Riverside Flight Academy: Flight School in Riverside, California

Riverside Flight Academy in Riverside, photo 1

Riverside Flight Academy in Riverside, photo 2

Riverside Flight Academy in Riverside, photo 3

Photos via Google Maps; they belong to their authors.

Location: Riverside, California
School Type: Local flight school
Training Focus: Pilot training
Google Rating: 4.4 (64 reviews)

Call (951) 588-6300 Get Directions Visit Website

Listing data is maintained editorially and confirmed with schools over time. Programs and pricing change; verify details directly before enrolling.

Hours

Monday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

See It on the Map

What Students and Pilots Say

★☆☆☆☆ 5 months ago

I enrolled at Riverside Flight Academy for a Multi-Engine Add-On (Tecnam P2006) with a clearly communicated and limited timeline. On the first flight, we had to perform an emergency landing due to smoke in the cockpit, which immediately raised concerns about safety and maintenance. The second flight was normal. From the beginning, my instructor, Joshua, repeatedly said he could put me on the checkride, but each tim…
Abdolrahman Dehani via Google

★☆☆☆☆ 3 months ago

I relocated from the Bay Area to Riverside during my PPL training due to an Air Force PCS to March ARB. I chose this school for convenience and because they advertised Piper Archers, which I had been flying, but upon arrival I was told they had sold them, so I transitioned to their Cessnas. After about 15 to 20 hours, I was becoming comfortable in the new aircraft. During a short field landing, I applied firm brakin…
Noe Saint-Clair via Google

★★★★★ 2 months ago

I had booked a discovery flight session for my son who is interested in an aeronautic career last Sunday. The assigned flight instructor, James, was very thorough walking my son through all the steps involved conducting a safe and successful flight. He was very professional and trustworthy, and provided a great experience that built confidence and furthered my son's interest in aviation.
Tobias Boehm via Google

★★★★★ 1 year ago

I did my first flight lesson yesterday!! I was so nervous almost the entire time but the instructor was very patient and made it a great experience! He explained everything with great detail, answered all my questions, and I only did as much as I was comfortable with (which I was very grateful for because the wind kind of panicked me there for a bit and I became a passenger princess for a moment or two lol). Everyone…
Jackie Harper via Google

Reviews via Google Maps; they belong to their authors and are not our endorsement.

Planning Your Training Here

Planning training at a local school like Riverside Flight Academy trades the academy's speed for flexibility and often meaningfully lower total cost. The pay-as-you-fly model keeps your money in your control, and training two to three lessons weekly around work is the proven rhythm, enough frequency to retain skills without the academy's all-in schedule. The variable to manage is momentum: local-school students who succeed book standing lesson slots, fly year-round, and treat ground study as homework rather than something that happens at the airport. Ask about aircraft scheduling depth, instructor availability on your target days, and examiner wait times in Riverside, the three friction points that stretch part-time timelines.

What Flying in California Teaches You

California training compresses experience: the Los Angeles basin's stacked Class B, coastal marine layers, mountain passes, and desert density altitude all sit within an hour of each other. Students who learn here learn to talk fast, plan thoroughly, and fly precisely, and the weather cooperates most of the year.

How to Evaluate Riverside Flight Academy on Your Tour

Every school on this directory gets the same advice from us, because the fundamentals don't move. Walk the ramp and count how many aircraft are down for maintenance. Ask how many lessons a week they can actually schedule you, and how far out the booking calendar runs. Ask for first-attempt checkride pass rates and how long students wait for an examiner. And keep your money in your control: pay as you fly, or in small blocks with clear refund terms.

Then weigh the location itself. Training in Riverside means building your early hours in California weather and airspace, and both become part of your airmanship. Our school-selection guide covers the full vetting checklist, and the financing page maps scholarships and loans that apply at schools like this one.

Common Questions About Training at Riverside Flight Academy

How long would my training take here?

Part-time students flying two to three lessons weekly typically earn a private certificate in six to twelve months and a commercial certificate in two to three years, with pace set by your calendar and the weather. Consistency decides everything: standing lesson slots beat sporadic bursts by months.

What will it cost, and can I get help paying?

Get Riverside Flight Academy's current rates directly; published numbers age fast in this industry. Nationally, plan on $80,000 to $120,000 from zero time to commercial certificates before instructing pay starts offsetting costs. Our financing guide maps the loans, scholarships, and airline cadet programs that apply here, and several scholarship cycles go undersubscribed every single year.

How should I arrange a visit?

Call ahead and ask for a tour on a normal training day, not a quiet one. Use the directions button above to plan the drive to Riverside, arrive early enough to watch ramp operations, and bring the vetting checklist from this page. A school proud of its operation will show you everything; hesitation is itself an answer.

Get Matched

Considering Riverside Flight Academy? Tell us your goal and timeline and we'll line this school up against comparable options near you, with the financing routes and scholarship deadlines that fit. One form, no spam, a real reply within a business day.