What Holdshort Aviation Systems does

Holdshort Aviation Systems, LLC is a privately held, Nevada-domiciled software company founded in 2003 that operates a cloud-based SaaS platform for aircraft scheduling and flight management. The platform serves general aviation organizations — primarily flight schools, flying clubs, fixed base operators (FBOs), aircraft partnerships, corporate flight departments, and charter operators — providing aircraft reservation management with calendar views, waiting lists, pilot credential verification, weight and balance calculations, and maintenance tracking. Native iOS and Android applications, launched in June 2017, allow pilots to schedule and check aircraft in or out remotely.

The product is built on a modular architecture: a core scheduling engine is supplemented by add-on modules including a Stripe-integrated Billing and Payments module, a Maintenance Management module with Hobbs/Tach-driven inspection reminders, a Reports module with Excel export, a Weight and Balance calculator, and an AOPA Flight Training integration that syncs training records with the AOPA platform. A distinctive capability is automated FAA certificate enforcement, which validates pilot ratings, medical class and expiration dates, endorsements, and flight review status against reservations. All modules share a common authentication layer, including Google and Microsoft OAuth SSO, and pilots can operate a single account across multiple participating organizations.

The business operates on a tiered subscription model priced from $1,000/month (Shared Plane, single aircraft) through $49,900/month (Enterprise, unlimited aircraft and locations), with a 60-day free trial and self-serve sign-up via the website or mobile app stores. Go-to-market is primarily product-led and direct-to-customer, supplemented by content marketing, organic search, and partner channels (notably AOPA). The company is founder-owned with no disclosed external funding, no public revenue figures, no headcount data, and no senior leadership disclosures, indicating a small, bootstrapped operation that has sustained operations for over two decades.

Name

Holdshort Aviation Systems

Legal name

Holdshort Aviation Systems, LLC

Website

https://holdshort.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Carson City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue: Tiered subscription plans billed monthly or annually. Plans range from Shared Plane ($1000/month) to Enterprise ($49900/month). Additional revenue from add-on aircraft ($5/month) and locations ($10/month).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Holdshort Aviation Systems develops and sells a cloud-based SaaS platform that enables flight schools, flying clubs, FBOs, aircraft partnerships, and corporate flight departments to schedule aircraft, manage pilot credentials, track maintenance, calculate weight and balance, and process member billing. The offering is delivered via a web application at holdshort.com and native iOS and Android mobile apps on a tiered monthly and annual subscription basis.

Product overview

Holdshort Aviation Systems offers a unified cloud-based aviation management platform centered on aircraft scheduling and flight management. The core product consists of a web-based platform (holdshort.com) accessible via browser, complemented by native iOS and Android mobile applications. The platform operates on a modular architecture with the core scheduling engine supplemented by optional add-on modules including: a Billing and Payments Module (Stripe-integrated invoicing), a Maintenance Management Module (inspection tracking and discrepancy management), a Reports Module (customizable reporting with Excel export), AOPA Curriculum Integration (sync with AOPA Flight Training), and a Weight and Balance Calculator. All modules share a common database and user authentication system, allowing pilots to maintain single accounts across multiple organizations. The system is designed for flight schools, flying clubs, FBOs, aircraft partnerships, and corporate aviation operations, with tiered subscription plans (Shared Plane, Flying Club, Flight School, Enterprise) offering different aircraft/user capacity limits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Holdshort Web Platform Cloud-based online aircraft scheduling and flight management platform accessible via web browser. Provides complete reservation management with calendar views (Month, Week, Day, Pilot), pilot credential tracking, FAA certificate enforcement, weight and balance calculations, maintenance scheduling, dispatch check-in/check-out, billing and payments, and organizational administration for aviation businesses and individual pilots.
• Holdshort iOS App Native mobile application for Apple iOS devices that enables pilots to schedule aircraft, perform remote check-in and check-out, track Hobbs and Tach times, and navigate flight schedules on the go from iPhone and iPad.
• Holdshort Android App Native mobile application for Android devices that enables pilots to schedule aircraft, perform remote check-in and check-out, track Hobbs and Tach times, and navigate flight schedules on the go.

Quantifiable outcome

• Aircraft break-even at approximately 20 hours of utilization per month
• +1 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• StripecoreTechnology or Integration · 29 October 2019Stripe provides payment processing API for the Billing and Payments Module. Organizations can invoice and charge members through Stripe integration. Holdshort does not process or store payment data - all payments handled through Stripe's secure platform.
• AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association)coreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with AOPA Flight Training app allows flight schools to sync training data between Holdshort and AOPA platforms. All required information is synced automatically between the two systems for flight training management.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• MyFlightBook: Pilot flight logging and record-keeping platform with some scheduling-adjacent functionality. Comparable on pilot credential tracking and individual-pilot workflows, but narrower than Holdshort's org-centric scheduling focus.
• CloudAhoy: Post-flight debriefing and flight operations analytics for pilots and training organizations. Comparable on serving flight schools and individual pilots, but focuses on post-flight analytics rather than scheduling.

Broad incumbents

• Garmin Pilot: Major avionics manufacturer's flight planning app for pilots and operators. Comparable on pilot user base and aviation domain expertise, but broader portfolio and different primary use case (planning vs. scheduling).
• FlightAware: Largest flight tracking platform with operator and FBO-facing dashboards. Comparable on serving aviation businesses with operational dashboards, but covers a much broader scope of aviation (commercial + GA).
• ForeFlight: Dominant GA pilot app for flight planning, weather, and electronic flight bags; overlaps with Holdshort on the pilot-user base but focuses on preflight/planning rather than scheduling/operations.

Others

• Aircraft Bluebook: Aviation valuation and data provider serving operators, lenders, and FBOs. Comparable as a data/information service for aviation businesses, but functionally distinct from Holdshort's scheduling platform.
• Sporty's Pilot Shop: Pilot training retailer offering courses, supplies, and the Pilot Training Companion app. Comparable on the pilot training ecosystem, but not a direct scheduling software competitor.
• AOPA: Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association — the largest GA association in the U.S. and a Holdshort integration partner. Comparable as an ecosystem/influencer in the GA pilot market, though not a software competitor.

Direct peers

• Flight Circle: Flight school and FBO scheduling platform with pilot credential tracking, online scheduling, and billing features. Closely comparable in vertical, target customer, and product scope.
• Flight Schedule Pro: Direct competitor offering cloud-based aircraft and instructor scheduling software for flight schools, flying clubs, and FBOs. Highly comparable on target customer, core functionality (scheduling, dispatch, billing), and delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/holdshortcom
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/holdshort-aviation-systems-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Holdshort Aviation Systems