Proteus Air Services

I don’t intend to become a pilot, but I am interested in the physics of flight and flying machines.
I took an intro flight with an experienced instructor at Proteus; I think the instructor’s name was Nick.
Previous to the Proteus flight, I had taken an intro flight in Orange County via a TravelZoo deal, and shortly after Proteus flight I later took a third intro flight at a different school also at the Santa Monica airport, and I can now do a comparison here.
The other two schools were a bit cheaper, but I prefer this Proteus school by far because of the instructor and the aircraft, but mostly the instructor.
The instructor’s calm confidence made me feel at ease, and he was very clear in all of his instructions and explanations, starting from the pre-​flight checks, and ending with answering my questions in the office after landing. When I had control of the airplane, I was very nervous but the instructor told me exactly what to do and gave encouragement. We flew to and touched down at the Van Nuys airport, and immediately climbed back up into the sky, just as part of the intro.
I could tell that my instructor had a lot of experience both flying and teaching: he took my many questions (I ask a lot of questions) more calmly and in stride than did my other two intro-​flight instructors, who in the Orange County case just didn’t seem to understand my questions at all, and in the Santa Monica case just barely managed to veil his frustration at my ignorant questions and could do no more than answer using technical words (which would generate more questions). The Proteus instructor (I think his name was Nick) answered my questions in simple language, and it was very agreeable to learn from that guy.
The airplane on my intro flight was the Piper Cherokee, N777VP. I really liked the yoke control, rather than the stick control which I used in my subsequent intro flight elsewhere. This plane, N777VP, seemed more comfortable and forgiving at the controls than the smaller sport plane that I later tried elsewhere.
In my spare time now, I take a self-​paced online private pilots’ ground school course by Jeppesen. It’s the best way for a non-​pilot (and a non-​rich-​guy) to understand the technical aspects of powered flight. I notice that I can understand a lot of the physics and mechanics in the course only because of what my Proteus instructor had explained to me while we were in the air, and after the flight while we were in the office. It’s like he wrote the book, or something.

TL;DR version: Go there. You won’t be sorry. Prices are very fair. Equipment is in good shape. And Nick is a great, great CFI.
Longer version:
Visiting Santa Monica on business, I reached out to Proteus to see about a checkout ride in one of their aircraft. Very friendly, good rates, and seemed like a good value.
Then I met Nick there, and I have to say he’s one of the best CFI’s I’ve worked with. (no bullsh! t kind of guy — I like that). After a quick discussion of the noise abatement rules, and a longer discussion about the fairly complex LAX Class B airspace, and then an even longer time shooting the breeze about aviation in general, we make it out to the ramp.
They have decent, well maintained, but not especially pretty aircraft. I flew the yellow Archer (N2902S) and it handled about as I would expect. Nick was helpful on the flight without being overbearing, and tightened up my flying as I would have hoped, but not in the overbearing («your other instructors were obviously morons; let me tell you how it should be done») way that some CFI’s act.
Touch and goes at a nearby airport and back to SMO. Then more shooting the shit for a while about an upcoming aircraft purchase I’m considering. In all, Nick is someone I hope to be in touch with long after I am back in NYC, and someone who’s experience I hope to tap in the future.

This was great! I surprised my boyfriend and my mom with the extended flight session yesterday. The weather restricted us to air time but Proteus gave us a great ride.
I didn’t intend to get on the plane with them but Nick assured me I would learn a lot and conquer my fear of flying.
My boyfriend took off from Santa Monica and after flying over Malibu we landed in Van Nuys so my mom could take the pilot seat. The backseat was a fun ride!

I loved flying with these guys. Andrew and Nick are the best CFI’s I’ve trained with. They are teachers first, and they never answered me with a «because I said so», there is a reason for what they do and it ties back to the big picture. In my experience this is rare in flight instruction, but necessary for my learning style.
In finishing my PPL I went through a total of 4 schools. The first one had a weekly ground school that in retrospect after two months left me feeling like I’d learned something but when I tried to put it into practice it was really worthless. The next school was okay but went out of business. The third preached being the most economical way possible but in hindsight were really all about milking students and keeping them a little confused to build their hours, with a lot of «because i said so» responses often in ways that on further reading didnt make any sense. After 3 schools and 9 CFI’s I was left wanting to finish and realized that the real challenge of learning to fly is finding a decent school with instructors that know how to teach. I am so glad I found proteus.
They have a term for students like me: a refugee. Only 1 in 10 that start down the road of doing their PPL finish. My guess is proteus’ success rate is much higher. They are fair about their billing and make an effort to show you what and how to study on your own to get the most out of your time with them.
If you are serious about finishing, these are excellent people to work with.

I’m all for taking risks-​calculated risks– and flying is certainly one of those. If I were rich I’d take flying lessons (about $ 16,000) but for this experience, I was totally tourist-​class/​economy! This was an Amazon deal for a ½ price flight ($ 99) so there I was, on a vacation Monday morning– then, boo– cloud cover over LA… reschedule to the following week in the afternoon — less chance of cloud cover y’all… And we’re off. My instructor, Chris, was cool. He left the entertainment industry to FLY. He flies those celebrity Gulfstreams too! We walked out to the Cessna and went over safety checks outside and inside. I put on my headset, which allowed us to communicate, and he even let me wear my flip flops (I prefer to drive/​fly barefoot)!
I did NOT know that, while on the ground, you use the pedals to steer the plane around! Chris let me pull the steering wheel back during take-​off and it was a thrill! I got to fly up the coast to Malibu. He let me do most of the flying unless there was another plane near us, but even then, he didn’t freak out when I followed his movements by placing my fingers lightly on the steering wheel.
We also flew over the 405 freeway and could see downtown LA. It was a beautiful day. One surprise was that, unlike in cars, the dashboard is very high– too high to see a lot over. This is why you rely on the instruments.
My friends thought I was crazy and that it would be scary– I’ve been skydiving– that’s way crazier and scarier if you’re solo.
This was just good FUN…
Another bucket list item completed!

I have been a student at Proteus for about two months. I tried a few other places before choosing Proteus. I got a good feeling from the staff. They are professional, yet fun-​loving. My instructor, Andrew is an encyclopedia of aviation knowledge. I recommend Proteus without any hesitation. Their prices are reasonable and service is second to none.

There’s a difference between getting your certificate and learning to fly. If you want to learn to be a safe pilot, feel confident and experienced and have fun… and of course get your license… Proteus is the place — fantastic staff and newly renovated facility.
I got my private elsewhere, but my instrument rating and complex endorsement here. While where I received my private rating was fine, in hindsight I would have preferred Proteus.

This was my first time flying out of Santa Monica Airport — Van Nuys and Whiteman I have you down. Corona and LB you are next.
Nick — thanks for the expert instruction, for the smooth take off, safety reminders and the best landing I’ve experienced so far! I learnt more with you in the time we had than any instructor on other aircraft. The tips, turns, turbulence and just the experience as a whole made me inexplicably happy! The Piper Cherokee was in such great condition too and the ocean views were just breathtaking! Thanks for a lesson in absolute bliss!
When can I try some acrobatics? Kidding but driving seem so mundane now *sigh*.

It’s my birthday and I’ll fly if I want to!!!
OMG yes — I flew a plane today! I flew a plane today!!! This is how it went:
I called a few days before my birthday and spoke to Nick on the phone to set up my appointment for an $ 89 introductory flight lesson. He told me that I’d be up in a small plane for 20 – 30 minutes with an instructor, but that I’d be in the pilot seat and I’d actually FLY it.
When I got there, shockingly young-​looking instructor Andrew greeted me professionally and warmly and took me into the small classroom to go over some things before we took off. It was here that I learned that this 23-​year-​old has been an employee at Proteus for over 5 years, and he’s been flying for years! As a flight instructor, he conducts their ground school (which is always one-​on-​one) as well as takes people up in one of their three planes for flight time.
Andrew asked me whether this was just a one-​time fun thingy for me, or if I had interest in getting licensed. Since Nick had told me over the phone that the entire licensing would be about $ 13k-​ish, as opposed to the number I had in my head previous to that of $ 25k-​ish, I was actually open to the thought of getting licensed.
Since that was the case, Andrew went into more detail about what to expect from their client-​driven pace in the ground school, and their belief that getting in the plane for some amount of flight time with each ground school lesson is the best way to go. I asked about the necessity of math in the ground school, and he assured me that the math requirement wasn’t anything that he would estimate as past freshman high school level.
(Don’t let my Asian eyes fool you — math is NOT my strong suit!)
Just before we went out on the tarmac, Andrew referred to a picture of the cockpit, and told me that I’d be focusing on the steering wheel only (I think that’s what it’s called!!) — not the pedals or any of the many moving dials on the dashboard (I think that’s what it’s called!!). He also pointed out that he would have his own steering wheel as well, so everything would be super safe.
After getting into the cockpit (with ME in the pilot’s seat!!), belting in, putting on headphones, doing a safety check and then taxiing down the runway, Andrew took us off into the air! We flew above West LA, and towards the ocean, and over the water! Gorgeous!!!
When we ascended to what I think was about 1,000 feet, Andrew instructed me on using the right amount of pressure to FLY THE PLANE! I ascended, descended, and made turns, ALL ON MY OWN!!! With his instruction, of course: D.
The flight time went by so fast; you could even say that time flew, heehee. But it was actually the perfect amount of time to get a feel for what it would be like to be a pilot.
Andrew was an AWESOME instructor! He was patient and detailed in his communication, warm and calming in his demeanor, and was someone who I felt I could put my complete trust in. Plus, he was super sweet and took a bunch of pictures of me with the plane.
Thank you Andrew for starting off my birthday in an awesome way! I still have to decide whether getting pilot licensed is going to be my thing or not. But if it is, you can be sure that I will be back at Proteus, and requesting Andrew as my instructor!