About Wings Over L.A.

Welcome to Wings Over L.A. Aviation! Located at the Prop Park VNY of the world-famous Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles, we are the premiere flight school and air tour operator in Southern California. If you have ever looked to the skies and dreamed of learning to fly, we are here to help make your dream a reality!


With an utmost focus on safety, our clean, comfortable and highly maintained fleet includes both analog as well as state-of-the-art Garmin G1000 avionics. No matter your training preference, Wings Over L.A. has you covered. We utilize the fully integrated Cessna Flight Training system ground and flight training curriculum, so your instruction is standardized following a syllabus with student progress tracking features.


Please give us a call or stop by our facility; our knowledgeable and experienced staff would love to show you around our operations and answer any questions you might have regarding learning to fly. You can also take that first step into aviation and schedule an introductory flight to experience the exhilarating feeling of flying a plane over sunny Los Angeles with Wings Over L.A. We’d love to fly with you!

Testimonials

  • I feel lucky to have found Wings Over L.A. Aviation to train for my Instrument rating. Absolutely top-notch instruction and equipment!

    - Sarah J.

  • We had such a wonderful time on our sunset air tour over the coast… highly recommend Wings Over L.A.!

    - Chris and Emma B.

  • As a Commercial pilot I’m pretty picky when it comes to renting aircraft. I’m always confident that Wings Over L.A. airplanes are meticulously maintained and are in great shape, inside and out.

    - Tom K.

Meet Our Team

Jess Fernandez owner

Jess Fernandez

Owner-Chief Pilot

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AJ Campisi Operations Manager

AJ Campisi

Operations Manager

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Greg Oates flight instructor (CFI)

Greg Oates

Flight Instructor

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Jess Fernandez:
I have had a life-long passion for aviation. As a child, I remember my dad taking me to the airport to watch planes take off and land and I was fascinated by them. I consider myself very fortunate to have been able to turn my love for aviation into a career.
I have been involved in aviation at Van Nuys, Burbank and Whiteman airports for the past 30 years and currently hold a multiengine Airline Transport Pilot certificate with approximately 7,000 hrs. of flight time and continue to fly commercially. During all these years, I have established many contacts within the aviation industry that have helped pave the way for our commercial students to get jobs after obtaining their certificates and logging their required hours.
As background, I began managing and leasing back airplanes to flight schools at Van Nuys in 2007. In 2020, I decided it was time to start my own flight school and formed Wings Over L.A. Aviation, LLC which I actively run with a group of highly qualified instructors.
Our goal at Wings Over L.A. is to provide a range of clean, well maintained airplanes, top professional instructors and comfortable facilities at very competitive rates in a friendly environment. We are the only flight school at Van Nuys that can take a student from private pilot to multi-engine commercial and ATP.
I hope you come visit us and give us a chance to show you around.

AJ Campisi:
Coming Soon!

Greg Oates:
Coming soon!

Alex Sze flight instructor (CFI)

Alex Sze

Flight Instructor

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Michelle Yu flight instructor (CFI)

Michelle Yu

Flight Instructor

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Preston Fischler flight instructor (CFI)

Preston Fischler

Flight Instructor

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Alex Sze:
Born and raised in Los Angeles. He has always dreamt of flying since he was a kid but did not have the opportunity to do so until later on in his life.
Alex’s aviation career started when he began flying RC airplanes with an elderly neighbor. This led to researching flight schools and ultimately beginning flight training which led to him earning his CFI and CFII certificates.
Alex earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from California State University Los Angeles after returning from his combat deployment while in the United States Marine Corps.
Alex volunteers some of his time with Pilots N Paws and Angel Flight West. He is eager to help guide learners to become the best they can be in aviation, and in life.

Michelle Yu:
I have always had passion for being a pilot. I decided to become a pilot after my first discovery flight back in 2015. While at the same time, I obtained two associate degrees in Commercial Pilot and Aviation Science from Mt. San Antonio College, and I obtained a bachelor degree in Aviation Business Administration from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

Preston Fischler:
Preston is an LA original! Growing up in Culver City, Preston would spend his time watching the planes land at the Santa Monica Airport and the seed was planted. After 6 years in the Air Force Preston pursued his dream of becoming a Pilot. When Preston isn’t flying he is working on a degree in Anthropology or riding his motorcycle through the canyons around LA.

Daniel Kass flight instructor (CFI)

Daniel Kass

Flight Instructor

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Derek Iudica flight instructor (CFI)

Derek Iudica

Flight Instructor

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Natalie Mitchell flight instructor (CFI)

Natalie Mitchell

Flight Instructor

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Daniel Kass:
Coming soon!

Derek Iudica:
Born and raised in Los Angeles I’ve had a fascination with aviation from a very young age. Taking every opportunity to surround myself with the field, from participating in youth programs to working line service while earning my certificates; it is my goal to share this experience.

Natalie Mitchell:
Coming soon!

Richard Cassel flight instructor (CFI)

Richard Cassel

Flight Instructor

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Richard Cassel:
Richard Cassel has wanted to fly as far back as he can remember. With over 1000 hours instructing he truly enjoys teaching others how to master the skies. Richard says that while good pilots are always learning, good instructors are always learning from their students. He believes that the confidence to make safe, smart aeronautical decisions is the best asset instructors can give their students.

Facilities