What GoFly does

GoFlyUK LTD is a UK-based Approved Training Organisation operating flight training and flying experience services from Old Sarum Airfield in Salisbury, Wiltshire. The company operates from one of the UK's oldest continuously operational airfields (established 1917 as a Royal Flying Corps training station) and runs a fleet of Piper PA-28 Warrior aircraft equipped with FADEC-controlled diesel engines and Garmin 430 GPS navigation systems. GoFly's service offering is structured around two integrated verticals: (1) pilot training programs spanning the Light Aircraft Pilot's Licence (LAPL, from £6,180), Private Pilot's Licence (PPL, from £9,270), Night Flying rating, and Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC/IR) training; and (2) a portfolio of themed scenic flight experiences — including flights over Stonehenge, the Isle of Wight, Longleat, the New Forest, the White Horses of Wiltshire, and WW1 heritage sites — positioned primarily as gift vouchers starting from £99.

The business operates a pure direct-to-consumer go-to-market motion with no intermediary channels, generating revenue through website bookings, telephone inquiries, in-person visits to the airfield, and downloadable e-vouchers. Customers fall into two primary personas: aspiring recreational pilots pursuing formal qualifications, and gift buyers seeking one-off scenic experiences. A secondary audience of aviation enthusiasts and pilot family members is addressed through the Companion's Right Hand Seat Course. The company's competitive positioning rests on instructor quality (former British Airways and Cathay Pacific captains), the heritage and exclusivity of a dedicated non-commercial airfield, and the scenic value of Wiltshire and South Coast routes.

GoFly restarted operations at Old Sarum on July 1, 2021 following a period of closure, and shares the airfield with sister company GoSkydive, creating a combined aviation destination. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, no funding rounds, and limited public financial information. Its corporate footprint is single-site within South West England, with all operations, assets, and revenue concentrated at one 792m grass-runway airfield, which represents both a focused operating model and a structural ceiling on throughput.

Name

GoFly

Legal name

GoFlyUK LTD

Website

https://goflyuk.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

GoFlyUK LTD is a UK Approved Training Organisation offering pilot training (PPL, LAPL, IMC, Night ratings) and scenic flying experiences from Old Sarum Airfield, Salisbury. It serves individual consumers — aspiring recreational pilots and gift buyers — via direct-to-consumer bookings and operates a Piper PA-28 Warrior fleet with FADEC diesel engines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Flight Training

NAICS

Flight Training (611512), Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation (481211)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Private Aviation Experiences (Charters, Scenic Flights, Helicopter Tours) (THAJALAF)

Keywords

• Flight training services
• Scenic flight experiences
• Private pilot license
• Pilot hour building
• Aircraft hire

Headquarters

HQ city

Salisbury

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Flight Training Services: Revenue from providing pilot training courses including PPL, LAPL, night flying, IMC training, and hour building. Training is provided by experienced instructors with packages starting from £6,180 for LAPL and £9,270 for PPL, with hourly rates from £206 for members.
2. Flying Experience Gifts: Revenue from selling flying experience vouchers including scenic flights over Stonehenge, Isle of Wight, Longleat, New Forest, and other local landmarks. Experiences range from £99 introductory flights to premium packages.
3. Aircraft Hire and Leasing: Revenue from leasing out aircraft or daily hire of the PA-28 Warrior fleet. Solo hire rates are £154 for pilot club members and £192.50 for non-members per hour.
4. Aircraft Charter/Hire: Private aircraft hire services for qualified pilots who wish to build hours or fly independently, with aircraft available for daily hire.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

GoFly provides CAA-approved flight training for the Private Pilot's Licence (PPL) and Light Aircraft Pilot's Licence (LAPL), plus supplementary ratings such as Night Flying and IMC/IR, delivered at Old Sarum Airfield in Piper PA-28 Warrior aircraft with FADEC diesel engines. It also sells giftable scenic flight experiences — from £99 trial lessons to one-hour flights over Stonehenge, the Isle of Wight, Longleat, the New Forest and Wiltshire white horses — targeting recreational flyers and gift buyers. Aircraft hire and solo hour-building sessions are offered to qualified pilots.

Product overview

GoFly is a UK-based flight training organization and flying experience provider operating from Old Sarum Airfield in Salisbury, Wiltshire. The company operates as a single integrated offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Its portfolio consists of two core service lines: (1) Pilot training programs for the Private Pilot's Licence (PPL) and Light Aircraft Pilot's Licence (LAPL), including related ratings such as Night Flying and Instrument Meteorological Condition (IMC/IR) training, and (2) A diverse range of scenic flying experiences including flights over Stonehenge, Isle of Wight, Longleat, New Forest, WW1 Fovant Badges, and the Lost WW1 Airfields of Wiltshire. All training and experiences are conducted using the company's Piper PA-28 Warrior aircraft fleet, with experienced flight instructors providing instruction. Additional offerings include introductory trial flights, hour-building packages, and companion courses for non-pilots.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Private Pilot's Licence (PPL) Training CAA Private Pilot's Licence training programme covering a minimum of 45 hours of flight time with ground school in 9 theoretical subjects. Packages start from £9,270 and are delivered using GoFly's Piper PA-28 Warrior fleet at Old Sarum Airfield. Designed for individuals seeking a full private pilot qualification.
• Light Aircraft Pilot's Licence (LAPL) Training LAPL training enabling pilots to act as Pilot in Command on single-engine piston aircraft up to 2000kg with up to three passengers. Includes minimum 35 hours of flight time. Packages start from £6,180. Targeted at individuals seeking a lighter-weight licence than a full PPL.
• Pilot's Licence Starter Lesson A 60-minute first lesson in the Piper Warrior covering a detailed pre-flight briefing and the first flight in the PPL syllabus, lasting approximately 120 minutes total at the airfield. Aimed at prospective PPL students testing their commitment before purchasing a full course.
• Night Flying Rating Night rating qualification training comprising a minimum 5 hours of flight time, 5 hours of theoretical instruction, 3 hours of dual night instruction, cross-country navigation including at least one 50km flight, plus 5 solo take-offs and 5 solo landings. Rating has lifetime validity once obtained.
• Instrument Meteorological Condition (IMC/IR) Training Instrument Meteorological Condition rating qualification for EASA PPL holders. Permits flight in poorer weather conditions and instrument approaches to regional airports, extending the operational utility of the private pilot licence.
• Companion's Right Hand Seat Course Tailored course for non-licensed regular flyers who want to participate actively in flight management without completing full PPL training. Covers aircraft operation understanding through to emergency landing procedures. Aimed at family members of existing private pilots.
• Additional Pilot Hours (Hour Building) Per-hour flight time package for qualified pilots wanting to build time toward a Commercial Pilot's Licence (CPL) or maintain currency. Offered as drop-in sessions with instructors available, with member and non-member rates.
• Pilot Training (Trial Lesson Block) A two-hour block lesson including a one-hour flight with pre- and post-flight classroom instruction under instructor supervision. Targeted at prospective students who want a structured first flying experience before committing to a full PPL course.
• Introductory Flight Experience An introductory passenger scenic flight of approximately 18 minutes in a PA-28 Warrior over Wiltshire and the south coast, with a detailed pre-flight briefing. Priced from £99 — the lowest entry point in the experience range and designed to be giftable.
• 30 Minute Flight Experience A 30-minute scenic flight in the PA-28 Warrior over Wiltshire and the south coast countryside, with about 60 minutes total experience time including pre-flight briefing. A mid-priced gift voucher option.
• Full Flight Experience A one-hour premium scenic flight in the Warrior aircraft over Wiltshire, Fovant badges and surrounding areas with a route discussion with the pilot. Approximately 90 minutes total experience time. Includes a £12 per hour fuel surcharge.
• Stonehenge from the Air Experience A 30-minute scenic flight over the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Stonehenge and surrounding burial mounds, departing from Old Sarum Airfield. Approximately 60 minutes total experience. Key giftable item leveraging iconic Wiltshire heritage.
• Isle of Wight Flight Experience A 60-minute scenic flight from Old Sarum down the Avon valley, across the New Forest to the Isle of Wight and around the Needles. 90 minutes total experience time. A flagship scenic offering.
• Longleat from the Air Experience A 45-minute scenic flight over Longleat House and Safari Park in the PA-28 Cherokee Warrior, departing from Old Sarum. Approximately 90 minutes total experience time. Positioned for visitors interested in the stately home and safari park.
• New Forest from the Air Experience A 30-minute scenic flight over the New Forest National Park in the Cherokee Warrior, including views of New Forest ponies and hidden WW2 airfields. Approximately 60 minutes total experience.
• The White Horses of Wiltshire Experience A 60-minute scenic flight north from Old Sarum to view the white horse chalk carvings at Yatesbury, Devizes, Marlborough and surrounding areas. Approximately 90 minutes total experience time.
• WW1 Fovant Badges Flight Experience A 30-minute scenic flight over the Fovant Badges — regiment badges carved into the chalk hillside above Fovant village — dating from WW1 training camps. Approximately 60 minutes total experience time.
• The Lost WW1 Airfields of Wiltshire Experience A 30-minute scenic flight overflying lost WW1 airfields (Lake Down, Stonehenge, Larkhill) and WW2 airfields (Boscombe Down, High Post, Oatlands Farm) from Old Sarum. Approximately 60 minutes total experience. Anchored in GoFly's heritage location.
• Solo Aircraft Hire Hourly self-fly hire of the PA-28 Warrior aircraft at Old Sarum Airfield for qualified pilots. £154 per hour for pilot club members, £192.50 for non-members. Includes aircraft dispatch and access to the company's airfield facilities.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• GoSkydivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoSkydive is GoFly's sister company, sharing the same site at Old Sarum Airfield. While GoFly focuses on flight training and experiences, GoSkydive offers tandem and AFF skydiving experiences. The two companies share facilities including the onsite café and create a combined aviation destination.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Goodwood Flying School: Flight training school at the iconic Goodwood Aerodrome offering PPL, LAPL, hour-building, and trial lessons; comparable historic airfield setting, premium southern-England positioning, and dual training/experience customer base.
• Stapleford Flight Centre: Long-established UK PPL/LAPL flight training school at a heritage Essex airfield offering trial lessons, PPL training, and aircraft hire - the closest direct analogue to GoFly in terms of services, customer base, and airfield-based operations.
• Booker Aviation (Wycombe Air Park): UK flight training and aircraft hire operator at Wycombe Air Park offering PPL, LAPL, IMC, and trial experiences; directly comparable in service mix and target customer (aspiring private pilots and experience gift-buyers).
• Aeros Flight Training (Blackbushe): UK flight training organisation at Blackbushe Airport offering modular pilot training including PPL, ATPL theory, and hour-building; competes for the same modular training customer and operates a comparable school-plus-experiences model.
• Biggin Hill Flight Centre: Flight school near London offering PPL, LAPL, trial lessons, and aircraft hire; comparable product mix targeting recreational pilots and gift buyers in southern England.
• Redhill Flight Centre: Flight training school near London offering PPL, LAPL, IMC, and trial lessons; competes for the same aspiring-recreational-pilot and gift-experience segments in southern England.
• Headcorn Aerodrome (Tenterden Flying Club): Kent-based heritage airfield offering PPL training, trial lessons, scenic flights, and a skydive centre - a close thematic twin to GoFly's Old Sarum / GoSkydive co-location model.

Broad incumbents

• CAE Oxford Aviation Academy (now CAE): Large integrated ATPL training organisation historically based at Oxford Airport; the dominant UK commercial pilot training incumbent, competing for the upper end of GoFly's aspiring-pilot funnel.
• SaxonAir (Norwich): Larger East Anglian aviation group offering flight training alongside charter, FBO, and management services; broader portfolio but overlapping training and experience offerings make it a relevant incumbent comparable.

Emerging players

• Flight Experience UK (iFly365 / Experience Days operators): Aggregator and operator of scenic trial-flight and aviation experience days across multiple UK airfields; competes with GoFly for the gift-experience customer through marketplace distribution and bundled offers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GoFlyUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gofly

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 GoFly