Washington DC Learn to Fly Experiences

Experience the freedom of flight! Learn to fly a plane near Washington DC. Choose an introductory flying lesson in a T6 Texan Warbird or WWII biplane. Shop for yourself or get a unique gift for the aspiring pilot in your life.

How it works...

4 easy steps to memories that will last forever

Help Center

Help Center

  • LEARN TO FLY IN DC!

    Make monumental memories with Washington DC Learn To Fly experiences!

    Swoop, glide, hover and soar at the most adventurous of altitudes! Virgin Experience Gifts's array of flying lessons in the DC area are fantastic for anyone with high-flying dreams. If airplane or helicopter pilot lessons are part of a bucket list, make that life-mission nothing short of accomplished!

    Learn how to fly a Cessna with the expert assistance of an FAA certified flight instructor. After a short ground orientation and pre-flight inspection of the aircraft, take to the skies for a hands-on lesson! Learn fundamentals of flight like climbing, descending, and turning. Seating and controls are situated side-by-side, so the instructor is ready to answer any questions, provide on-the-spot coaching, offer encouragement, or be of any flying assistance. And don't forget to admire the breathtaking scenery below!

    Perhaps you'd rather learn to fly a helicopter? Hop right into the cockpit of one of the world's most popular helicopters — a Robinson R-22! Enjoy a thorough ground school about the aircraft and aviation basics; then it's time for aerial instruction to practicing maneuvers like turning, landing and hovering.

    In an historic area like Washington DC, Learn To Fly experiences wouldn't be complete without the option of a WWII biplane flight lesson. Previously owned by the 1942-1945 U.S. Army Air Corps, cruisin' the clouds in a vintage Stearman lets you experience the history lesson of a lifetime! Marvel at the many stories the aircraft could tell, adding to them as you learn how to fly right from the plane's open cockpit.

    And for those adrenaline junkies who wish to kick the learning to fly up a notch — add some aerobatics to the Stearman's sky-high regimen for the Ultimate Biplane Experience! Embark on an excursion that's as exhilarating as your comfort level will allow. Enjoy a bit of sightseeing as you take wing over rolling countryside. Take the controls of the aircraft and practice basic flight lesson skills. Or up the aerial ante as the pilot adds heart-pounding loops, spins and rolls to your ride!

    All instructors are certified by the FAA. All the landscapes you'll see below are bound to be breathtaking. And all of the memories offered by Washington DC Learn To Fly experiences are unforgettable. So, who's ready to soar?