Skyward Aviation

Such a lovely and brilliant flight school. It is one of my biggest hi-​lights of the week. You have to request Bret Olivere as your instructor. He is so much fun and has such an unlimited knowledge of aviation. He makes your journey of going from a complete noob, to a pilot in training so flawless. There are so many parts of flying that can be nerve-​racking, but he makes you feel at ease, while helping you take control and giving you the confidence to believe in yourself. Even if you’re only doing one lesson, Bret is the best. He gets all the stars!

Bret Olivere is one of the most knowledgeable instructors out there. I am an airline pilot trying to get back into some general aviation flying and his knowledge of local airspace and aircraft systems is on par with regimented airline training. He keeps flying fun but remains within a professional realm. I would hands down recommend any students with aspirations for becoming pilots to him because I know the resulting product will be nothing short of a well trained and prepared pilot.
The aircraft used at the school are well maintained for their respective age. I do not doubt at all that every time I take to the skies in them that they will operate safely.
My overall impression of Skyward aviation is positive and I hope they plan on expanding because the service they offer can rival pricier and more prestigious flight schools.

When I started to look around for a place to help me get back into aviation (after a very long time away) one of my requirements was a place that could not only rent airplanes and supply an instructor, but a place that was friendly and a place where I could become part of a community.
I found just such a place at Skyward Aviation. Very friendly, welcoming, enthusiastic. The airplanes are well maintained and they have a good list of CFIs, my current instructor Bret Olivere no doubt he is a top notch instructor highly recommended.

Bret is a fantastic flight instructor. It was a childhood dream of mine to learn to fly. After several introductory flights at different schools at the Santa Monica Airport, I selected Bret as my instructor to attain my private pilot’s license. I’m skeptical by nature, but Bret’s raving reviews on Unilocal really were spot on. He’s extremely knowledgeable, smart, personable, and not to mention gentle on the eyes. Learning to fly is a blast, but it can also be quite challenging. Given a different instructor’s personality, learning to fly could very easily become intimidating and stressful. Bret makes the entire experience everything I ever dreamed of as a child wanting to fly.

My girlfriend used to take lessons with one of the instructors there, Bret, and I got to tag along a couple times. It was great! Bret seemed to know what he was doing and I felt completely safe flying with him. I highly recommend!!!

BRET IS THE BEST! And I flew with about 8 different instructors.
I took my first intro flight at Skyward with Bret. The experience was amazing! I fell in love with flying (now working on my commercial license to make a career out of it!). Bret let me fly the plane for turns and easy stuff, more than I was expecting! The view was great, and he even offered to take pictures for me. Great memories. Oh and I got to take a friend with me so that’s cool too! And the price was reasonable, compared to other flight schools.
After my intro flight, I stayed with Bret for my private pilot license. He is so knowledgable, and always giving little tips to make you a safe, good, and considerate pilot. You’ll learn the rules, but will also get precious advice that only come with experience.
Flying can be very intense and nerve-​racking at times. I’m shy and not very confident but Bret was here to support me. He listens and really cares about each of his students, and that’s not something you can find easily. He believed in me and led me to where I am now, and I can’t thank him enough for that! Learn how to fly guys, it’s AWESOME! :)

We had an absolutely FABULOUS time flying with Skyward Aviation! Bret was so knowledgable and made my boyfriend and I feel very comfortable on our first flight. We were fortunate enough to have a beautiful day which enhanced our experience and flight to Catalina Island — but the instruction, skill, and mastery of flight exhibited by Bret truly made this an adventure we will never forget! Definitely a memory maker!

Let me tell you… after flying with the flight instructor Brett, you will have no hesitation in giving this place and him the full 5 stars!
Although it took MUCH planning to take my boyfriend on a plane ride (because of conflicting schedules), Brett was so accommodating each and every time I contacted him to try to make reservations. I gotta admit that I was very nervous before the flight (because I didn’t know how it would feel in a small plane and didn’t want to get nauseous), but Brett made sure that I let him know if I started to feel sick. Very reassuring!
So, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to do the Malibu or the Hollywood ride, and Brett said that we could incorporate a little bit of both, which was so awesome! The flight was surprisingly smooth – I didn’t even feel us taking off or landing. Anyway, throughout the whole experience, Brett was willing to take pictures for us and let me know when to get my camera ready for the Santa Monica pier, celebrities’ houses, the Getty, the Griffith Observatory, and downtown L.A. This flight definitely covered the major attractions of Los Angeles. I liked that he knew that people don’t get to fly a plane everyday and was sooo hospitable to take pictures! OH! My boyfriend mentioned that he worked in Century City and Brett was nice enough to fly the plane right by his building!!! Brett definitely knows his stuff and was extremely welcoming.
If you’re looking for a unique, thrilling experience, or if you want to give an unforgettable present to someone, flying a plane with Brett is the way to go! You won’t be disappointed! If you’re still debating it at this moment, trust me. waste no more time. BOOK NOW!!!

I love flying! Eric is the best!!! I was kind of scared to go on my first flight but he talked me through the whole flight process and put my fears at ease. It’s so peaceful and scenic once you’re up there and now I have awesome aerial pics to remember it by.

If I could give Brett 10 stars, I would. My now fiancé proposed to me while flying over beautiful Los Angeles with Brett. I didn’t know it at the time (since it was all a huge surprise) but Brett worked so hard to make sure the plans went off without a hitch — and trust me, a lot went into it! He was so sweet and accommodating, I am very happy it was him flying with use during that very special moment. Not to mention he was also a fantastic pilot. I was totally at ease while flying with Brett. I highly recommend flying with Brett if you get the chance.

Thank you Bret for a truly unbelievable experience! Bret was amazing to work with and he provided detailed answers to all of my questions (I had a lot) before the flight. Consequently, I highly recommend Bret!

Thank you Eric for a great experience. My husband loved his Introduction to Flight Class even more than I anticipated and we are now setting ourselves up for the ability to get him his license (thru Skyward Aviation of course!).

I am terrified of flying. When I say terrified, I mean TERRIFIED. I decided to take this lesson to try to get over my fear. I was hoping that my instructor would be gentle with me and I couldn’t have asked for a nicer, more gracious, lovely and nurturing guy. Brett was AMAZING. He took his time with me. He showed me everything on the plane and never pushed me to do anything until I was ready. He made me feel like family. I am extremely sensitive when it comes to planes and flying and Brett made me feel super super comfortable. He’s not only an amazing instructor, but he also talked me through some of my fears. I can’t say enough positive things about my experience with Brett. I am going to use him a lot! THANKS BRETT!

Bret is an amazing teacher! Very fun, patient, and, most of all, professional!
HIghly recommend this company to everyone!

Can’t say enough about this company. In particular Eric G. What a wonderful guy to deal with. Professional, timely, a man of his word and just NICE. We will continue our lessons with Skyward and Eric for a very long time. Thank you guys!

I was looking to do a biennial flight review for my single and multi engine commercial license, as well as an instrument proficiency check. Since I live in Asia I couldn’t afford to shop around on arrival. I contacted several area flight schools but Skyward was the only one that consistently responded to my many emailed queries.
The planes are well maintained and it is obvious that the owners care to keep them not only airworthy but neat and clean. The on board rental records are tidy and easily accessible. Clear laminated checklists are stored in the map pocket.
My instructor Bret is a cheerful and positive person and I enjoyed my time in the plane with him. He repeatedly pushed me to task saturation in order to hone my skills. The airspace in the LA area is very busy, with plenty of local controller jargon and special routes to make it somewhat intimidating for the newcomer. Bret patiently explained and demonstrated the various tidbits, starting with role play in the classroom, to ensure that I knew the procedures cold.
After 16 months without flying, five long sessions with Bret took me from very rusty to better than ever. As an added bonus, we visited several scenic local airports during the sessions, the highlights being Catalina and Big Bear.

We had a fabulous time. Brett made the whole experience very enjoyable. He let me fly the plane, we went through clouds, flew over mountains, saw Oprah’s house, and took a fun stop at Catalina Island where we ate a bison dog. We also flew by Santa Barbara and saw the beautiful coastline below. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who plans to take a small fun flight.

Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! I went on my first flight lesson on my Birthday 5÷24÷14. It was a great experience and definitely memorable. My wife and I flew with Brett and he is a great flight instructor. He answered all my questions and was very knowledgeable. We flew around the coastline and around LA. I would fly with Brent and Skyward Aviation again.
FYI they are really busy give them time to call you back also plan ahead. For example, if you want to fly on a certain day try to make an appointment as soon as you can.

I booked an awesome adventure flight lesson for my boyfriend’s birthday, and he absolutely loved it! I had a lot of questions before I booked the lesson, and Eric was patient and knowledgeable and answered all of them. I would recommend Skyward Aviation to anyone looking for a unique gift for someone adventurous, or for yourself!
Tip: The instructors are in and out of their office a lot (you know… flying planes and all!), so they probably won’t answer your call, but if you leave a voicemail, they call back pretty quickly!

I took my husband for a flying lesson today, with the awesome team at skyward aviation. This is something every person with a pulse needs to do. The pilot Bret, was super relaxed and my husband took the first flight with an awesome instructor, made it fun and we landed in Catalina not longer than what felt like 15 mins.
Bret was very thorough at explaining all the plane, safety, what to do when, how to land and even if you wanted to learn more.
Catalina was absolutely breath taking and was an incredible place to go. Lunch was brilliant. Bret wished my hubby a happy birthday and even took awesome photos for us to show everyone on the return.
Be prepared for weather, Bret is very keen on safety and will not take you up if he believes the weather is not good enough for first time fliers, which I think is pretty honorable in any flying lesson.
These guys are just the best, worth every cent and as I sit on the 405 I look up to that sky and wish very hard that I was back in the freedom of the plane.
Don’t go anywhere else, Bret is your guy.
Best flight instruction we have had.
GO FOR IT! FLY TODAY!
Thank you to Bret and the team for everything! You made my hubby’s birthday!