich) was so good at explaining everything and he made me feel super comfortable I mean really, taking off in a plane, being 5,000 feet off the ground, simulating an engine failure..that's all pretty big stuff if you've never done it before. I was positively amped to fly and the experience met every expectation I had. Now I want to keep flying forever! I totally recommend buying this experience.
Natalie Webster - AeroDynamic Aviation
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Flight Experience

It was excellent and our Flight instructor Erik was excellent.
Akin - San Jose
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Hands On Flying

Thanks for a great day. We had a blast on our bay tour flying lesson. We could have used more hands on as the title said but it was fun none the less. Perhaps you should rename the experience Bay Tour and take the hands on part out.
Joe Andolina - San Francisco
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Bay Area Flight Lesson

This was a great time. I thought it would be more of a scenic flight but the instructor (who was great) had me flying most of the time. It's very, very cool. We hopped over the mountains to Santa Cruz and back on a beautiful November day. So much to see and lots going on in the sky's as well. If you want to treat someone, this is a very good choice. I really liked all the people and the instructor was a former AA pilot (Derick) who really knew what he was doing. Plane is old but that's part of the charm. Feels like you are barnstorming.
Peter Van Brunt - Reid-Hillview Airport
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Amazing Flight

Great experience, great instructor. Fastest hour I have experienced and hope to again. Thanks to this experience I am planning on getting my pilot license. I have nothing bad to say about my experience.
Brett - California
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Bay Area Flight Lesson

We were extremely impressed with the crew at the Aerodynamic Aviation building, and would go again in a heartbeat. The flight lesson was a birthday gift for my boyfriend, and it was the absolute BEST time ever! Jim is an amazing instructor and such a delight to be around. He explained everything he was doing, and let my boyfriend take the controls most of the time, including landing! The views were wonderful, and Jim let my boyfriend do some basic tricks, like stalling the plane and 360 turns. This was truely the best part of our trip, thanks to Jim. I would definitely recommend this group to anyone who wants to fly or go on a scenic flight. It was just the most amazing experience ever! :O)
Tiffany Nicole - Amelia Reid
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Scenic Flight Full Bay Tour

I was disappointed in the fact that I didn't get to have any hands on flight time during my bay tour flight as suggested by the name of the tour. It just turned out to be a sit back and enjoy the flight which I have already experienced before on other tours. My wife had purchased a similar hands on flight package for my brother in law in the Los Angeles area and he got to work the rudder during taxing to make turns, helped in take off and landing, and while in the air make turns and elevation changes. I did get the chance to hold on to the elevator controls during take off but that was the extent of my hands on flight experience and therefore was very disappointed in the overall flight tour. The tour itself was very beautiful as it was a clear day and not to much wind so a very smooth experience. Just wish I could have had more hands on flight time as stated in the package.
Merrill - San Francisco
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Scenic Full Bay Tour

Enjoyed the trip more than expected! Had a great time over a pretty area.
Mark Litz - San Francisco
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Hands on Scenic Flight

Everyone at Amelia Reid / Aerodynamic Aviation were incredibly friendly from the moment we arrived. My instructor Jim Gave us a tour through on of the hangars, where he gave us a brief history lesson on airframes and materials. During the pre-flight check of the aircraft Jim told us exactly what and why he was doing what he was doing. Now the FLIGHT... From Taxing to landing there was hardly a moment I had my hands or feet off the controls. Jim let me do most of the flying as he coached from the right seat. His instructions were very clear and concise, and I had great confidence with him there, correcting anything I did wrong. It was a great flight with a great instructor.
Matthew MacDonald - Amelia Reid Aviation
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Hands on Bay Area Scenic Flight

Excellent first time experience. The instructor, Jerod, was very knowledgeable,and the pre-flight check was very detailed. The flight itself was excellent and the Jerod's instructions were always informative and detailed. I would strongly recommend the entire experience and Ameil Reid Aviation to everyone. This is only my first time out and I am ready for more flying experiences.
Ron Marchesani - Reid-Hillview Airport
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Scenic Full Bay Tour

The flight was amazing! This was such a great experience for both me and my boyfriend. We enjoyed every minute of it. We had some awesome views of the SF Bay. Jared was such a fun and talented pilot he made the flight worth our while!
Tiffany Morales - Sacramento, Ca
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Scenic Full Bay Tour

The Tour was amazing! My boyfriend got to take the controls and we got some amazing pictures! Thank you!
Keily Muters - Santa Rosa, CA
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Hands on scenic flight

I had a very wonderful time. The instructor was very good, going over all the pre=flight procedures, so I felt like this was really me flying this plane. I helped with the take off and did most of the flying and the landing! I would recomend this to anyone who has ever had the desire to fly.
Maryann Burnell - Amelia Reid Airport
Verified Xperience Days Participant
Flying Lesson

From the moment we walked in the door we were treated as if we were old friends by everyone in the office. Any question asked was met with complete information in a friendly way. The flight instructor was friendly and able to explain everything in a very clear and understandable way. Pre-flight check of the plane gave every detail of the operation and reason for checking each item and the method to assure all was ready for flight. Once in the air, instruction was clear and precise, with an explanation of all options. It was as though I had taken lessons with Mike many times before. After an explanation of how to control the aircraft, I was given a chance to try the maneuver. All aspects of flying, including airspace information, weather effects, and what happens to the plane during maneuvers were explained. I almost signed up to get my pilots license as soon as I landed, it felt so comfortable. I highly recommend flying out of Amelia Reid Aviation to anyone interested in flying.
Jeff Rodriguez - Amelia Reid Airport
Verified Xperience Days Participant
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Write Your Own Review For This Experience

Question: I bought this flying lesson for my Dad. Can I ride in the back of the plane during the flight?

Answer: Yes! The participant may invite one guest to join him or her during the Hands-On Scenic Flight. (The maximum combined weight of both passengers may not exceed 500lbs.)
Question: How long is the in flight portion of the lesson and will I get an opportunity to actually fly the aircraft?

Answer: The Bay Area Scenic Discovery Flight Lesson has a flight time of 60 minutes and does include hands on time flying the plane. Flight time is defined by the FAA as chocks-away to chocks-under, which includes taxi time plus airborne time, i.e. wheels-off to wheels-on. Except for the take off and landing you'll be able to take over the flight controls as much or as little as you feel comfortable with.
Question: My boyfriend and I are not a US Citizens. May I still buy this flying lesson for him as a gift?

Answer: Yes. Non US Citizens may take part in the Discovery Flight Lesson. A Foreign Passport will need to be shown as identification upon check-in for the experience.
Question: I would like to buy this as a gift for my husband. Does he need to have any prior experience to take part in this flying lesson?

Answer: No, no experience is required to enjoy the fun of an Introductory Flight Lesson! Participants are with a Certified Flight Instructor throughout the lesson which takes place in a plane with dual controls. The Instructor, if necessary, has the ability to control the plane at all times - making this the perfect opportunity to discover what it's like to fly a plane!
Question: I was thinking of buy this gift for my grandson who wants to be a Pilot when he grows up. Is there a minimum age requirement for the flight lesson?

Answer: The recommended minimum age is 13 years old and it is strongly suggested that participants be at least 5' tall in order for them to be able to have adequate visibility when in the cockpit of the airplane.
Question: I'm thinking about buying this experience for my husband who is here on an H-1B visa. Is it a requirement to be a U.S. citizen for this Introductory Flight Lesson?

Answer: No, being a U.S. citizen is not a requirement for this Introductory Flight Lesson.
Question: We have a toddler 18 months at that time, can he fly with us as a family experience?

Answer: Only one guest, weighing a minimum of 50lbs, is permitted to join the participant for the flight. Infants and toddlers are not permitted to ride in the plane during the lesson.

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