What to Expect on Your First Discovery Flight at KPNE

A discovery flight at Merlin Flight Training is an introductory Part 61 flight lesson with an FAA-certificated flight instructor (CFI) at Northeast Philadelphia Airport (KPNE). After a briefing on the ground, you take the controls yourself while your instructor guides you. It's a lesson, not a tour.

That's the short version of what to expect on a discovery flight. As of October 2026, the standard flight is $249 (see our discovery flight page), anyone 16 or older can book one, and you don't need any experience. Below, we walk through how the flight works, what to bring and how to decide what comes next.

What a discovery flight is, and what it isn't

Merlin is a Part 61 flight school. We teach one-on-one under the FAA's pilot certification rules in 14 CFR Part 61, and a discovery flight is our intro flight lesson. You learn what each control does, then use the controls yourself with your instructor beside you. If this would be your very first flight lesson, you're exactly who it's for.

It isn't a sightseeing ride with a set route. Where you fly and what you practice depend on the weather, air traffic and your instructor's judgment that day. The goal is to give you an honest feel for flying an airplane and for how our lessons work, so you can decide whether training is right for you.

What does a discovery flight cost?

The standard discovery flight costs $249 as of October 2026. You pay a $100 deposit when you book online and the $149 balance at the airport, by card or cash. The price includes the airplane, your instructor's time and a logbook to record your flight.

Optional extras change the total, so review the full price and cancellation terms on the booking page before you pay. If weather cancels your flight, rescheduling is free. For what regular training costs after that, our training options page lists current rates.

Who can take a discovery flight?

You don't need any flying experience, just to be 16 or older. If you're under 18, a parent or guardian signs our parental consent form. We send it once your flight date is set, and you bring it signed on the day.

You also don't need TSA approval or immigration documents, including if you're an international student. TSA's rules for flight schools count a discovery flight as a "demonstration flight for marketing purposes," which is excluded from the definition of flight training (49 CFR 1552.3). That paperwork comes in once you decide to start regular training.

How do you prepare for a discovery flight?

Start with our six-minute video walkthrough of the Alto, its flight controls and its cockpit. It's an easy way to get familiar with what you'll see and to think of questions for your instructor.

Lessons are by appointment at our base, 9800 Ashton Rd, Hangar E3, Philadelphia, PA 19114. Before you arrive, we confirm your meeting point and airport access instructions.

Plan on about 90 minutes at the airport. The standard discovery flight is booked as a one-hour lesson; how much of it is spent in the air depends on the briefing, weather and traffic that day.

What to wear and bring

• A valid photo ID
• Comfortable clothing and closed-toe shoes
• Sunglasses (recommended)
• A water bottle
• The signed parental consent form, if you're under 18
• A card or cash for the balance due at the airport

Dress for the day's weather, too, since you may spend part of the walkaround outside.

What to expect on a discovery flight, step by step

Every discovery flight follows the same four steps:

1. Pre-flight briefing. You meet your instructor and go over the airplane, its flight controls and the plan for the flight. Ask anything; that's what the briefing is for.
2. Walkaround. This is the preflight inspection. You and your instructor check the airplane together to make sure it's safe and ready to fly.
3. Taking the controls. Once you're airborne, you fly the airplane with your instructor guiding you: gentle turns, climbs and descents, as conditions allow. The airplane has dual controls, so your instructor can help or take over at any time.
4. Post-flight debrief. Back on the ground, you talk through the flight, ask questions and go over what training would look like if you want to keep going. You leave with a logbook to record your flight.

Why you'll hear the radio

KPNE has a control tower, and the airspace around the airport is Class D during the hours the FAA publishes for it, generally while the tower is open. Pilots must be in two-way radio contact with the tower to depart from KPNE or to fly into that airspace (14 CFR 91.129). So you'll hear your instructor talking with air traffic control on the way out and on the way back in. That's normal here, and radio work is part of training.

The airplane

Our training aircraft at KPNE is a Direct Fly Alto 912 TG, tail number N159G. It's a low-wing airplane with two seats side by side, dual control sticks, a Dynon SkyView glass cockpit and a Rotax 912 ULS engine. Your booking shows the aircraft and options available for your selected lesson.

After the flight: how do you decide?

You don't have to decide anything on the day. A few honest questions can help:

• Interest: Did you enjoy flying the airplane, and the learning that came with it?
• Schedule: Can you fly regularly? We have afternoon, evening and weekend availability, and steady lessons without long gaps make training easier to keep up with.
• Budget: Training is prepaid in blocks, starting at $2,600 as of October 2026 (see training options). You don't pay the full cost upfront; lessons come out of your balance as you fly.

If you decide to keep going

Before your first solo, you need two FAA documents, plus the pre-solo training, written pre-solo test and solo endorsement from your instructor (14 CFR 61.87). The FAA's Become a Pilot pages cover the documents in more detail.

• An FAA medical. You'll need at least a third-class medical certificate from an aviation medical examiner before you fly solo (14 CFR 61.23). You can start lessons before the exam.
• A student pilot certificate. You apply through IACRA, and your instructor reviews and signs off the application. The FAA says you need it before you can fly solo, not to take lessons, and that it arrives by mail in about three weeks.

How long training takes, and what it costs, depends on how often you fly, the weather and how much you study between lessons. The FAA minimum for a private pilot certificate is 40 flight hours (14 CFR 61.109), and our current estimate plans for 55 to 65. Based on those hours, our October 2026 estimate for a private pilot certificate is about $16,625 to $21,414 all-in, including the airplane, instruction, ground school, exam fees and gear.

With at least two lessons a week, a consistent schedule, no long gaps and regular study between lessons, finishing in about seven months is realistic. Every student progresses at a different pace, though, so we can't guarantee a completion date or an exact total. Our private pilot timeline walks through each phase.

Quick answers

Do I need any flying experience?

No. Your instructor explains everything on the ground first and guides you the whole time in the air.

What if the weather is bad?

We check the weather before every flight. If weather cancels your discovery flight, rescheduling is free.

Can I fly at 16 or 17?

Yes. You need to be at least 16, and if you're under 18, a parent or guardian signs our consent form. Under FAA rules, you can get a student pilot certificate at 16 (14 CFR 61.83) and become eligible for a private pilot certificate at 17 (14 CFR 61.103).

Do international students need TSA approval?

Not for a discovery flight (49 CFR 1552.3). Before regular flight training starts, US citizens show proof of citizenship, and non-US citizens need TSA approval through the Flight Training Security Program (49 CFR 1552.7). Contact us first, before you pay any fees, and we'll help with the application.

Next steps

• Book a discovery flight and pick an available time at KPNE.
• Have questions first? Schedule a free phone consultation.
• Read more about the flight on our discovery flight page.