What Experimental Aircraft Association does

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is a Wisconsin-incorporated nonprofit membership organization founded in 1953 by Paul H. Poberezny, headquartered in Oshkosh and dedicated to growing participation in recreational aviation. EAA serves an international community of more than 300,000 members across roughly 1,000 local chapters, with programs spanning youth introduction to aviation, flight training, aircraft building, warbird and vintage aircraft preservation, and pilot advocacy. Its flagship product is EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, the annual seven-day fly-in convention at Wittman Regional Airport that drew a record approximately 704,000 attendees from 94 countries in 2025, supported by the year-round EAA Aviation Museum with more than 200 historic aircraft, SportAir Workshops for homebuilders, Flight Advisors mentorship, and the Young Eagles program that has flown more than two million youth since 1992.

EAA monetizes through eight primary revenue streams: annual and lifetime membership dues (subscription), AirVenture ticketing and on-site flight experiences (Ford Tri-Motor, B-25 Mitchell, Bell 47 helicopter rides), facility rentals on the 1,600-acre Oshkosh campus, merchandise through shop.eaa.org, annual aircraft raffles and sweepstakes, tax-deductible donations to the EAA Aviation Foundation, and corporate sponsorships led by Boeing at Platinum Level. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer via EAA.org and event-based, with a major content-marketing engine spanning Sport Aviation magazine, The Green Dot podcast, EAA Radio, webinars (200,000+ cumulative attendees), and discussion forums. EAA has also delivered two decades-defining regulatory wins — the 2017 BasicMed medical certification reform and the FAA's October 2025 MOSAIC rule — both the product of sustained advocacy that materially expands the addressable market for recreational aviation. The organization is governed by a member-elected board, led by Chairman & CEO Jack Pelton, with a subsidiary EAA Aviation Foundation serving as its endowed asset-holding entity established in 1962.

Name

Experimental Aircraft Association

Legal name

Experimental Aircraft Association Inc.

Website

https://eaa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is a nonprofit membership organization serving more than 300,000 recreational aviation enthusiasts worldwide through 1,000+ local chapters, the annual AirVenture Oshkosh fly-in, the Aviation Museum, youth programs, and pilot advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recreational Aviation Membership Organization

NAICS

Flight Training (611512)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Aircraft Inspection, Quality Assurance & Airworthiness (IA Prep) (EDAOAFAE)

Keywords

• Recreational aviation
• Aviation membership
• Flight training
• Aircraft building
• Aviation events

Headquarters

HQ city

Oshkosh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues billed to payment method on file with automatic renewal. Includes individual memberships, family memberships, and other paid annual memberships. Lifetime memberships are excluded from automatic renewal.
2. Event Ticketing: Admission tickets for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and other events, including daily admission and specialty experiences.
3. Facility Rentals: Rental of EAA facilities including venues for weddings, corporate events, and other gatherings at the Aviation Center in Oshkosh.
4. Flight Experiences: Revenue from flight experiences aboard historic aircraft including the 1929 Ford Tri-Motor and 1943 B-25H Mitchell Berlin Express, plus Bell 47 helicopter rides. Proceeds support maintenance and operational expenses of historic aircraft.
5. Merchandise Sales: EAA store selling merchandise, supplies, and gifts for aviation enthusiasts through shop.eaa.org.
6. Aircraft Raffles and Sweepstakes: Annual aircraft raffle programs including the Young Eagles raffle (2025 winner received a 2024 Ford Bronco) and Raptor R Sweepstakes.
7. Donations: Tax-deductible donations to the EAA Aviation Foundation supporting mission of growing participation in aviation.
8. Corporate Sponsorships: Platinum Level and other corporate sponsorships including Boeing naming rights, event sponsorship, and youth programming support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

EAA is a nonprofit membership organization that promotes and supports recreational aviation through annual memberships, the flagship EAA AirVenture Oshkosh fly-in convention, the EAA Aviation Museum, youth flight programs, historic aircraft ride experiences, hands-on aircraft building workshops, scholarships, and facility rentals. Its portfolio is anchored by a 300,000+ member community organized through ~1,000 worldwide chapters and supported by the EAA Aviation Foundation endowment.

Product overview

The Experimental Aircraft Association operates as a membership-based nonprofit providing a comprehensive portfolio of aviation-focused programs and experiences. The core offerings include EAA AirVenture Oshkosh (the flagship annual fly-in convention), the year-round EAA Aviation Museum with 200+ aircraft, and the Young Eagles youth flight program. Additional products include EAA Flight Experiences (historic aircraft flights including the Ford Tri-Motor and B-25), SportAir Workshops (hands-on aircraft building training), aviation camps and scholarships for youth, facility rental services for events, and a global network of 1,000+ local chapters. The organization also presents the prestigious Lindy Awards recognizing aircraft craftsmanship. EAA membership provides access to all these programs plus member benefits and resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EAA AirVenture Oshkosh The flagship annual multi-day fly-in convention at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, featuring air shows, 10,000+ aircraft displays, forums, workshops, and family activities. Drew a record 704,000 attendees in 2024 from 94+ countries.
• EAA Aviation Museum A year-round aviation museum at the EAA Aviation Center in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, housing more than 200 historic aircraft and exhibits including Eagle Hangar, Pioneers of Flight, Pioneer Airport, SpaceShipOne, and Innovations Gallery; the world's largest private aircraft collection.
• Young Eagles Program Free introductory flight experiences for young people ages 8-17, delivered through EAA volunteer pilot members worldwide. Since 1992, more than 2.5 million young people have participated.
• EAA Flight Experiences

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.5 million Young Eagles flights provided since 1992
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BoeingcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 January 2026Boeing continues Platinum Level sponsorship with EAA for the annual AirVenture fly-in convention under a new three-year agreement. Boeing retains naming rights of Boeing Plaza, provides free admission to all youth attendees 18 and younger, and serves as Presenting Sponsor of WomenVenture while supporting KidVenture activities. The formalized partnership began in 2011.
• AirbusminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAirbus sponsors the Girls On The Fly program, a one-day event introducing 6th-12th grade girls to aviation careers and hobbies.
• DATCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDATC (likely DATC Learning) sponsors the Girls On The Fly event introducing young women to aviation.
• Flite TestminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFlite Test sponsors the Girls On The Fly program with RC airplane building activities.
• WipaireminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWipaire sponsors the Girls On The Fly aviation outreach program.
• University of Nevada, Reno ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with University of Nevada, Reno Extension's 4-H Youth Development Program to launch youth aviation clubs. The program blends ground school, flight simulators, and in-air instruction to address U.S. pilot shortage while providing rural youth with affordable pathway to aviation careers. Expanded to Mesquite and doubled participants.
• Moapa Valley High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Moapa Valley High School as part of 4-H youth aviation club program, providing pathway to private pilot certification for rural youth.
• Perkins Field Flying ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Perkins Field Flying Club supporting the 4-H youth aviation club at Moapa Valley, providing flight training infrastructure.
• Hartzell AviationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHartzell Aviation sponsors the AirVenture Press Headquarters as part of their media and community engagement.
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAA implemented the MOSAIC rule on October 22, 2025, expanding recreational aviation possibilities. EAA spearheaded this advancement, which allows broader range of aircraft for training and flying under sport pilot regulations using performance metrics instead of strict weight/speed limitations.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA): AOPA is the largest U.S. general aviation membership organization, advocating for pilots and providing flight training resources, member benefits, and Fly-In events. It is EAA's closest direct competitor for GA enthusiast mindshare, dues-paying members, and advocacy influence.
• Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo: Sun 'n Fun is the largest fly-in convention on the U.S. East Coast, held annually in Lakeland, Florida. It competes directly with EAA AirVenture Oshkosh for fly-in attendance, exhibitor spend, and aviation enthusiast engagement.
• Commemorative Air Force (CAF): CAF is a member-based organization dedicated to preserving and flying historic military aircraft, closely overlapping with EAA's Warbirds of America division. It runs its own airshows, museum operations, and restoration programs comparable to EAA's warbird activities.
• International Aerobatic Club (IAC): IAC is an EAA division dedicated to aerobatic competition and training, paralleling how Warbirds of America and the Vintage Aircraft Association sit inside EAA. It illustrates how EAA consolidates sub-community activities that other aviation interests might organize as standalone associations.

Broad incumbents

• National Business Aviation Association (NBAA): NBAA represents the business and general aviation industry broadly, organizing major conventions and advocacy for the broader aviation ecosystem. It overlaps with EAA on general aviation advocacy and large event production, but focuses on business/corporate operators rather than recreational pilots.
• Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum: The Smithsonian's NASM is the largest publicly funded aviation museum in the U.S. and a recognized authority on aviation heritage. It is comparable to EAA Aviation Museum in mission (preserving aviation artifacts and inspiring future aviators) but operates at national scale with public funding rather than member support.

Others

• Women in Aviation International (WAI): WAI is a nonprofit dedicated to encouraging women in all aviation career fields and interests, providing scholarships, mentoring, and an annual conference. It overlaps thematically with EAA's Girls On The Fly and youth outreach programs but targets gender-diversity outcomes rather than recreational flying.
• Helicopter Association International (HAI): HAI is the international trade association for the helicopter industry, providing advocacy, education, and Heli-Expo. It is adjacent to EAA's rotorcraft community but serves commercial rotorcraft operators and manufacturers rather than recreational homebuilders.

Regional players

• Soaring Society of America (SSA): SSA is the U.S. national soaring/gliding membership organization, providing glider pilot resources, contests, and advocacy. It parallels EAA's structure for a specific aviation sub-discipline and is comparable in member-funded, volunteer-driven nonprofit model.

Emerging players

• Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association (LAMA): LAMA represents manufacturers of light-sport and experimental aircraft, with overlapping interest in the regulatory framework EAA advocates for. It is a smaller, more industry-focused counterpart to EAA's homebuilder constituency.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EAA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/eaa
• Facebookfacebook.com/EAA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eaa
• Instagraminstagram.com/eaa
• TikToktiktok.com/@eaa.oshkosh

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Experimental Aircraft Association