Soaring Eagle Foundation

What Soaring Eagle Foundation does

Soaring Eagle Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization founded in 2012 and registered in the State of Colorado, headquartered in Peyton, Colorado. The foundation delivers free glider flight experiences and structured training through its two-day Flight Academy program, targeting wounded and physically disabled U.S. military veterans (and their families) and underserved youth who lack prior access to or resources for aviation training. Its secondary offering is a full FAA Private Glider Pilot Certificate pathway covering 30 solo flights, 60 preparation flights, a written exam, and a checkride. The stated differentiator is accessibility—glider pilots in the U.S. are not subject to an FAA medical certificate requirement and instead rely on self-certification, allowing applicants regardless of limb function to participate.

Program delivery runs on a volunteer instructor corps composed of FAA Certified Instructor Pilots, the majority of whom are retired U.S. Air Force aviators and current or former United Airlines line pilots; collectively the cadre holds more than 100 years of flight experience. Two training sites are used: the US Air Force Academy campus in Colorado Springs and Meadow Lake Airport in Falcon, Colorado, with the latter providing access to High Flights Soaring Club for the advanced license pathway.

The business model is donation-funded and volunteer-staffed: the Flight Academy is offered at no charge to participants, and ongoing operational funding comes entirely from charitable contributions via the foundation's website and PayPal donation page. Program scale is small—approximately 60+ veterans served cumulatively—and there is no disclosed revenue. The foundation has no subsidiaries, no disclosed funding rounds, no M&A activity, and no patent portfolio. Its growth, if any, is incremental and dependent on donor support rather than commercial revenue mechanics.

Name

Soaring Eagle Foundation

Legal name

Soaring Eagle Foundation

Website

https://soaringeaglefoundationusa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Soaring Eagle Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit, founded in 2012, that provides free glider flight training and FAA-certified instruction to wounded and disabled veterans, their families, and underserved youth, delivered through partnerships with the US Air Force Academy and veteran organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Aviation Training

NAICS

Flight Training (611512), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Aircraft (3721)

akta.pro primary industry

Aerial Adventure & Flight Schools (Paragliding, Hang Gliding, Paramotoring) (THAAAKAA)

Keywords

• Glider flight training
• Veteran aviation programs
• Nonprofit flight academy
• Youth aviation outreach
• FAA glider certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Peyton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501c3 nonprofit, Soaring Eagle Foundation relies entirely on charitable donations from donors to fund operations and provide free Flight Academies to veterans and underserved youth.
2. Volunteer Time and Talent: FAA-certified volunteer instructors provide flight instruction at no cost to program participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Soaring Eagle Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit that provides free glider flight training and experiences to wounded and physically disabled veterans, their families, and under-represented youth through its two-day Flight Academy program. The foundation uses FAA Certified Instructor Pilots to teach glider aerodynamics, soaring weather, and sailplane flying procedures, and offers participants a pathway toward earning an FAA Private Glider Pilot Certificate. All program services are delivered at no cost to participants, funded by charitable donations and volunteer support.

Product overview

Soaring Eagle Foundation operates as a single integrated program offering glider flight experiences and training to veterans and underserved youth. The core offering is the Flight Academy—a two-day program combining classroom instruction on aerodynamics, weather, and flying procedures with hands-on flying. Additional services include full FAA Private Glider Pilot Certificate training (requiring 30 solo flights, 60 preparation flights, written exam, and checkride), free soaring experiences for wounded/disabled veterans and their families, and youth aviation programs. All instruction is delivered by FAA Certified Instructor Pilots at locations including the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and Meadow Lake Airport in Falcon, Colorado.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Flight Academy A two-day flight training program consisting of a half-day classroom session on aerodynamics, weather, and glider flying procedures, followed by practical flying experience with FAA-certified instructors. Provided at no cost to wounded/disabled veterans, their families, and under-represented youth.
• Veterans Soaring Experience Free glider flight experiences for wounded or disabled veterans and their families, provided at no cost through partner support and charitable donations.
• Youth Aviation Program Introduction to soaring for under-represented youth, providing access to flight training and aviation career exposure they would not otherwise have.
• FAA Glider Pilot License Training Full training program leading to FAA Private Glider Pilot Certificate, including 30 solo flights, 60 preparation flights, written exam, and checkride. Training costs are shared with students, with flights arranged through High Flights Soaring Club at Meadow Lake Airport.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• US Air Force AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWith its mission to educate, train and inspire future officers, the Air Force Academy supports Soaring Eagle's goals. They generously donate time, materials and talent. Flight Academy sessions are held at the USAFA campus in Colorado Springs.
• Wounded Warrior Project Colorado SpringscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSoaring Eagle works with the Wounded Warrior Project Colorado Springs to identify and educate interested veterans about the program's opportunities.
• American Legion Post 2008coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a veterans' organization devoted to mutual helpfulness and serving all veterans, Soaring Eagle is a perfect partner dedicated to a similar mission of supporting veterans.
• High Flights Soaring Club at Meadow LakeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSoaring Eagle Foundation arranges payment for flights at High Flights Soaring Club at Meadow Lake Airport for students continuing toward their FAA Glider Pilot license.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Soaring Society of America: National governing body for soaring in the US, representing gliding clubs and members nationwide. Comparable as a broader ecosystem player around sailplane activity, but membership-driven rather than charity/grant-driven and not specifically veteran-focused.

Direct peers

• Able Flight: A 501c3 nonprofit that provides flight training scholarships and ground school for people with disabilities, including veterans. Most directly comparable to Soaring Eagle in mission (accessible aviation training for disabled participants), structure (nonprofit, FAA-certified instructors, free program), and beneficiary type.
• Young Eagles (EAA): Experimental Aircraft Association program offering free introductory flights to youth ages 8–17. Mirrors Soaring Eagle's youth aviation introduction mission, volunteer pilot model, and zero-cost participant offering, though it operates at far larger scale and uses powered aircraft.
• Challenge Air: A nonprofit that offers free flights and aviation ground school for children and veterans with physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges, often using volunteer pilots. Closely matches Soaring Eagle's combination of therapeutic aviation exposure and veteran/youth focus.
• Wings of Hope: A nonprofit providing free medical air transport and aviation education programs, including youth exposure to flight. Compares on nonprofit aviation mission, volunteer-pilot model, and outreach to underserved communities, though its core service line is medical flights rather than instruction.

Emerging players

• Sky's the Limit Fund: A nonprofit that funds flight training scholarships for at-risk and underrepresented youth, partnering with flight schools and instructors. Overlaps with Soaring Eagle's underserved youth pathway toward certification, though it does not focus on veterans.
• Above the Clouds: A nonprofit providing uplifting flight experiences for children with serious illnesses, disabilities, or challenging life circumstances. Compares on therapeutic-flight mission and donor-funded model, but centers more on children/sick youth than veterans and is smaller in aviation-training scope.

Regional players

• High Flights Soaring Club: Colorado-based club at Meadow Lake Airport where Soaring Eagle arranges continuing flight training for veterans pursuing their glider license. Direct operational partner and a regional soaring instruction provider serving the same geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/soaring-eagle-foundation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Soaring Eagle Foundation