Our Crew

Michael has been in aviation since 1998.  He is a CFI, tailwheel and basic aerobatic instructor.  What started out as a hobby became a passion and now a career.  He became a flight instructor in 2013.  Michael has been part of Cactus Aviation since its opening.  Throughout the years he has found a true love for aerobatics and tailwheel aircraft.  He has  experience in many different aircraft:  Cessna, Piper, Diamond, Cirrus, Waco, Extra, Pitts and Super Decathlon.  Michaels love for aviation is why he became a flight instructor and sharing his passion through instructing is now a reality.  Michael truly believes ”The sky’s the limit, and anything is possible!”

Chad’s journey into the world of aviation began at the esteemed American Airlines Cadet Academy, where he honed his skills and passion for flying.  With more than two years of experience as a CFI, Chad is not only an expert pilot but also a patient and knowledgeable instructor.  If your dream is to become a CFI yourself, Chad is the perfect guide to help you achieve that goal.  Chad’s philosophy is simple yet profound: “The skies belong to everyone.” With this in mind, he not only imparts his technical expertise but also instills a sense of fun and adventure in his students. Join Chad Gates at our flight school and embark on an exciting journey through the endless blue skies, where learning to fly is not just a skill but a lifelong passion. 

Sam was introduced to aviation at the age of 17 and immediately fell in love with it. Born and raised in the Las Vegas Valley, he enjoys flying in and around the pacific southwest.  Sam is a knowledgeable and experienced pilot whose passion is to introduce others to the magic of flying.  If you strive to become a pilot, Sam can help you achieve that goal.  Alongside being a flight instructor, he also enjoys watching movies, sports, and spending quality time with his friends and family.  Stop by Cactus Aviation today and learn to fly with Sam. 

Andrew’s spark for aviation started while growing up watching float planes at his local lake in Canada, and aviation quickly became a dream of his. In 2019, that dream became reality as he started working towards his private pilot license at Lachute Airport. A year later, he relocated to Las Vegas and continued to pursue his aviation career eventually joining the Cactus family. Andrew comes from an athletic background, enjoys Crossfit, Mountain Biking with the dogs, and most of all, adventures with his family.

Jackson was born on January 1st in Las Vegas, Nevada. He played college football for Dartmouth College, graduating with a degree in Government minor in Speech. The Ivy Leaguer started his aviation career in Reno at Great Basin Aviation, eventually getting accepted into the Southwest Destination 225 program. He completed through Commercial Multi at CAE Oxford apart of the program before leaving to instruct at McAir Aviation in Broomfield, Colorado. At McAir he instructed Allegiants Altitude program cadets before returning home!

Austin is a pilot and attorney from Las Vegas, NV. Austin is passionate about teaching and helping students achieve their goals, as evidenced by the hundreds of students he has helped over the last ten years in courses ranging from high school calculus and college economics to the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and Nevada bar exam. Austin is excited to combine his teaching experience with his passion for aviation to help students fulfill their dreams to fly. In addition to flight instructing, Austin continues to practice aviation and business law as he works towards a dual career as a professional pilot and attorney.

My wife and I moved to Henderson from Salt Lake City 4 years ago after I retired my job as a biotechnology company CEO. I started flying in the early 70’s and have been flying for over 50 years.

I got my private license at Dress Regional Airport, Evansville Indiana.

Over all the years I have flown, it has always been for business and pleasure or is

it the other way around ... a passion and a hobby and then business?

I am ATP, CFI, CFII, MEI, AGI, IGI, Gold Seal FAA instructor and American Bonanza Society Bonanza/Baron Instructor. I am a FAAST team member. I instructed in the Salt Lake Valley as an Assistant Chief Instructor at a part 61/141 school.

I am actively instructing and have been recognized twice by AOPA as an outstanding national flight instructor.

While building companies, I was also an adjunct professor for 15 years at the University of Utah (UU) in the Eccles School of Business and also taught graduate marketing at Westminster College. My Masters Degree is in Business is from UU.

I was an ice hockey referee for over 25 years and was team liaison to the US Men’s Ice Hockey team during the 2002 Winter Olympics held in Salt Lake City.

I started the Utah Wing of Angel Flight in 1998, a free non-emergency medical transportation service, building the wing to over 50 pilots, and also started the annual Angel Flight ’Santa Flight’ working with Title One schools in Utah to address children and family needs at the holidays.

I presently own and fly a 1976 V35B Bonanza based at KVGT.

Three years ago, I started another company, Consent Vault, with 3 friends, all PhDs in Computer Science, an Information Technology/AI startup involved in organizing medical data in oncology.

I also presently teach woodworking, am active on various committees in our HOA, and play in a rock-n-roll band, The Last Ride.

I grew up in Henderson and after graduating from UNLV in 1980 with a degree in engineering, I served with the US Army (stationed in Saudi Arabia and Germany from 1982 until retirement in 2018. I learned to fly in Germany in 1986 and have approximately 5000 hours as a flight instructor in single and multi-engine aircraft. I taught at various US Army and US Air Force military Aero Clubs in Germany for over 30 years and have made over 30 trans-Atlantic ferry flights bringing small GA aircraft over the pond (both directions). I’ve also flown large turbine-powered aircraft for a small company in Germany for many years. I’ve flown extensively all over Europe, Northern Africa, and trans-Atlantic.  As an instructor, I’ve signed-off pilots for almost every airplane-related license, with zero-failure rate all on all check-rides.  In 2001 I applied to be an FAA check-airman, but world-events precluded the FAA from appointing any additional pilot-examiners full-time in Europe after 9/11. We’ve since relocated from Germany back to Henderson in 2022 and now I’m doing more flight instruction on this side of the pond. I am also rated in seaplanes, tail-wheel airplanes, high-altitude, complex- and high-performance aircraft. 

Since my childhood, I have always been fascinated with flying and aviation. I started flying in an Aeronca Super Chief tail wheel aircraft in 1983 as a teenager in the National Cadet Corps, India. 

I moved to the United States in 1991 and got my private license from AMR Combs in Grand Rapids MI.

I graduated with a Masters Degree in computer science from South Dakota State University. I moved to California in 1994 and got my Instrument rating in the Bay Area at San Carlos and subsequently my Commercial and CFI ratings at Santa Monica CA.

I work in a major software company as a member of an architecture group helping design and write enterprise software.

My wife and I moved to Las Vegas in 2004. I got my CFII rating here in Las Vegas from Cactus Aviation.

I hold a CFI, CFII, IGI ratings and am working towards my MEI rating.

I am a triathlete and have completed several full and half Ironman races and still enjoy racing. I love learning languages and music. 

I would love to share my passion of flying and help students realize their dream of flying.