Fly a real airplane on your first day
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 →Common questions
How much does a discovery flight cost?
Give us a call at (940) 905-3090 and we'll go over current pricing — it covers the aircraft and your instructor for the whole session.
How long does it take?
Plan on being at the airport a little longer than the flight itself — there is a short briefing before you go up and a debrief when you land.
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.
Ready when you are
Leave your details and we will call you to pick a day, or skip ahead and call us now.