NASAO

What NASAO does

NASAO is a 501(c) nonprofit membership association founded in 1931 that represents the public-interest voice of state governments in U.S. aviation. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, it serves all 50 state aviation agencies plus Guam and Puerto Rico, with a small four-person staff led by President & CEO Gregory Pecoraro. Its core mission is advocating for uniformity in aviation safety measures, standardization of airport regulations, and coordination between state and federal governments on national air transportation policy.

NASAO generates revenue through a tiered membership model: Business Partners pay $1,500-$3,500 annually (Standard, Enhanced, Premium tiers) for visibility and engagement benefits; State Agency Partners pay $1,000; Airport Partners pay $25-$500 with 418 currently enrolled; and State Association Partners pay $500. Additional revenue comes from event registration at the Annual Convention & Trade Show (2026 scheduled for Grand Forks, ND, September 13-16). The core product is the Aviation Training Program, an LMS-based curriculum of 30+ courses on airport environment, planning, engineering, funding, and public outreach. Complementary offerings include the NASAO Brief weekly newsletter, the State Aviation Databook, the AAM Multistate Collaborative (24+ states), the Henry O. Scholarship Program ($2,500 to three students), the FAI International Aviation Art Contest for youth, and quarterly educator webinars.

The organization's key strategic assets are regulatory: an official cooperative MOU with the FAA (renewed January 2024 covering Runway Safety, UAS/AAM, and Education Outreach), an MOU with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and a standing committee partnership with AASHTO. A 501(c)(3) subsidiary, NASAO Center for Aviation Research and Education (C.A.R.E.), was established in 1986 to handle youth education and research dissemination. Technology infrastructure is outsourced: YourMembership for member management, Cvent for event registration, and Facebook/LinkedIn OAuth for social login. No AI/ML capabilities are evident in the current operating model.

Name

NASAO

Legal name

National Association of State Aviation Officials

Website

https://nasao.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1931

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NASAO is a 501(c) nonprofit membership association founded in 1931 that represents the aviation agencies of all 50 U.S. states, Guam, and Puerto Rico. It provides federal advocacy, training programs, and networking to state governments, airports, and aviation industry partners through tiered memberships and an annual convention.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mclean

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Business Partner Memberships: Annual membership fees from business partners at three tiers: Standard ($1,500), Enhanced ($2,500), and Premium ($3,500). Benefits include website visibility, newsletter access, event discounts, committee participation, and webinar registration.
2. Airport Partner Memberships: Fees ranging from $25-$500 for airport organizations, providing access to training, data resources, newsletters, and event discounts.
3. State Agency Partner Memberships: State Agency Partners pay $1,000 annually with committee participation benefits.
4. State Association Partner Memberships: State-level aviation associations pay $500 annually for national visibility and resource access.
5. Event Registration: Revenue from annual conventions, conferences, and webinars including the NASAO Annual Convention & Trade Show.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

NASAO is a national nonprofit membership association representing state aviation agencies across all 50 states, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Its core offering is a portfolio of member-based services and programs: federal advocacy before the FAA and Congress, a 30+ course Aviation Training Program, the AAM Multistate Collaborative for Advanced Air Mobility policy coordination, the State Aviation Databook, weekly newsletters, quarterly webinars, annual conventions, scholarships, and the FAI International Aviation Art Contest, all delivered to state aviation agencies, airports, and aviation industry business partners through tiered annual memberships.

Product overview

NASAO is a professional association offering a portfolio of membership-based services and programs for the aviation industry. The core offerings include the Aviation Training Program (30+ courses for state aviation employees), the NASAO Center for Aviation Research and Education (C.A.R.E.) nonprofit for aviation education, the AAM Multistate Collaborative for Advanced Air Mobility policy coordination, the Henry O. Scholarship Program for aviation students, the FAI International Aviation Art Contest for youth, the NASAO Brief weekly newsletter, the State Aviation Databook, and quarterly Center Webinars. Additional programs include tiered Business Partner membership ($1,500-$3,500 annually) and Airport Partners membership for affiliate airports. These products work together to serve state aviation agencies, airport operators, and aviation industry stakeholders through education, advocacy, and networking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aviation Training Program An introductory online training program offering 30+ courses for state government aviation employees on the airport environment, including airport system planning, infrastructure maintenance, airport project review and oversight, and stakeholder engagement. Delivered via a web-based learning management system.
• NASAO Annual Convention & Trade Show NASAO's flagship annual event featuring educational sessions, a trade show with booth opportunities for business partners, and business meetings. The 2026 event is held in Grand Forks, ND, September 13-16.
• Business Partner Program Three-tier annual membership program (Standard $1,500, Enhanced $2,500, Premium $3,500) for aviation industry corporations and associations, providing website logo visibility, NASAO Brief newsletter inclusion, preferential booth placement at conventions, complimentary Overview & Outlook advertising, committee participation, and webinar hosting rights.
• Airport Partners Program Annual airport membership program launched in 2023 with 418 participating airports, providing legislative alerts, training access, data resources, newsletters, and event discounts for fees ranging from $25 to $500 based on airport size.
• AAM Multistate Collaborative An initiative of state government aviation agencies coordinated by NASAO to address Advanced Air Mobility integration into the U.S. National Airspace System; serves as a forum for states to discuss state-level policies and infrastructure needed to support AAM operations. Currently includes 24+ states.
• NASAO Center for Aviation Research and Education (C.A.R.E.) A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1986 as NASAO's wholly owned subsidiary that collects, analyzes, and disseminates state-focused information on the aviation industry and National Airspace System, and provides educational opportunities for youth and educators (including the Henry O. Scholarship and the FAI International Aviation Art Contest).
• NASAO Brief NASAO's weekly digital newsletter featuring legislative alerts, industry news, member updates, job postings, and business partner announcements; distributed via email with free inclusion for Business Partners.
• State Aviation Databook An interactive online dataset of aviation facts, figures, and research information available to NASAO members, providing state-level data on the aviation industry and National Airspace System.
• FAI International Aviation Art Contest Annual art contest for children ages 6-17, sanctioned by NASAO and the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) under the FAI, promoting aviation awareness through youth art; U.S. state winners advance to international judging.
• Henry O. Scholarship Program Annual scholarship program awarding $2,500 each to three college students pursuing aviation or aerospace careers; requires incoming junior/senior status and a minimum 3.0 GPA. Administered through NASAO C.A.R.E.
• NASAO Center Webinars Free quarterly educational webinars for educators featuring guest speakers from the aviation industry, hosted by the Aviation Education Committee.

Quantifiable outcome

• States invest over $3 billion annually in aviation infrastructure and programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 January 2024NASAO has an official cooperative agreement/MOU with the FAA established in 2024, continuing the long-term partnership to provide government products and services to the aviation industry. Multiple specific MOUs cover Runway Safety, UAS and AAM, Aviation and Space Education Outreach, and other areas.
• American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023NASAO and AASHTO coordinate on aviation policy matters through the NASAO/AASHTO Standing Committee on Aviation. In 2023, they renewed their cooperative MOU for aviation policy coordination.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOU established in 2013 commits NASAO, FAA, and USDA to explore methods of engaging state government aviation agencies to work with airports on wildlife strike reporting, data gathering, and outreach.
• Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNASAO and National Aeronautic Association (NAA) sanction the U.S. portion of the FAI International Aviation Art Contest for children ages 6-17, promoting aviation awareness through art.
• National Aeronautic Association (NAA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAA sanctions the U.S. Aviation Art Contest coordinated by NASAO and serves as the national judging body for submissions forwarded by state winners.
• State Aviation Agencies (AAM Multistate Collaborative)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNASAO AAM Multistate Collaborative is an initiative of state government agencies focused on Advanced Air Mobility integration into the National Airspace System. Currently includes 24+ states including Alabama, Alaska, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmbry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Prescott campus) supports the FAI International Aviation Art Contest as an educational partner, helping promote aviation education to youth.
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAA supports the FAI International Aviation Art Contest and is a partner in aviation education outreach initiatives through an MOU with NASAO.
• National Coalition for Aviation and Space EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCASE supports the FAI International Aviation Art Contest, promoting aviation and space education to youth across the United States.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE): AAAE is a membership association for airport executives and operators, offering training, accreditation, and advocacy — directly comparable to NASAO's airport-focused training, certification, and federal advocacy programs.
• Airports Council International - North America (ACI-NA): ACI-NA represents commercial airports in the U.S. and Canada with advocacy and policy work similar to NASAO's federal advocacy, though its members are airports rather than state aviation agencies.
• General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA): GAMA represents manufacturers of general aviation aircraft and advocates on their behalf in Washington — a directly comparable trade association operating in the same aviation policy ecosystem as NASAO.
• Airlines for America (A4A): A4A is the trade association for major U.S. airlines, conducting federal advocacy on aviation policy — directly comparable to NASAO in association/revenue model and Washington advocacy footprint.
• National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL): NCSL is a bipartisan membership organization serving state legislators — comparable in nonprofit association model, state-level membership base, and federal policy coordination role to NASAO.
• National League of Cities: National League of Cities is a membership association serving municipal governments on federal policy — comparable in nonprofit association model, state/local government membership base, and federal advocacy focus to NASAO.
• American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO): AASHTO is a nonprofit association of state transportation departments and a direct counterpart to NASAO; it already partners with NASAO through a standing committee on aviation, reflecting highly comparable membership, advocacy, and policy roles at the state DOT level.

Broad incumbents

• National Governors Association (NGA): NGA represents the governors of all 50 states and territories on federal policy — directly comparable to NASAO in representing state government interests nationally, but covering the full breadth of state policy rather than aviation specifically.
• National Business Aviation Association (NBAA): NBAA is a large business aviation association with convention, training, and federal advocacy programs — overlapping with NASAO in advocacy and events but serving corporate flight departments rather than state agencies.
• Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA): AOPA is a much larger general aviation membership organization with extensive government affairs and training; comparable in association/revenue model and aviation advocacy focus but represents pilots rather than state agencies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nasaoofficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/NASAOofficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nasao

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 NASAO