Lani Lea Flight School & Sky Tours, Honolulu HI

After living on Oahu for 50 years, we took the one hour island tour with pilot Matt today. It was stupendous, fun, and so awesome to see our beloved island home from this perspective! Oh, the valleys, ocean reefs, mountain chains, vibrant colors, famous landmarks, even homes we know from the AIR! Ladies at Lani Lea, Matt, and sense of safety as a priority stand out. What a life highlight! Great for locals and visitors alike.

Was taking flight lessons here when I didn't really know any better. What can I say other than I felt I was just being used so my instructor could add flight hours to their book. Didn't really give any guidance on how I would go on getting a license or instruction in general.

My instructor (Tristan Pokini), before they ghosted me, said they didn't have time to sign my log book for the last lesson I took with them and would sign it when they have time next time. Still waiting on when that would be. That lesson was over $300, so I guess that money is down the drain.

For those of you who don't know getting a log book signed is proof that you flew those hours and is used towards earning a license. Anyways, don't expect help from the flight school either. In summary, if you care about not wasting time/money try a different school.

Receptionist and the pilot (Bronson) were awesome. Flight tour path and duration were as described on the website (no surprise)
Good experience overall.

This flight school is awesome! Was able to get on the books quickly and was a seamless process to get to enjoy Hawaii from another point of view! Kaipo was an awesome flight instructor and gave some great pointers to help dial in the skills! I'll definitely fly through them next visit! Highly recommend any one else wanting to fly to check them out!

Highly recommend the 1 hour experience flight. The absolute best way to see Oahu! Thank you to Bronson who is an amazing pilot.

The stuff are impolite and not well trained.
They don’t provide any support to the candidates and they are completely not honest.

Absolutely amazing service! I just did a ride along with my boyfriend, and they made us feel so loved and special. They gave us snacks and juice and made it a very memorable occasion. Kindest company I’ve been to on the island. Would highly recommend. Thank you for an amazing experience!

I would put zero if I could. This school is the most unprofessional business and has absolutely no customer service. The owners do not communicate effectively, they change their rules on a whim sacrificing safety and the students have to pay for their mistakes. If you want to sink your savings into a company that does not care, look no further. But if you are seriously considering a future in aviation avoid Lani Lea.

Terrible customer service And communication. Do not trust them with your money, their policies are unclear and they change things to their benefit. Avoid flying here if you can

I was on the island for a vacation (November 2021) and wanted to take my wife flying. I'm a pilot and aircraft owner, so I know what to look for with regard to maintenance and safety. All the necessary maintenance records were available for my inspection, and they were perfect.

Service and amenities were outstanding. Round-trip transportation from our resort, fresh baked goods available on our arrival. Very professional flight instructor took the right seat and was very accommodating to a fellow pilot. (Pilots: Be ready for tricky maneuvering when reentering the HNL area, and don't be too proud to let the instructor handle it if you're not completely comfortable with busy airspace and tight quarters.)

I would happily fly with Lani Lea again, and recommend them without reservation for anyone who wants to fly or just take a tour.

If being a career pilot is your goal, this school is not for you. Maintainence is horrific and the management seems to disregard things that are basic for other aviation jobs. If you do all your training here, you'll be in for a shock when you leave.

Took a tour and it was such a great experience! Our pilot (Clay) took us on a beautiful trip around Oahu, a view we would otherwise never be able to see! It was a once in a lifetime opportunity! The entire staff at Lani Lea was extremely helpful and gracious! We are so happy with our experience!

I had a frustrating start in aviation two years ago trying to find a flight school on Oahu. Most of the flight schools wouldn't even put names on waiting lists, but I just kept going back for nine months straight. Thankfully in that dwell time I I found out about Lani Lea. I finished my private pilot's license with their planes (and instructors) last year. Jonah has been excellent to work with this year in helping me toward my instrument certificate. Very courteous people and clean facility. I highly recommend them!

Lani Lea has undergone a change in management for the worst. The front desk is a revolving door of foreigners who have absolutely no knowledge or experience in aviation. The owner does not speak English and also has an incredibly finite amount of aviation experience. The company puts no priority on maintenance. There is not a single aircraft that does not have at least two to four inop placards. Once during preflight, we found a significant amount of fuel leaking into the cockpit via the primer pump. We grounded the aircraft and then were scolded for doing so. Recently it was found that the mechanic had written the wrong date on the annual and pitot static inspections and for more than two weeks it was being illegally flown.
The company absorbs 30-40% of the instructor fee that they charge. Also they charge $50/hr to the students while they solo to have an instructor on standby. The vast majority of the five star reviews are from students who haven't been elsewhere and don't know that this is not normal or acceptable in Aviation, nor do they see behind the scenes what goes on with maintenance, management, etc.
The only saving grace is that most of the instructors are genuinely good people who care about their students. If you are a student seeking instruction on the island, try Georges or Pacific Flight Academy. If you are looking for a Sky Tour, expect an over priced tour in a 50 year old rusty Cessna with inoperative equipment. But hey, at least the island is beautiful.