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Essence Flight School
Van Nuys school that sells private pilot training as packages sized by hours.
Van Nuys, California. Part 61 or Part 141 is not stated on the pages we read.
What sets it apart
Sells private pilot training as three packages by hours (40, 60 or 80 total) starting at $10,900, so you pick the hours assumption instead of guessing it.
What the page prints
Private pilot from $10,900; discovery flights $229 to $499; no hourly rates on the page.
Taken from the school's own page. The page does not say whether fuel is included. We do not guess. The page shows no date.
The school's own private pilot estimate
$10,900. Hours it assumes: its Standard package, 40 total flight hours; the Comprehensive package is 60 hours and the Premium package 80. Shown as "From $10,900."
The FAA minimum is 40 flight hours (14 CFR 61.109). An estimate built on fewer hours than a student needs will be too low.
Fees and terms the page names
- Discovery flights: $229 (Cessna 162 or DA20, one person, 60 minutes), $299 (Piper Warrior, two), $499 (Cirrus SR22 Turbo or Piper Seminole)
- Training in a Cirrus SR22 Turbo instead of a standard trainer: +$300 an hour
- Financing plans from $2,500 down
Students who want to pick a package sized to the hours they expect to need.
You want an hourly rate to compare with other schools; none appears on the page we read.
Watch out for
- Only the starting price is shown for the private pilot package.
- No hourly aircraft or instructor rates.
- Cirrus training adds $300 an hour.
Pages we read
We read these pages on October 4, 2026. Rates change. If this is out of date, tell us.