-
September 2024 by Ian Bremmer
I had a lot of fun at Ascent. The staff guided me throughout training wholeheartedly. I am happy with the flight school and wouldn't mind returning for more flights.
-
September 2024 by Sarah Lopez
The best and certainly most affordable flight school in all Los Angeles. If you’re currently looking for a school, after visiting this one for an in house consult you’ll know why to choose ascent especially if it’s a commercial pilot you want to be. I am so glad i went with this school I’ve had a great time over 10 airplanes and instructors and i fly all 10 of them because they’re the same having an all piper fleet has been huge for making quick progress. Two thumbs up for George Seth and all of these guys here!
-
September 2024 by Chanchal Wadhwa
This is a flight school that really cares about your success & safety. I can say so many wonderful things about them (and I will) but first I know most aspiring pilots want to get straight to the experience.
** keep in mind, I started taking lessons at a different flight school at first but wasn’t enjoying my time there. This is why I began looking at other flight schools like Ascent**
Here is a breakdown of how my experience/process was:
First, I made an appointment to meet with the owner, Seth, to tell him my goals and what I wanted to do with a Pilots license. This is a crucial part to your journey because you can learn about Ascent’s scheduling and payment process. I really liked Ascent because I paid in 10 hour blocks at a time on my credit card and earned credit card points (yay)
After my intro meeting with Seth, I was then assigned a flight instructor — Nico.
Nico was able to really break down the flying process and teach me how to operate the plane: Basic turns & maneuvers, learning to land the plane, solo take offs and landings, learning how to fly cross country routes, solo cross countries, & checkride maneuvers/checkride landings/checkride prep.
Nico was so incredibly helpful and patient with me, and he also became a friend to me. His teaching style made me feel so confident for my first solo— I’ll never forget that feeling!
What I really loved about Ascent is the instructors/culture there. I had the opportunity to not only work with Nico, but when I got closer to my checkride, I wanted to double up on lessons. So I would also do study sessions/mock oral checkrides with George and Joe (these two are such gems and so knowledgeable. They felt like an encyclopedia of aviation)
When I got to the point where I was ready for a check ride, the whole ascent team was checking in on me (Jay, Dre, Mitch, Connor, Austin, Woody, Chris, and all of the other wonderful staff). They would give me tips and suggestions & what they went through as a student pilot. It’s so nice to have such a strong support system and that’s exactly what Ascent delivered!
Checkride day I felt so prepared and was able to pass — thanks to Ascent!
My tips/suggestions:
I suggest booking planes as much & often as possible (Of course do what your schedule allows) I ended up flying anywhere from 3-5 days a week.
Planes get booked up fast and this is a great flight school so there are a lot of students wanting to fly!
While you’re learning how to fly the plane, I highly recommend you study for your written exam. The sooner you can take your written exam, the more time you can focus on your checkride & oral.
Be patient with yourself, and trust the process. It’s so rewarding getting to the finish line!
Hope this helps someone out :)
-
September 2024 by Bobby 3lue
Just got my private license in about 5 months with Ascent and am very happy so far. I will definitely continue the rest of my training here. It was much more affordable than any other option I looked at, and my instructor Cesar more than adequately prepared me for my test. I have had the pleasure of working with several other instructors and everyone has been friendly, helpful, and extremely competent.
-
August 2024 by Chad Borgardt
10/10 Recommend Ascent Aviation for your flight training if you are in the market. If you are motivated and want to complete training quickly, they have a large fleet of aircraft and plenty of instructors for you to get the quality training you need. Van Nuys is rated one of the busiest General Avaiation airports in the world. This may sound intimidating at first, but it will have you well prepared for the road (skys) ahead.
-
August 2024 by Dennis Anzalone
I don't have enough good words about this school! Since my first meeting with Seth (the owner) I knew this was the right choice. After researching the web for so long and hearing many horror stories about different other schools I managed to find Ascent, went to a meeting and then jumped on training. Best choice. Had my first solo flight last week, and it was wonderful! I am learning a lot, and my instructor (Austin) is a truly great pilot who is making me build very good habits that I know will help me a lot in my aviation career. Planes are wonderful too and everyone is super friendly. You are followed every step of the way and feedback is always quick and constructive. They have a lot of instructors with (I assume) different teaching styles so I am sure you will find the best one for you. And they won't make you feel bad about switching between them until you do. I highly recommend the school if you are looking to pursue a career in aviation or if you just want to learn how to fly!
-
July 2024 by Andre D.
***UPDATE 7/2/2024*** Whatever you do, without a doubt, do not go to Ascent Flight Academy!!! STAY AWAY! This place will rob you blind and not prepare you for any checkride at all. I was sent to a checkride without being properly endorsed for it and was made a fool when I arrived to my checkride. I was told over and over again that I was ready when in fact I was not even close to being ready. As a student, we put our trust and faith into the CFI, and to see that they don't take care you of you is insane. Not to mention their planes are absolute trash, barely taken care of, parts missing or broken, Jerry rigged and improperly calibrated. It's just a matter of time before there's an accident. Seth, the owner is horrible. He only cares about you when you are lining his pockets with money. DO NOT BUY THE TIME BLOCKS. If for some reason you have extra money left over, you will not get a refund. Make sure you turn off "auto renew" on your account so they don't automatically charge you. Leave that place as soon as your account drops to zero and never look back.
-
June 2024 by Marshall Crutchfield
Recently toured the school with a friend - I have to admit even tho I’m not looking to become a pilot (my friend was) I honestly admire the honesty, friendliness and genuine love of his job that the owner showed towards the school. Everything was spelled out in detail about cost, time and expectations. Zero pressure and a true sense of community was present in the office. If I ever become a pilot I’d go here.
-
May 2024 by Romarion W
Once I met seth he took me under his wing and believed in me and introduced me to my instructor (George) who is very knowledgeable and knows how to teach, he made flying simple and fun for me . Thank you ascent aviation!!!
-
May 2024 by Matthew Doran
This has been the best choice for me. The flexibility of scheduling and pay-as-you-go system is great for someone trying to manage other things like a job or school on top of learning to fly. My instructor Jay is great, he’s taken the time to get to know me and my strengths and weaknesses, making sure I know everything I need for checkrides, not to mention he’s responsive pretty much 24/7 for any questions I might have. Love the school, the location, and the people involved.
-
April 2024 by Caelia Moore
Great place to learn to fly. Just got my PPL and I’m starting my instrument training. Flying with Joe is the best, but all the instructors are friendly and knowledgeable!
-
April 2024 by Armando Andrade
Ascent aviation has been one of the best experiences I've had so far, starting off with Seth the owner, he was very transparent when it came to the costs of flying and how I should go on about it, he laid out the options and explained to me what it's going to take from me to get my private pilot license and how he will always have airworthy planes and how my safety was not going to be in jeopardy. My instructor Chris is not only super knowledgeable and skillful when it comes to aviation, but he is also willing to teach you how to be proficient and safe when it comes to handling the plane, some coworkers and friends that I know have experienced instructors from different schools who are there for there benefits and time building but you can tell that Chris is very passionate when it comes to teaching.
-
April 2024 by A B
Very hands on instructions from the start, you set your own schedule and choose your own instructors. I recommended Paul or George for step by step guidance type. Nico for straight to the point, just do it type of instruction. And Ceaser for someone in between. Instructors are all friendly and helpful but it is really up to your personal preference and personality to figure out what you like. Which is great and will help you to succeed.
-
April 2024 by Carl Bogan
I must've toured at least 10 different flight training operations in the LA area, from Santa Ana to Van Nuys before I finally landed on Ascent Aviation. Many of those schools offered similar features, but Seth (owner) really nailed his operation. Besides having the VERY smart idea of not splitting his fleet with high wing and low wing aircraft, he also has a policy of having the refueling taken care of by a refueling service, minimizing the time students spend on the ground.
Additionally, the instructors at Ascent all have been trained through Ascent as students, know the planes very well, and stay on top of scheduling for both flying as well as maintenance. While I typically fly with George (he's awesome) as my primary CFI, I've also flown with Cesar as well as Austin. They ALL know their stuff and are extremely professional.
Did I mention that Ascent has their own team of mechanics on the premises? This ensures the planes always have what they need, from a screw to an engine overhaul.
If you're on the fence about which school to choose, let me save you the trouble: Ascent Aviation is it.
-
April 2024 by Keith Karunaratne
Ascent is a superb flight school thats actually affordable while actually providing indepth instruction. I've primarily flown with George Diaz, who in the time we have flown together has shown his extensive knowledge about aviation and is extremely capable in the cockpit.
