How much does Cactus Aviation cost?

Cactus Aviation publishes $77,240 for its Zero to CFII (single engine), as listed on the academy's own pricing page (August 19, 2026). It publishes 7 tracks in total, priced by how much flight experience you start with. That is the published sticker for the program, not a personalized quote, and it is what the academy asks before the fees the sticker excludes.

What is included in Cactus Aviation's program price?

Cactus Aviation's published programs cover Private Pilot, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot, Flight Instructor and Instrument Instructor. The headline track plans for about 245 flight hours. On what it excludes, the academy states: The component courses fold in the medical, renters insurance, ground school, written tests and an estimated $1,000 practical test fee. No multi-engine, no MEI and no ATP are in this ladder. Prices are stated to be subject to change with fuel, oil and maintenance.

Does going to Cactus Aviation lower the 1,500-hour airline requirement?

No. An accelerated academy does not reduce the 1,500-hour ATP minimum. Only a qualifying aviation degree does, under 14 CFR 61.160, which lowers it to 1,000 hours for a bachelor's or 1,250 for an associate's. What an academy sells is speed and a fixed price to the commercial certificate and instructor ratings, not a shortcut to the airlines. Most graduates then instruct to build the remaining hours.

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Accelerated academy · Henderson, NV · Checked August 19, 2026

What Cactus Aviation's program costs

A full-time, integrated career program sold at a fixed price, not an hourly rate. Every figure below is Cactus Aviation's own published price, with the source and the date we read it. This is the published sticker, not a personalized quote.

Website cactusaviation.com

Cactus campuses in Nevada

Henderson (HND)

Published program price

$77.2K

Zero to CFII (single engine)

Other tracks from $11K.

Average price

Published as an average. Your real cost rises if you fly more than the average hours.

Every figure is built on national average hours rather than on what you will fly, and the school says so. It also publishes its hourly rates, $185 to $235 for the aeroplane and $65 or $70 for instruction, so unlike most academies here an overrun can be priced in advance.

The academy's own published price. It does not reduce the 1,500-hour airline minimum (only a qualifying degree does). Prices change. Confirm current figures with Cactus Aviation.

The programs, with sources

Zero to CFII (single engine)

$77,240

PPL · IR · CPL · CFI · CFII · 245 hrs

August 19, 2026Source

The component courses fold in the medical, renters insurance, ground school, written tests and an estimated $1,000 practical test fee. No multi-engine, no MEI and no ATP are in this ladder. Prices are stated to be subject to change with fuel, oil and maintenance.

Stratus Financial, with six published loan options over 15, 10 and 6 year terms.

245 flight hours plus 50 simulator hours, 295 total. Built from the five course figures below, which sum to exactly this total. The school notes that time building flown with other pilots lowers the rental share of the cost.

Private Pilot Certificate (FAA minimum time)

$10,993

PPL · 38 hrs

August 19, 2026Source

This is the FAA-minimum-hours figure, which almost nobody achieves. The school publishes a national-average version of the same course alongside it at $18,905, and that is the more realistic planning number.

38 hours of flight time, 20 hours of instruction and 2.5 hours of simulator, plus medical, renters insurance, ground school, written and an estimated $1,000 practical test.

Private Pilot Certificate (national average)

$18,905

PPL · 65 hrs

August 19, 2026Source

Includes $1,930 of required fees inside the total. Built on 65 hours, the school's stated national average.

Instrument Rating

$21,175

IR · 60 hrs

August 19, 2026Source

Stated to include the 50-hour cross-country PIC requirement, which many schools price separately.

Commercial License

$25,425

CPL · 95 hrs

August 19, 2026Source

95 hours of aircraft rental split across two rate bands, plus 30 hours dual, 15 simulator and 20 ground.

Certified Flight Instructor

$6,440

CFI · 15 hrs

August 19, 2026Source

Includes two written exams at $350 and an estimated $1,200 practical test.

Certified Flight Instructor Instrument

$5,295

CFII · 8 hrs

August 19, 2026Source

Includes the written at $175 and an estimated $1,200 practical test.

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Common questions about Cactus Aviation

How much does Cactus Aviation cost?: Cactus Aviation publishes $77,240 for its Zero to CFII (single engine), as listed on the academy's own pricing page (August 19, 2026). It publishes 7 tracks in total, priced by how much flight experience you start with. That is the published sticker for the program, not a personalized quote, and it is what the academy asks before the fees the sticker excludes.
What is included in Cactus Aviation's program price?: Cactus Aviation's published programs cover Private Pilot, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot, Flight Instructor and Instrument Instructor. The headline track plans for about 245 flight hours. On what it excludes, the academy states: The component courses fold in the medical, renters insurance, ground school, written tests and an estimated $1,000 practical test fee. No multi-engine, no MEI and no ATP are in this ladder. Prices are stated to be subject to change with fuel, oil and maintenance.
What happens if you need more hours than Cactus Aviation's program includes?: Published as an average. Your real cost rises if you fly more than the average hours. Every figure is built on national average hours rather than on what you will fly, and the school says so. It also publishes its hourly rates, $185 to $235 for the aeroplane and $65 or $70 for instruction, so unlike most academies here an overrun can be priced in advance. This is the question worth asking hardest at any accelerated academy, because the published price and the price a student who flies over the plan actually pays are two different numbers.
Does going to Cactus Aviation lower the 1,500-hour airline requirement?: No. An accelerated academy does not reduce the 1,500-hour ATP minimum. Only a qualifying aviation degree does, under 14 CFR 61.160, which lowers it to 1,000 hours for a bachelor's or 1,250 for an associate's. What an academy sells is speed and a fixed price to the commercial certificate and instructor ratings, not a shortcut to the airlines. Most graduates then instruct to build the remaining hours.

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Figures are Cactus Aviation's own published program prices, shown with the date we read them. They are not a personalized quote, and a student's actual cost will differ with location premiums, the fees the sticker excludes, and pace. Published prices generally assume the program's planned hours; flight training often runs over the FAA minimums, and how extra hours are billed varies by academy (some hold a truly fixed cost, others charge an hourly rate for additional time). Confirm the overage policy with the academy. An accelerated academy does not lower the 1,500-hour airline minimum; only a qualifying degree does, under 14 CFR 61.160. PilotBound is not affiliated with Cactus Aviation. Disclaimer & removal policy.

Primary sources: cactusaviation.com·cactusaviation.com·cactusaviation.com