A discovery flight is the first time most people sit in the left seat of a small aircraft. If you have never done one, you probably have questions. What happens when you get there? Do you actually fly the plane? What does it feel like?
Here is a walkthrough of a real discovery flight at Cascade Air, from arrival to the conversation after you land.
Arriving at KKLS and meeting your CFI
You pull into the parking lot at Southwest Washington Regional Airport in Kelso. The FBO is right there — a modest building with a pilot lounge, a desk, and the kind of atmosphere that immediately tells you this is a working airport, not a museum. You walk in and meet your CFI — your certified flight instructor. At Cascade Air, that might be Kelly, Dan, Ben, or one of the other instructors on the team.
The first thing that happens is a ground briefing. Your CFI will sit down with you for 10 to 15 minutes and explain what the flight will cover. They will talk through the basic controls — ailerons, elevator, rudder — and how they affect the aircraft. They will cover what to expect on taxi, takeoff, and in the air. There is no test. This is a conversation.
One thing that surprises people is how approachable this part feels. A good CFI does not drown you in terminology. They give you enough to be safe and comfortable, and they save the rest for later.
Walking to the aircraft and doing the preflight
After the briefing, you walk out to the ramp together. At KKLS, the walk from the FBO to the aircraft is short — maybe 30 seconds. No shuttle, no long taxi from a distant tiedown.
The aircraft is usually a Cessna 150 or 152 for a discovery flight. Your CFI will walk you through the preflight inspection. This is the real process pilots do before every flight: checking the fuel, the oil, the control surfaces, the tires, the propeller. You are not just watching — your CFI will have you participate. You will sump the fuel, check the stall horn, move the ailerons.
This is the moment it starts to feel real.
Taxiing and takeoff
You climb in, buckle up, and your CFI handles the startup checklist. The engine turns over and settles into that familiar Cessna idle. Your CFI will talk you through taxiing — at KKLS, taxi is quick. You are on a non-towered field, so you announce your intentions on the CTAF and head for the runway. There is no waiting for ground control clearance or a taxi sequence behind three other aircraft.
Your CFI will likely have you follow along on the controls during taxi. The rudder pedals steer the aircraft on the ground, and it is immediately clear that this is a real airplane responding to your inputs.
At the runway, you do a runup — checking the magnetos, the engine instruments, the controls. Then you line up, your CFI advances the throttle, and you are accelerating down the runway. The Cessna 150 lifts off at around 55 knots. The ground falls away, and suddenly you are looking at the Columbia River and the tree line of Cowlitz County from 1,000 feet.
What you actually do in the air
Once you are airborne and leveled off, your CFI will have you take the controls. This is the part most people do not expect — you are flying. Not a token "hold the yoke while I do everything" moment. You are actually controlling the aircraft.
Your CFI will guide you through straight-and-level flight first: pick a point on the horizon, keep the wings level, hold altitude. Then gentle turns — 10 degrees of bank, 20 degrees, maybe a full clearing turn. You will feel how the rudder and ailerons work together. The CFI is right there on the controls, ready to take over, but the flying is yours.
Depending on the flight, you might fly over downtown Kelso and Longview, follow the Cowlitz River south toward the industrial area, or head north toward the Columbia River. On a clear day, Mount St. Helens is visible to the northeast. Your CFI will point out landmarks and explain what you are seeing, but the focus is on you getting a feel for the aircraft.
Some discovery flights include a landing — your CFI handles the approach and touchdown, but you follow along on the controls. Others focus entirely on the flying portion. Either way, you will get a real sense of what training is like.
After the flight
Back on the ground, you taxi in, shut down, and walk back to the FBO. This is when the conversation shifts. Your CFI will debrief — what went well, what to expect if you continue — and they will answer any questions you have. There is no hard sell. The question is simply whether you want to keep going.
If the answer is yes, the next step is scheduling regular lessons. Cascade Air uses Flight Schedule Pro for aircraft and instructor booking, so you can see availability and reserve time online. If the answer is no, that is fine too — you still got to fly an airplane.
How to book
A discovery flight at Cascade Air is $180 plus tax in a Cessna 150 or 152, and $230 plus tax in a 172. You can book through Flight Schedule Pro or call the FBO at 360-232-8936. The flight counts as loggable time if you decide to continue training — your CFI will log it and you can count it toward your PPL.
The best way to find out whether flying is for you is to actually do it. Book a discovery flight and see for yourself.