PilotBound estimate · Las Vegas, NV

What flight training at West Air Flight Training costs

Their published rates: $160/hr aircraft (wet) + $65/hr instructor·verified July 27, 2026 Source

Instruction is $65/hr standard, up to $75/hr for advanced or type-specific instruction (for example a Cirrus CSIP, multi-engine dual, or initial CFI training). The estimate below prices the right instructor rate for each leg.

Published rates are wet. 3% cash and 5% military discounts offered; no airport tax.

Estimate cost to reach

Flying

PilotBound estimate · Private

Cost of your Private at West Air Flight Training

$15.2K$20.1K

Most likely around $17,625, about 6 months at 2x/week. A range, not a promise.

Where it goes

Backed by examiner data$15.2K$20.1K
Aircraft rental$11,500
Instruction$3,750
One-time costs$2,375
Aircraft + instruction$15,250
72 hrs in Cessna 172M @ $160/hr + 58 dual @ $65/hr

One-time fees ($2,375)

  • Knowledge (written) test$175
  • Checkride / DPE fee$800
  • Medical certificate$150
  • Headset$700
  • Ground school / test prep$300
  • Books, charts & supplies$250

Typical national figures, not the school's prices. The FAA written test and examiner (DPE) fees are set by third parties.

Expected hours72 hrs

Examiner records (DPE dataset).

Your first certificate. Fly passengers, day or night, in good weather.

The hourly flying is priced on West Air Flight Training's published rates. Each rating also folds in its one-time fees (written test, examiner/DPE checkride, medical, gear), about $3,550 across the path. Those are typical national estimates, not West Air Flight Training's prices, and several (the FAA written test and examiner fees) are set by third parties.

Estimates use PilotBound's own completion-hours model, examiner-completion data where it exists and FAA minimums where it does not, applied to each school's published rates. They are PilotBound estimates, not the school's quote, and will differ from a school's own figures. Full methodology and sources →

Step 2 · Plan

Your $17,625 is the starting line. Turn it into a route to your checkride, every step in order with this cost built in.

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Estimates use West Air Flight Training's published Cessna 172M and instructor rates (verified July 27, 2026), shown in USD for planning only. Real cost varies by student, weather, and pace. An honest range, not a quote.

PilotBound is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by West Air Flight Training. School names are used only to identify the school. Estimates use PilotBound's own completion-hours model, examiner-completion data where it exists and FAA minimums where it does not, applied to each school's published rates. They are PilotBound estimates, not the school's quote, and will differ from a school's own figures. Disclaimer & removal policy.

Common questions about West Air Flight Training

How much does it cost to get a private pilot license at West Air Flight Training?
West Air Flight Training publishes $160 per hour for the Cessna 172M and $65 per hour for instruction on it, verified July 27, 2026. Applied to those published rates, PilotBound estimates a private pilot certificate at about $17,625, in a range of $15,200 to $20,100. That covers roughly 72 hours of flying and instruction plus the one-time fees most quotes leave out, including the written test, the examiner's checkride fee, a medical, and study materials. It is a PilotBound estimate built on the school's published rates, not a quote from West Air Flight Training.
How long does it take to get a private pilot license at West Air Flight Training?
Flying twice a week, PilotBound estimates about 6 months at West Air Flight Training to reach the private pilot checkride, at roughly 72 hours. Pace is the single biggest variable: flying once a week typically stretches the timeline and raises the total, because time between lessons gets spent re-learning. Weather, aircraft availability, and instructor turnover all push the same direction.
Is West Air Flight Training a Part 61 or Part 141 flight school?
West Air Flight Training does not state on its own website whether it trains under Part 61 or Part 141, so we do not list one. It is worth asking directly before you enroll: Part 141 follows an FAA-approved syllabus and is generally what VA benefits require, while Part 61 is more flexible on scheduling.
Do West Air Flight Training's aircraft rates include fuel?
West Air Flight Training publishes $160 per hour for the Cessna 172M, a wet rate, so fuel is included in the hourly figure. A wet rate is the easier one to compare, because the number you see is the number you fly on. Rates verified July 27, 2026.
What ratings can you train for at West Air Flight Training?
West Air Flight Training trains Private Pilot, Instrument Rating and Commercial Pilot. Instruction runs $65 to $75 per hour depending on the rating and the aircraft, since advanced and type-specific instruction is priced above the standard rate. PilotBound's estimator on this page prices any of these paths on West Air Flight Training's own published rates.

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