Sierra Aviation

You'll spend your first half hour on terra firma, covering basic maneuvers such as turns, climbs, and descents, as well as entry-level safety tips (stay away from the ground). After your earthly lessons, you'll strap into the cockpit of one of Sierra's airplanemobiles, such as the Cessna 172 or Diamond DA40, and put what you've learned to the test. These safe, sturdy workhorses of the clouds feature a high wing design that provides excellent, beginner-friendly stability and unobstructed, beautiful views of the Jemez and Sangre de Cristo mountains, ideal for distracting meddlesome backseat pilots.