What Gleim Aviation does

Gleim Aviation, operating through Gleim Publications, Inc. and Gleim Internet, Inc., is a privately held Gainesville, Florida-based provider of FAA-approved pilot and aviation maintenance technician training materials founded in 1980. The company sells a comprehensive product portfolio spanning every FAA pilot certification level — Sport Pilot, Private, Instrument Rating, Commercial, Airline Transport Pilot, Remote Pilot (drones), and Flight Instructor — plus aviation maintenance technician (AMT) and Inspection Authorization (IA) curricula. Core technology is a proprietary "Knowledge Transfer Systems" educational methodology delivered through Online Ground School and FAA Test Prep Online subscription platforms, paired with printed study materials, add-on ratings (seaplane, multi-engine), and hardware-based flight simulation devices (FE-BATD, FE-T with Honeycomb integration, and an X-Plane Flight Training Course). A new Digital Pilot Examiner service extends the product surface into practical test administration.

Gleim operates a hybrid go-to-market combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce with free course demos (a freemium funnel), phone-based sales support (800-874-5346), an authorized reseller program, and institutional channels targeting flight schools (Part 141, AvLearn), universities, and STEM programs. Revenue is generated through a mix of one-time book and hardware purchases, annual online subscriptions, and multi-year institutional licensing contracts, with discounted pricing for educators, resellers, and veterans. Marketing channels include organic content (blog, social media), association partnerships (NAFI, FSANA, SAFE, STEM.org), and aviation event sponsorships such as the Vicky Benzing airshow partnership covering EAA AirVenture 2025-2026. The company is led by CEO Lorie Gleim and serves a fragmented customer base of individual pilots, flight schools, and educational institutions with a primarily US, FAA-aligned footprint and limited international spillover (e.g., FSANA Philippines, Singapore Airlines).

Name

Gleim Aviation

Legal name

Gleim Publications, Inc.

Website

https://gleimaviation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Gleim Aviation is a Gainesville, Florida-based, privately held provider of FAA-approved pilot and aviation maintenance training materials, online ground school subscriptions, and flight simulation devices, serving individual pilots, flight schools, and universities since 1980.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation Training

NAICS

Flight Training (611512), Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413)

akta.pro primary industry

Aviation & Aerospace (EDABALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regulatory, Compliance & Type Training (FAA/EASA/ICAO, Part 147/145) (EDAOAFAN), Emerging Aviation Maintenance (UAS/Drone, eVTOL & Advanced Air Mobility) (EDAOAFAO), Avionics Test, Simulation & Calibration Equipment (IMABAFAN)

Keywords

• Pilot training materials
• Aviation ground school
• FAA test preparation
• Flight simulation devices
• Aviation maintenance training

Headquarters

HQ city

Gainesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Training Materials Sales: Sale of FAA-approved printed and digital pilot training materials covering all certification levels from Sport Pilot to Airline Transport Pilot, as well as maintenance technician training materials
2. Online Ground School Subscription: Subscription-based access to online ground school courses for FAA knowledge test preparation, offering self-paced study programs
3. FAA Test Prep Online: Annual or recurring subscription for test preparation software with hundreds of practice questions, charts, and outlines
4. Flight Simulation Hardware and Software: Sale of Basic Aviation Training Devices (BATD), flight trainers, and X-Plane flight training course curricula
5. Institutional/Enterprise Licensing: Special discounting and pricing programs for flight schools, universities, educators, resellers, and veterans through dedicated institutional programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Gleim Aviation develops and sells FAA-approved pilot training materials, online ground school courses, and FAA knowledge test preparation software covering all pilot certification levels from Sport Pilot through Airline Transport Pilot. The company also produces aviation maintenance technician training materials and flight simulation hardware/software products, delivered through direct e-commerce, institutional licensing, and reseller channels.

Product overview

Gleim Aviation offers a comprehensive portfolio of FAA-approved pilot training products spanning from Sport Pilot to Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certification. The core offering consists of traditional written test preparation materials and online ground school courses for each certification level. The product line includes flight simulation devices (FE-BATD, FE-T, X-Plane integration) for home-based training, add-on ratings for seaplanes and multi-engine aircraft, and aviation maintenance technician training. Additional offerings include the Career Pilot Training Logbook and a Digital Pilot Examiner service. The portfolio uses a unified Knowledge Transfer System across all products, supported by online ground school and FAA Test Prep Online as the primary digital delivery platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sport Pilot Training Materials
• Private Pilot Training Materials
• Instrument Rating Training Materials
• Commercial Pilot Training Materials
• Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Training Materials
• Remote Pilot (Drones) Training Materials
• Flight Instructor Training Materials
• Flight Instructor Refresher Course
• Gleim Flight Experience – Basic Aviation Training Device (FE-BATD)
• Gleim Flight Experience – Trainer (FE-T)
• Gleim X-Plane Flight Training Course (XFTC)
• Seaplane Add-On Rating
• Multi-Engine Add-On Rating
• Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Training
• Inspection Authorization (IA) Training
• Career Pilot Training Logbook
• Online Ground School
• FAA Test Prep Online
• Digital Pilot Examiner

Quantifiable outcome

• Pilots pass FAA Knowledge Tests using Gleim's ACS-aligned materials with confidence
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FSANA (Flight School Association of the Philippines)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerFSANA is listed as a proud partner of Gleim Aviation, appearing in the partner logos section of the website. The partnership supports the flight training community through association membership and educational resources.
• NAFI (National Association of Flight Instructors)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerNAFI is listed as a proud partner of Gleim Aviation in the partner logos section. As a leading flight instructor association, NAFI membership and collaboration supports professional development for CFIs using Gleim materials.
• SAFE (Society of Flight Test Engineers)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerSAFE is listed as a partner organization in the website partner section. The Society of Flight Test Engineers represents aerospace professionals and the partnership aligns Gleim with the broader aviation professional community.
• STEM.orgminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSTEM.org educational research logo appears on the Gleim Aviation website, indicating an educational focus and potential certification or alignment with STEM.org educational standards for K-12 aviation education programs.
• Vicky BenzingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVicky Benzing is a renowned air racer and aviation advocate sponsored by Gleim Aviation. The partnership aims to promote aviation education and encourage diversity within the pilot community, especially among women. Benzing will perform at airshows in 2025 and 2026, including EAA AirVenture in Wisconsin.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sporty's Pilot Shop: Sporty's is a long-established pilot training content and supplies retailer offering online ground school, test prep, and pilot gear. It directly competes with Gleim across the same Sport Pilot through ATP curriculum and shares the freemium/online course demo acquisition model.
• ASA (Aviation Supplies & Academics): ASA publishes the official FAA handbooks/manuals and offers competing test prep books, online courses, and study materials. It is Gleim's most direct textbook-and-test-prep peer, especially in the Private and Instrument Rating tracks.
• King Schools: King Schools produces video-based online flight training courses across pilot certifications and is one of the most recognized consumer flight training brands. It competes head-to-head with Gleim in ground school subscriptions and test prep.
• Rod Machado: Rod Machado sells flight training materials, online courses, and instructional videos for student and recreational pilots. It overlaps with Gleim's classroom-style instructional materials and is a recognized alternative in the Private/Instrument segments.
• PilotWorkshops: PilotWorkshops offers scenario-based online IFR and risk management training courses aimed at active pilots. It competes for the post-certification recurrent training wallet that Gleim also addresses with CFII and refresher materials.
• Redbird Flight Simulations: Redbird manufactures flight training devices (BATD/AATD) and training content for flight schools and individual pilots. It directly overlaps with Gleim's FE-BATD and FE-T hardware business and competes for the same simulation-curriculum bundle.

Emerging players

• Boldmethod: Boldmethod provides free and subscription-based online aviation training content focused on student and instrument pilots. It overlaps with Gleim's online ground school audience through lower-priced digital formats and free articles/quizzes.
• MZeroA: MZeroA produces video-driven flight training content for student pilots and instructors, targeting the same Sport-through-CFI ground school cohort as Gleim. Its online-first, mobile-friendly delivery is a disruptive adjacency to traditional textbook-based prep.

Broad incumbents

• FlightSafety International: FlightSafety International is a large, established provider of professional pilot and maintenance technician training using full-motion simulators. It does not directly compete in Gleim's self-study ground school niche but operates in the same broader aviation training ecosystem.
• Jeppesen (a Boeing Company): Jeppesen produces pilot training materials, charts, and aviation education services as part of Boeing's commercial aviation portfolio. It is a broader incumbent in pilot training content and overlaps with Gleim at the high end of the commercial/ATP training market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/gleimaviation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gleim Aviation