Fly a real airplane on your first dayDiscovery flights in Dallas–Fort Worth, from Aero Valley Airport in Roanoke
A discovery flight is the easiest way to find out whether flying is for you. You will sit in the left seat of a Cessna 172 at Aero Valley Airport (52F) in Roanoke, take off with a certified instructor beside you, and fly it yourself. No experience, no commitment.
Request your flight
What happens on the day
Three parts, and you are the one flying for the middle one.
Preflight briefing
Your instructor walks you around the airplane, shows you what they check and why, and explains exactly what is about to happen. Ask anything.
You fly
You take off from Aero Valley Airport (52F) and, once you are clear of the pattern, your instructor hands you the controls. Turns, climbs, descents — you are flying the airplane.
Debrief and logbook
Back on the ground you talk through how it went, and the flight goes in a logbook as dual instruction — the first entry toward a pilot certificate if you decide to keep going.
Who takes a discovery flight
- People who have wondered about flying for years and never had a reason to start.
- Anyone weighing flight training and wanting to try it before spending real money.
- Someone shopping for a gift that is not another object.
- Pilots-to-be comparing schools who want to meet an instructor first.
Where we fly from
Aero Valley Airport (52F)
104 Boeing Way
Roanoke, TX 76262
We are in the north part of the DFW metroplex, easy to reach from Dallas, Fort Worth and Denton.
See the airplanes you could fly →A first flight for a young pilot
Many discovery flights are booked by a parent or grandparent for a young person who cannot stop talking about airplanes. They get the same flight as anyone else: a few minutes on the ground with the instructor, then about an hour in a Cessna 172 with the controls in their hands for most of it, and a certified instructor with a full set of controls beside them the whole time.
- $250 for the flight — the same as any discovery flight.
- One adult can usually ride along in the back seat for $75.
- Gift certificates are available if it is a surprise.
- Tell us their age when you call and we will talk through whether they are ready for the left seat.
How far it can go
- Any ageNo FAA minimum age to fly with an instructor and log the time.
- 16A student pilot can fly solo.
- 17They can earn a private pilot certificate.
Every hour flown with an instructor is logged as dual instruction, so it counts toward a pilot certificate later. These are FAA minimums.
Getting to Aero Valley
Aero Valley Airport (52F) sits just off Highway 114 in Roanoke, on the north side of the DFW metroplex. Most of our discovery-flight guests drive in from the towns below; the airport has free parking right by the hangar and there is no security line — you walk straight out to the airplane.
- Southlake, Keller, Trophy Club — about 15 minutes
- Flower Mound, Grapevine — about 20 minutes
- Denton, Lewisville — about 25 minutes
- Fort Worth — about 30 minutes
- Frisco, Plano — about 40 minutes
- Dallas — about 45 minutes
What you will fly
Your discovery flight is in a Cessna 172, the most widely used training airplane in the world: four seats, a high wing you can see out from under, and a full set of controls on both sides so your instructor can fly alongside you. We train in both glass-panel and traditional round-gauge 172s, and you can ask for either.
Nothing is rushed. You will spend a few minutes on the ground learning what the instructor checks before every flight, then about an hour in the air over the countryside north of Fort Worth, with the controls in your hands for most of it.
Meet the fleet →After your flight
Plenty of people take a discovery flight for the experience and leave it there. If it lights something up, the same instructor can walk you through what comes next: the private pilot certificate, how often you would want to fly, and what it typically costs. Because the flight is logged as dual instruction, the hour you just flew already counts.
- Hourly rates are wet — fuel is included — so the price you hear is the price you pay. Prepaid block time lowers the effective rate.
- One-on-one instruction, scheduled around your calendar. Flying two or three times a week finishes sooner and costs less than once a week.
- Already a pilot? Ask about a flight review or a rental checkout instead — see all our training programs.
Common questions
How much does a discovery flight cost?
A discovery flight is up to $250 — it won't exceed that — and covers the aircraft and your instructor for the whole session.
How long does it take?
Plan on about an hour from the time you arrive, including the briefing before and the debrief after your flight.
Do I need any experience?
None at all. Most people who take a discovery flight have never touched the controls of an airplane before.
Will I actually get to fly the airplane?
Yes. Once you are safely airborne your instructor will hand you the controls. They are right beside you with a full set of their own the entire time.
Does it count toward a pilot certificate?
It does. The flight is logged as dual instruction with your certified flight instructor, so the time counts toward the flight experience required for your certificate.
Where do you fly out of?
Aero Valley Airport (52F), at 104 Boeing Way in Roanoke, TX — in the north part of the DFW metroplex, convenient to Dallas, Fort Worth and Denton.
What should I bring?
Just a photo ID, sunglasses and comfortable clothes. We supply the airplane, the headset and the instructor.
Can I bring someone with me?
Family and friends are welcome at the airport, and one additional passenger can usually ride along in the back seat for $75, weight and weather permitting — mention it when you book.
What if the weather is bad on the day?
Your instructor makes the call. If the weather is not right for a first flight, we reschedule you for the next good day — a discovery flight is meant to be enjoyable, not white-knuckled.
Is it safe?
The airplane has a full set of controls on both sides, and your certified flight instructor is flying with you the entire time. Our aircraft are maintained on the same schedule we use for student training every day.
Can I give a discovery flight as a gift?
Yes — many first flights are gifts. Call (940) 905-3090 and we will set it up so the recipient can pick a day that works for them.
Is there a minimum age for a discovery flight?
The FAA sets no minimum age for flying with an instructor and logging the time. A student pilot can fly solo at 16 and earn a private pilot certificate at 17, and hours flown with an instructor before then still count. Call (940) 905-3090 with your child's age and we will talk through whether they are ready.
Ready when you are
Leave your details and we will call you to pick a day, or skip ahead and call us now.