A Discovery Flight is 15 minutes in the REDBIRD FMX simulator and a flight of approximately 45 minutes, intended to familiarize you with the simulator, the airplane, the airport, and with the flying environment. During the Discovery Flights, the student sits in the left seat (the pilots seat), and the instructor allows the student to fly for a majority of the flight. What’s more, your Discovery Flight can be logged as flight time in your pilot log book.Allow a total block of two hours for your discovery time. We offer gift certificates for Discovery Flights as they are often given as gifts for graduations, birthday, anniversaries or ‘just because”. Are you ready to discover your passion for flying?

Schedule a Discovery Flight 

The answer to this question has many parts:

1. You must be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English Language.
2. You must submit to a physical and hold at least a Third class FAA medical certificate.
3. You must be 16 years old to obtain your student pilot license and to solo.
4. You must be 17 years old to obtain your private pilot license
5. Your total flying time must be at least 40 hours.
6. Of the 40 hours at least 10 hours must be solo flight time.
7. Of the 10 hours solo at least 5 hours must be cross-country (flying from one airport to another at least 50 nautical miles away).
8. You must pass the FAA Private Pilot written exam.
9. You must pass the Private Pilot Oral and Practical (Flying) Exam.

The Federal Aviation Regulations require an individual to be at least 16 years of age to operate an aircraft solo, and 17 years of age to obtain a Private Pilot certificate. There is not an age limitation on beginning flight lessons with a certified flight instructor. One of our own instructors began flying at the age of 10! There is no maximum age for acquiring a private pilot certificate. Once someone gets this certificate, they may exercise the privileges of that certificate as long as they continue to get a medical certificate and a biannual flight review.

Every pilot must obtain a medical certificate in order to exercise the privileges of their pilot's license---there are three classes of medical certificates, 1st class medical (most stringent), good for six months, and required for use with an Airline Transport rating), 2nd class medical (good for one year and required for use with a Commercial rating), and 3rd class medical (good for three years if you are under 40, two years if 40 or older). Your medical certificate also acts as a student license while you are in training.

Your Student Pilot Certificate is a standalone document that must be obtained using the FAA’s Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) system and through the assistance of the local FAA office (Flight Standards District Office or FSDO), a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE), an Airman Certification Representative (ACR) associated with a part 141 pilot school, or your own Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), here at Horizon.

Training time is dependent upon you. Your time, budget and desire to learn are the key determinants of the length of time and your success. You will need a minimum of 40 hours flying time, so one can earn a pilots license in a month if they fly every day. Some students become licensed pilots in the matter of a few months. If you fly two times a week you can conceivably earn your license in five months or less. Others take more time, even a year or more if they desire.

Generally the flight instructors and students must be TSA approved. Our instructors are. More specifically it is recommended to visit sites, such as the AOPA or Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, where U.S. requirements for foreign citizens are posted. Once in the U.S., the training requirements for a citizen of another country are the same as for a U.S. citizen.

The "Part 141 and Part 61" refer to different sections of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR’s), and the different sections dictate different requirements for flight schools. Generally, Part 61 flight schools have different requirements – A Chief Flight Instructor is not required-and the schools have the flexibility to progress through their training syllabi as needed. Part 61 schools are generally less expensive to attend. Part 141 schools must have a Chief Flight Instructor; they must have their syllabus, or Training Course Outline (TCO) approved by the local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO). Part 141 approved schools are subject to regular surveillance audits by the FAA and must meet minimum pass rates on the practical exams.

Horizon Flight Center is approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs allowing students to use either The Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30), or The Post 9/11 Bill (Chapter 33) at Horizon Flight Center for Flight Training. Please see our VA Benefits page for more information: VA Benefits.