Boise, ID 83705
M-F: 8:00am - 9:00pm
You Could Be Flying Over Boise This Week
A Discovery Flight is a one hour flight with an instructore, but with your hands on the controls. It departs from Boise Airport and costs $250. No experience required.
Schedule A Discovery Flight
Most people who book a Discovery Flight do not land wondering if they want to keep flying. They land wondering how soon they can go back up
Here is exactly what your first flight at Carmel Aviation looks like:
What Happens on Your Discovery Flight?
- 01
Arrive at Boise Airport
You pull up to 4700 W Aeronca St, right on the field at Boise Airport. You meet your instructor, walk out to the aircraft together, and do the pre-flight inspection side by side. Your instructor explains what they are checking and why. This is already your first lesson.
- 02
You Take the Controls
Once you are airborne, the controls come to you. You will bank left and right, feel the aircraft respond, and understand in about thirty seconds why pilots never stop wanting to fly. Your instructor is with you every moment. But the flying is yours.
- 03
Fly Over Southern Idaho
Fly over the beautiful Treasure Valley: the Snake River Plain, Lake Lowell, the Owyhees, Bogus Basin, and downtown Boise, and beside airliners, military fighters, LifeFlight, and private jets. You are also talking to Boise Airport's active control tower, which means from your very first flight you are operating in real controlled airspace.
- 04
Land and Debrief
Your instructor walks you through what just happened, what you did well, and what the path from here to a Private Pilot Certificate looks like at Carmel. You will leave with a clear picture of the timeline, the cost, and the next step. There is no pressure to sign anything. Just honest answers to every question you have.
- 100+ Students Trained
- 30 Checkride Passes
- 19 First Solos
- 2 Gold Seal CFI on Staff
- 15 Private Pilots Certified
Discovery Flights Are for People Exactly Like You.
You Have Thought About It for Years
A Discovery Flight is the moment you find out whether it is really for you, for less than the cost of a nice dinner out.
You Are Thinking About a Career in Aviation
You want to know what training actually feels like before you commit to a full course. This is the right first step. No obligation, no enrollment, just a flight.
Someone You Love Would Never Forget This
Discovery Flights make exceptional gifts. A birthday, an anniversary, a graduation. One hour at Boise Airport and they will talk about it for years.
You Will Fly With a Certified Instructor
Carmel Aviation has a Gold Seal CFI on staff: Kyle. Every instructor we have has passed hours of courses, logged hundreds of hours, and exceeds standards.
Your Discovery Flight instructor knows how to teach, not just how to fly. That distinction matters from the very first lesson
Meet The Full Team
Gold Seal CFI on Staff
What Carmel Aviation
Students Are Saying
made my pilots Journey fun! “I started at Carmel in January of 2022 and have so far obtained Private Pilot, up to CFI through them and will be starting as one of their instructors. I've never had a bad experience with a single person at Carmel. The owners (the Sams), the instructors, front desk ladies, and maintenance have all been great and made my journey to a pilot amazing and fun.”
Carlie Gonzalez Google best flight school I’ve ever attended "This has been the best flight school I’ve ever attended, with patient instructors, well maintained aircraft, and awesome scheduling flexibility. They’ve helped me complete a lifelong goal! Cant wait to continue onto instrument."
Robert Hosterman Google can't imagine going anywhere else “I got my PPL through Carmel! Very friendly owners and reception staff. Instructors are even-keeled and knowledgeable. Planes are expertly maintained. Renter-friendly and student-friendly establishment. I can't imagine going anywhere else for any of my flying/learning needs!."
Riley Hayes Google
Everything You Want to Know Before You Book
A Discovery Flight at Carmel Aviation is $250. That covers your full flight with a Carmel instructor, including ground time before you take off. There are no hidden fees and no obligation to continue training afterward.
Plan for approximately one hour total. That includes ground time with your instructor and your flight over the Boise area.
None at all. The Discovery Flight is specifically designed for people who have never been inside a small aircraft before. Your instructor will walk you through everything on the ground before you go up. You do not need to study anything, prepare anything, or know anything about flying before you arrive.
Yes. You will have time at the controls during the flight. Your instructor handles takeoff, landing, and anything that requires experience, but once you are in the air over the Treasure Valley, the controls are yours. Most first-time flyers are surprised by how natural it feels.
Wear comfortable clothing and closed-toe shoes, with a jacket if it's cold outside. If you wear glasses or contacts, bring them. Sunglasses are recommended. Bring a camera/phone and prepare to take lots of pictures! You do not need a headset, logbook, or any aviation materials. We take care of everything else. If you have questions you have been wanting to ask about flight training, write them down and bring those too.
Discovery Flights are conducted in one of our Cessna Skyhawk 172s, a four-seat single-engine aircraft with IFR avionics and dual Garmin G5 glass displays. It is one of the most proven training aircraft in the world.
After you land, you and your instructor will debrief the flight. It is a natural moment to ask any questions about what training looks like, how long it takes, what it costs, and what the path forward would be for your specific goals. There is no pressure to enroll on the spot. Some people book their next lesson that day. Others go home and think it over. Either way, you will leave with a clear picture of what learning to fly actually involves.
We are at 4700 W Aeronca St, Boise, ID 83705, right at Boise Airport (BOI). We're on the south side of the airport on the general aviation (GA) ramp front desk. When you arrive, you will park and check in at our front desk before heading out to the flight line with your instructor. If you have any trouble finding us, call us at (208) 616-2148 and we will get you sorted out.
Possibly. Aircraft are limited to weight & balance restrictions so if you want to bring someone along please let us know and we'll discuss the details with you to make sure the flight is safe.
Reserve Your Discovery Flight
