Discovery Flight
Book a discovery flight at a local airport and take the controls of a small plane.
Call a flight school at your nearest small airport and ask for a discovery or intro flight. An instructor walks you around the plane, then you climb into the pilot's seat, and on most flights you get to fly it once you're up. Find your street, your favorite trail or your town's landmark from the air. On many planes a second person can ride in back, so ask when you book. For ages 8 to 17, check whether a local EAA chapter offers free Young Eagles flights. Get a photo of your hands on the controls.
Good with just you and family
Check before you go: a reservation, and weather and trail conditions
Don't handle the camera while you're flying; hand it to your instructor or a passenger. Flying carries inherent risks.
Photo prompts along the way
- The preflight walkaround
- You in the pilot's seat
- Hands on the controls
- Your town from above
- Back on the ground with your instructor
Checked November 2026
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