Academy of Aviation

What Academy of Aviation does

Academy of Aviation is a private, for-profit flight training academy headquartered at Republic Airport in Farmingdale, New York, operating nine campuses across five U.S. states under the Academy of Aviation (AOA) and SunState sub-brands. The company delivers FAA Part 141 structured career pilot training covering Private Pilot License, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot License, and Certified Flight Instructor ratings (CFI, CFII, MEI), along with specialized programs including a 100-Hour Multi-Engine track on Diamond DA42 aircraft. Training is conducted using Cessna 172 G1000 glass cockpit and Diamond DA42 multi-engine aircraft, supplemented by a Redbird full-motion flight simulator at the Farmingdale flagship. The business sells bundled tuition packages to individual consumers pursuing airline careers, with distribution via direct enrollment through a centralized admissions team, on-campus intake at each location, and third-party student loan facilitation through Sallie Mae.

The company's go-to-market is sales-led, with an admissions team handling prospective student contact by phone, chat, text, and web form. Customer segments include aspiring professional airline pilots (primary), college students pursuing aviation degrees through Purdue Global and Liberty University articulation agreements, and veterans using GI Bill benefits at three approved campuses (Farmingdale NY, White Plains NY, Kissimmee FL). Academy of Aviation holds one of only four Delta Propel affiliate designations in the United States and participates in the Republic Airways RJet Cadet Program, creating defined pathways from flight instructor employment through regional carriers to major airline flight decks. The company does not publicly disclose tuition pricing, has no disclosed funding rounds, no parent company, and operates with 11-50 employees, consistent with a founder-owned multi-site operator that has expanded capacity through the SunState acquisition rather than external capital.

Name

Academy of Aviation

Legal name

Academy of Aviation

Website

https://academyofaviation.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Academy of Aviation is a private FAA Part 141 flight training academy operating nine campuses across five U.S. states, delivering bundled career pilot training programs (PPL through CFI/CFII/MEI) to individual students pursuing commercial airline careers, with defined airline pathways through Delta Propel and Republic Airways affiliations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation Flight Training

NAICS

Flight Training (611512)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Aviation Pilot & Crew Staffing/Training Services (THABAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Aviation & Aerospace (EDABALAC)

Keywords

• Flight training services
• Commercial pilot training
• Aviation education
• Pilot certification programs
• Airline pathway programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Farmingdale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Career Pilot Training Programs: Revenue generated from structured FAA Part 141 career pilot training programs covering Private Pilot License, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot License, and Certified Flight Instructor ratings. Programs are sold as bundled training packages with tuition covering flight instruction, aircraft usage, and ground school.
2. Third-Party Student Loan Financing: Academy of Aviation facilitates student financing through independent third-party lenders including Sallie Mae. The company does not provide loans or make lending decisions but connects students with financing options. Sallie Mae offers specific loan products for career training school programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Academy of Aviation delivers FAA Part 141 certified career pilot training from Private Pilot License through Certified Flight Instructor ratings (CFI, CFII, MEI), structured to bring students to the 1,500 flight hours required for airline employment. Training is delivered across nine U.S. campuses using Cessna 172 G1000 and Diamond DA42 aircraft, a Redbird full-motion flight simulator, and bundled with airline pathway programs (Delta Propel, Republic Airways RJet) and degree articulation partnerships with Purdue Global and Liberty University.

Product overview

Academy of Aviation offers a unified FAA Part 141 certified career pilot training platform with multiple campus locations. The core offering is the Career Pilot Training Program spanning PPL through CFI/CFII/MEI ratings, supplemented by specialized programs including the 100-Hour Multi-Engine Program (featuring Diamond DA42 aircraft), Delta Propel Program, Republic Airways RJet Cadet Program, and college partnerships with Purdue Global and Liberty University. Training uses Cessna 172 G1000 and Diamond DA42 aircraft, with Redbird full-motion flight simulator available at the Farmingdale campus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SunState: SunState brand operating flight training campuses in California and Florida under the SunState name (Kissimmee, FL, Long Beach, CA, San Diego, CA).

Products and services

• Career Pilot Training Program FAA Part 141 certified career pilot training program covering Private Pilot License (PPL), Instrument Rating (IR), Commercial Pilot License (CPL), and Certified Flight Instructor ratings (CFI, CFII, MEI), structured to take aspiring pilots to the 1,500 flight hours required for airline employment. Sold as bundled training packages covering flight instruction, aircraft usage, and ground school.
• 100-Hour Multi-Engine Program Specialized multi-engine program front-loading 100 hours of Diamond DA42 multi-engine flight time to give graduates a competitive edge in airline hiring. Includes a $2,026 enrollment discount.
• Delta Propel Program Career pathway program through which AOA flight instructors can apply to Delta Propel once they are within 12 months of meeting R-ATP or ATP requirements. Selection provides a Qualified Job Offer from Delta that carries students through Endeavor Air to the Delta Air Lines flight deck, with only one Propel interview required.
• Republic Airways RJet Cadet Program Cadet pathway program providing Academy of Aviation graduates a defined route to Republic Airways, one of the largest regional carriers in the country flying for American, United, and Delta.
• Purdue Global Bachelor of Science in Professional Flight Partnership Articulation partnership with Purdue University Global offering AOA graduates up to 45 transfer credits toward a Bachelor of Science in Professional Flight, with the potential for up to $28,400 in tuition savings and degree completion in 2-3 years while training or working as a flight instructor.
• Liberty University Bachelor of Science in Aviation Partnership Affiliate program with Liberty University's online Bachelor of Science in Aviation, covering Private Pilot Certificate, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot Certificate, and flight instructor certifications as credit-eligible courses toward the degree.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 45 transfer credits available through Purdue Global partnership
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Delta Air Lines / Delta PropelflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademy of Aviation is one of only four Delta Propel affiliate flight schools in the United States, named directly on Delta's official Propel program page. Students who become flight instructors at AOA can apply to Delta Propel once within 12 months of meeting R-ATP or ATP requirements. Selected applicants receive a Qualified Job Offer from Delta that carries them through Endeavor Air to the Delta flight deck. Single Propel interview is the only interview required after selection.
• Endeavor AircoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEndeavor Air is Delta's wholly owned regional subsidiary and the gateway carrier in the Delta Propel pathway. After selection into Propel and reaching ATP minimums, pilots onboard at Endeavor Air and progress through its Career Advancement Program (CAP) including minimum 24 months of active service as captain before transitioning to Delta Air Lines.
• Republic Airways / RJet Cadet ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademy of Aviation participates in the Republic Airways RJet Cadet Program, a pathway to Republic Airways, one of the largest regional carriers in the country, which flies for American, United, and Delta.
• Purdue University GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership offering AOA flight school students access to bachelor's degree in Professional Flight with 45 transfer credits upon completion of professional pilot certificates and ratings. Program combines Purdue's six-decade aviation legacy with online flexibility and affordability. Potential to complete bachelor's degree in 2-3 years while training or working as flight instructor. Potential tuition savings of up to $28,400.
• Liberty UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLiberty University's Bachelor of Science in Aviation online program focuses on practical decision-making skills for commercial, military, or missionary pilots. AOA graduates can receive credit for Private Pilot Certificate, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot Certificate, and flight instructor certifications that can be applied toward the degree.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ATP Flight School: ATP Flight School is the largest U.S. career-track airline pilot training chain, operating dozens of satellite campuses nationwide with FAA Part 141 curriculum and direct airline-hiring partnerships (including regional carriers flying for American, United, and Delta). ATP is AOA's primary scale-stage peer and most direct competitor for entry-level career pilot students.
• Pan Am International Flight Academy: Pan Am International Flight Academy provides Part 141 career-track pilot training plus type-rating and cadet program partnerships with major airlines (including flag carriers). It competes with AOA for career-track enrollments and shares the airline cadet pathway model.
• L3 Airline Academy: L3's Commercial Aviation Solutions (formerly L3 Airline Academy) runs multi-engine cadet programs (e.g., APS/CTC) that feed major U.S. carriers. It directly competes with AOA for aspiring airline pilots and shares structured career-track and cadet-program economics at comparable scale.
• Sierra Academy of Aeronautics: Sierra Academy of Aeronautics is a California-based FAA Part 141 flight school offering career pilot programs and airline pathway partnerships. It operates in a similar tier to AOA and competes for California and West Coast career-pilot demand.
• Epic Flight Academy: Epic Flight Academy in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, runs an FAA Part 141 career pilot program with international student pipelines. It overlaps AOA directly on Florida-based career training and competes for the same native and international student segments.

Broad incumbents

• FlightSafety International: FlightSafety International is the dominant advanced aviation training provider for corporate, commercial, and military pilots, focused on simulators and type ratings rather than ab initio Part 141 career tracks. It overlaps with AOA indirectly through pilot-training taxonomy and the fleet segment.
• CAE: CAE is a global aviation training and simulation leader with cadet pilot programs, civil training centers, and a recent acquisition of FlightSafety International. While CAE's scale dwarfs AOA, it overlaps on career-track pilot training and shares airline cadet partnerships as a comparable model.
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: Embry-Riddle operates two residential campuses plus online aviation degrees covering pilot training and broader aviation education. It competes with AOA for career-track students by combining structured Part 141 training with a 4-year degree, intersecting with AOA's Purdue Global and Liberty partnerships.

Others

• Republic Airways: Republic Airways operates the RJet Cadet Program, of which AOA is a participating flight school. It is a buyer of AOA's pilot output (not a direct competitor), providing one of the company's primary airline placement pathways.
• Purdue University Global: Purdue Global is AOA's online university partner, offering a B.S. in Professional Flight with up to 45 transfer credits and tuition savings of up to $28,400. It is an ecosystem partner rather than a competitor, extending AOA's customer value proposition into a degree-granting pathway.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FlyatAOA
• Facebookfacebook.com/flyaoa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/academy-of-aviation-llc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Academy of Aviation