What to look for in your first demo flight at a Minnesota flight school
It’s safe to say that anyone considering a Private Pilot License (PPL) at a Minnesota flight school has an inner attraction to aviation and the experience of flight. Some want to fly purely for pleasure, while others are looking for a career path. That’s why there are 7 pilot license types for everyone from students to Certified Flight Instructors.
Regardless of your reason for getting a PPL, the experience starts with a “demo flight.” Our perspective on demo flights is that they are too often a cookie-cutter experience, which is why we offer 1st-timers a Discovery Flight.
We chose that name because discovery is what the early stages of your PPL planning and research are all about: discovering your own experience of becoming a certified pilot.
Discovery Flights at Twin Cities Flight
Here’s what to look for and expect when you book a Discovery Flight.
Spending time in an aviation environment. Discovery Flight students can meet faculty, staff, and other students as part of the experience. You’ll also have time to learn the layout of the flight school, see the facilities and the planes that are used for instruction. Aviation schools each have their own environment, and the tone is set by the people on site. We make sure you get a sense of ours.
Talking with an instructor. Before going up, you can expect to spend some time with the instructor in charge of your visit. He or she will go over preflight prep; be ready with questions, because our instructors have more knowledge and experience ready to share than any website or book. Also, our instructors are not salespeople. Their job is to teach, share experiences, and find out what you want to accomplish during your Discovery Flight.
Getting initial instruction. Your Discovery Flight instructor will be trying to understand and respect your expectations and your comfort level in the plane. A Discovery Flight experience will include: taxi and takeoff, straight and level flight, turns, climbs, descents, stalls, entering the traffic pattern, and landing. You’ll certainly be invited to take the controls; many first timers are apprehensive about spinning, rolling, and loss of control. They quickly find out this is not a concern as they get a feel for the plane’s responsiveness and the instructor’s calm presence and instruction. Your instructor will also handle 100% of radio communication so you can focus on the experience.
Following up and following through. After your Discovery Flight, most up-and-coming pilots want more – more information, more instruction, more flight time. We can connect you with all of it. But we are equally ready to simply sit down and debrief with you on your experience. We can identify your strengths and areas where you’ll need to work. We can advise you on how to get your PPL, how much it will cost, and the best way to approach it.
Less than 1% of all people in the the U.S. earn a Private Pilot License. But if you’re looking for a premier Minnesota flight school, consider Twin Cities Flight. Schedule your Discovery Flight today.