Pilots are the cowboys of the air, roaming the wide-open skies and herding children's runaway balloons. Giddy up, up, and away with today's Groupon: for $71, you get a discovery flight and 30 minutes of ground instruction at Washington International Flight Academy in Gaithersburg (a $145 value).

Washington International Flight Academy's team of expert plane people guides students toward new altitudes with a fleet of immaculately maintained aircraft. To blast off in the discovery flight, pilots introduce first-time sky explorers to the smoothly saddled Cessna 172. Once seated, students take the reins as the plane taxis away from the hangar, paws the dusty runway, and charges up to 2,500 feet in the air. Throughout the lofty adventure, the academy’s veteran pilots, approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, do everything in their wingspan to create safe and enjoyable hands-on experiences. Functioning as co-main pilots, the instructors provide timely assistance when needed, pass the yoke when appropriate, and keep one eye on the on-board GPS enabling modern navigation through the outdated skies.

The discovery flight gives potential pilots the chance to experience the feeling of flight, whereas the ground instruction focuses more on the mental aspects of piloting, such as maneuvering, navigating, making good decisions, and telekinetically sculpting clouds. Although ground training is bottled up into one high-flying half hour, the time spent with the instructor is still applicable toward an eventual private pilot's license.