Learn to Fly With West Valley Flying Club
So you have had this dream to learn to fly? Well, now you should act on it! West Valley Flying Club offers the best instructors in the Bay Area, in addition to a large fleet of well maintained modern aircraft. Learning to fly is a lot easier than you think. So contact us today and book your introductory flight.
The club has been providing aircraft rentals and flight instruction for over 50 years. Over this period, we have helped over 13,000 members achieve their aviation goals. We’re equally excited to help you make your aviation dreams become a reality.
WVFC operates from both Palo Alto and San Carlos. We offer a wide variety of 60+ rental aircraft, ranging from economical 2-seat training aircraft to new and advanced airplanes for local and long-distance trips. The 40+ flight instructors also offer a diverse range of backgrounds, knowledge, and experience
We offer a dedicated staff of 18 employees to help you throughout your flight experiences at WVFC. There are departments dedicated to Members Services, Flight Operations, and Maintenance. Many of the staff have served for more than a decade, offering amazing knowledge and experiences to help you reach your goals.
Beginning Private Pilots – Learning to Fly
Legal Minimum Required Instruction*
*National average is approximately 80 hours
3 steps to becoming a Private Pilot
Once you have earned a Private license, you can work toward other certificates. A Commercial certificate allows you to be paid for your flying. A CFI (Certificated Flight instructor) certificate enables you to teach others. An Airline Transport Pilot certificate (ATP) is what you'll need if you want to fly a commercial airliner. You can also add a variety of ratings that will allow you to expand your activities to include piloting multi-engine airplanes and/or navigating using instruments through the fog and clouds.
Private Pilot Ground School - Interactive Online (10 sessions, 10 weeks)
Next Class Start Date - Monday Evenings August 24th 2026 . Ground instruction in an interactive setting via the Internet. This is a first for prospective pilots in the Bay Area.
This course is oriented towards learning what you need to know to obtain your private pilot's license for single-engine, fixed-wing aircraft. Upon satisfactory completion of this course you will be authorized to take the FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Test necessary to obtain your private pilot's certificate.
This course is open to anyone interested in obtaining their private pilot certificate, or just interested in learning more about flying. You do not need to be a member of West Valley Flying Club. Ground school is a great complement to those taking flight instruction. It is also a good way to learn more about what it takes to earn your pilot's certificate before making the commitment to flight instruction.
Ground school is held Monday evenings from 7:00 - 9:45 pm, 10 classes total. The next course starts Monday August 24th 2026 7:00PM. Please contact the instructor Rachael Webster at rhwebster1@gmail.com to sign up for the course. Cost is $450 and is due the first day of the class. Click here for brochure.
Online Private Pilot Ground School (10 sessions, 5 weeks)
Have you ever wanted to know more about aviation or learn how to fly but didn’t know where to begin? Enrolling in a ground school course is an affordable first step in the learning process. Ground school offers you the aeronautical knowledge required by the FAA, known as FAR Part 61.105. This information must be received by an authorized instructor before taking a knowledge test. Passing the knowledge test is a necessary step you must take in order to get your private pilot license.
Starting August 11th, 2026 Francesca Fambrough will be teaching ground. She is an Advanced Ground Instructor and she offers a 5 week course on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-9PM. Online access is required. The cost for enrollment is: $500. Please email Francesca at: francescasground@gmail.com to enroll today!
Click here for brochure.
NEW! Online Instrument Ground School (10 sessions, 5 weeks)
Starting September 21, 2026. Tired of Waiting for the Clouds to clear? Want to get Instrument Rated? Then Enroll in IFR Ground School Today! This 5 week long course convienently meets online via Zoom. We will cover the Instrument Ground Training aspects needed to become an IFR pilot. Meet with other like minded pilots to learn and prepare for the Instrument Rating Written Exam. To enroll, contact Francesca Fambrough at: francescasground@gmail.com
Click here for brochure
Ready for your very first flight? Our introductory flight is an ideal way to discover the joy of flight, learn more about our club, and what it will take to become a pilot.
Once airborne, your instructor will let you put your hands on the controls to find out what it's really like to fly a plane. Your first flight lesson will last about an hour with 35-40 minutes at the controls of a Cessna 172S. Please note this is not a sightseeing flight but focused on those interested in obtaining a pilots license. We are not able to accommodate passengers during these flights.
The cost (instructor included) is only $399. Click here, when you're ready to purchase and schedule your intro flight!
If the intro flight isn't a good fit for you (timing/schedule/length of flight) we also offer a demo flight. This is arranged directly with an instructor. Actual costs vary depending on choice of aircraft, CFI, and total hours flown.
If you are a non-US citizen wanting to obtain a private, instrument, or multi-engine pilot’s license then you will first need to obtain a TSA clearance.
Please go to https://www.fts.tsa.dhs.gov to get a step-by-step procedure on how to fill out the training request form.
Here are some great tips to save you money and help get your certificate more quickly.
