Patty Wagstaff Airshows

What Patty Wagstaff Airshows does

Patty Wagstaff Airshows, Inc. is a privately-held, founder-operated flight training and airshow performance business headquartered at St. Augustine Airport (KSGJ) in St. Augustine, Florida. Founded in its current form in 2013 through subsidiary Patty Wagstaff Aviation Safety LLC, the company delivers three core service lines: aerobatic and airmanship flight training (2-hour, 5-hour, and 10-hour courses plus a la carte instruction) conducted in Extra 300L and Super Decathlon aircraft; Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT) designed to IATA, ICAO, and FAA guidelines; and professional unlimited solo aerobatic airshow performances flown since 1984 across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. The company also operates the Patty Wagstaff Aviation Foundation, a 501(c)(3) providing UPRTA scholarships to aspiring career aviators.

The underlying technology stack is purpose-built hardware rather than software: German-built Extra 300S and Extra 300L aircraft equipped with carbon fiber wings and control surfaces, steel tube fuselage, Barrett Precision Engines-modified Lycoming AIO-540 powerplants producing 350 hp, and MT Propeller 3-blade constant speed props capable of ±10G loads, roll rates up to 420 deg/sec, and climb rates exceeding 4,000 ft/min. Equipment sponsorships from Bose, MT Propeller, Barrett Precision Engines, Champion Aerospace, Goodyear, Concorde Battery, Lord Corporation, Oregon Aero, Sarasota Avionics, PS Engineering, and FlightAdventures materially underwrite the fleet's capital and operating costs.

Revenue is generated through one-time course tuition (with a $500 non-refundable deposit, 3% credit card surcharge, and gift certificate availability), per-event airshow performance fees, corporate demo pilot engagements, ACE evaluations, and a la carte coaching/consulting. Go-to-market is direct-to-customer via the company website, contact forms, and phone/email inquiries, supplemented by two channel partnerships: SIMCOM Training Centers, which refers simulator-training customers for in-cockpit UPRT, and Sporty's Pilot Shop, which co-produces and distributes digital video courses ('Introduction to Aerobatics' and 'Basic Aerobatics', launched 2020). Customer segments span individual pilots, aerobatic competitors, airshow organizers, and corporate/airline flight departments. The business has no external investors, no funding rounds, and is wholly owned by founder Patty Wagstaff, whose personal credentials — 3-time US National Aerobatic Champion (first woman to win the title), 6-time US Aerobatic Team member, National Aviation Hall of Fame inductee, and Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum aircraft display — are the central differentiator and primary scaling constraint.

Name

Patty Wagstaff Airshows

Legal name

Patty Wagstaff Airshows, Inc.

Website

https://pattywagstaff.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Patty Wagstaff Airshows is a founder-operated Florida flight training and airshow performance business offering aerobatic instruction, upset prevention training, and unlimited solo aerobatic airshows, serving individual pilots, flight departments, and airshow organizers through direct sales and partnerships with SIMCOM and Sporty's Pilot Shop.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Augustine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Airshow Performances: Professional airshow flying services providing dynamic, hardcore unlimited solo aerobatics performances up to 15 minutes including inverted ribbon pickup. Includes performances for event organizers, corporate events, and airshows throughout North America and internationally.
2. Flight Training Courses: Aerobatic and airmanship training courses including 2-hour confidence course, 5-hour airmanship and basic aerobatics course, and 10-hour airmanship and aerobatics course. Also offers individual a la carte instruction, ACE evaluations, and consulting services.
3. Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT): One-day, two-flight UPRT course in the Extra 300L designed to teach pilots to recognize, avoid, and recover from flight upsets. Offered to individuals, groups, and flight departments.
4. Video Training Courses: Co-produced video courses on aerobatics with Sporty's Pilot Shop, including Introduction to Aerobatics and Basic Aerobatics courses featuring nearly four hours of video content.
5. Demo Pilot Services: Corporate and individual airplane demonstration pilot services for airshows, including U.S. and international experience. Previously served as Raytheon/Beechcraft demo pilot for T6A/B Texan II.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Patty Wagstaff Airshows provides aerobatic and airmanship flight training, Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT), professional airshow performances, and coaching/consulting at its St. Augustine, Florida facility using purpose-built Extra 300L, Extra 300S, and Super Decathlon aircraft. The company also co-produces video aerobatics courses distributed through Sporty's Pilot Shop.

Product overview

Patty Wagstaff Airshows operates as a flight training and airshow performance company offering a portfolio of services including aerobatic instruction, upset prevention and recovery training (UPRTA), and professional airshow performances. The core offerings center around flight training programs (2-hour, 5-hour, and 10-hour courses) conducted in Extra 300L and Super Decathlon aircraft at their St. Augustine, Florida facility, supplemented by video training courses co-produced with Sporty's Pilot Shop. The company also operates the Patty Wagstaff Aviation Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization providing scholarships for UPRTA training to aspiring career aviators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aerobatic Instruction Aerobatic flight training offered year-round in St. Augustine, Florida, using Extra 300L and Super Decathlon aircraft. Training ranges from basic maneuvers to unlimited aerobatics, spin training, unusual attitude recognition, and tailwheel endorsements.
• Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT) One-day, two-flight upset prevention and recovery course taught in the Extra 300L following IATA, ICAO and FAA guidelines. Designed to help pilots recognize and avoid upset conditions and learn life-saving recovery skills transferable to any aircraft. Offered to individuals, groups, and flight departments.
• Airshow Performances Dynamic, hardcore unlimited solo aerobatic performances up to 15 minutes featuring competition-style maneuvers including inverted ribbon pickup. Flown in Extra aircraft at airshows throughout North America and internationally since 1984, with 1,000+ performances delivered.
• Video Training Courses Educational and instructional video courses on aerobatics co-produced with Sporty's Pilot Shop, including Introduction to Aerobatics and Basic Aerobatics. Available on laptop, iPhone, iPad, Android, and smart TV.
• Aerobatic Competency Evaluations (ACE) Formal evaluations for airshow pilots seeking to obtain a Statement of Aerobatic Competency.
• Coaching and Consulting Services Critiquing and coaching for competition and airshow pilots, demo pilot services for corporations or individuals, and formation training.

Quantifiable outcome

• Exceeds FAA requirements for spin recovery endorsements for CFIs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sporty's Pilot ShopcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-producer of video training courses on aerobatics including Introduction to Aerobatics and Basic Aerobatics. Sporty's markets and distributes these courses to their extensive pilot customer base.
• SIMCOM Training CenterscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSIMCOM chose Patty Wagstaff Aviation Safety as their official Upset Training provider. SIMCOM refers their simulator training customers for in-cockpit UPRT training. Recognized leader in simulator training for business and general aviation pilots.
• Bose CorporationminorOthersSponsor providing aviation headsets. Bose is maker of the best noise canceling headsets in aviation.
• MT PropellerminorOthersSponsor - maker of aerobatic propellers. German manufacturer producing sophisticated composite props used on the Extra aircraft.
• Barrett Precision EnginesminorOthersSponsor - engine rebuild facility in Tulsa. Only facility Patty trusts to rebuild the Lycoming AIO-540 engine powering her Extra 300S.
• Champion AerospaceminorOthersSponsor - manufacturer of high-performance aviation spark plugs, harnesses and oil filters.
• Goodyear Tire CorporationminorOthersSponsor providing aviation tires.
• Concorde BatteryminorOthersSponsor - manufacturer of premium quality lead-acid batteries for commercial and military aircraft.
• Lord CorporationminorOthersSponsor - manufacturer of rubber-to-metal products including engine mounts, elastomeric bearings, and vibration control products.
• Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA)minorOthersPatty is an ambassador for AOPA, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.
• Ladd Gardner InsuranceminorOthersSponsor - aviation insurance provider with 60+ years combined experience.
• Oregon AerominorOthersSponsor - leader in long-duration seating comfort, designing seat cushions for OEM, certified, experimental, and homebuilt aircraft.
• Sarasota AvionicsminorOthersSponsor - largest installing Garmin dealer in the United States. Handles avionics installations including Garmin GPS-396, SL-40 and GTX-330 Mode-S.
• FlightAdventuresminorOthersSponsor - company bringing flight simulation to life for real world flight skills benefit.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sean D. Tucker Airshows: Renowned unlimited aerobatic airshow performer offering solo performances, corporate demos, and aerobatic coaching; directly comparable as an elite-tier aerobatic performer with the same narrow customer base of airshow organizers and corporate sponsors.
• SIMCOM Training Centers: Flight and simulator training center for business and general aviation pilots that already refers UPRT customers to Patty Wagstaff Aviation Safety; comparable in target customer (professional pilots) and training segment, with both partnership overlap and partial competitive overlap.
• Aviation Performance Solutions: Specialist provider of Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT) for pilots and flight departments, directly competing with Patty Wagstaff Aviation Safety's UPRTA offering in the same FAA/IATA/ICAO-aligned curriculum segment.
• Aeroshell Aerobatic Team: Established multi-ship aerobatic demonstration team performing at major North American airshows; comparable as a competing airshow act competing for the same event organizer budgets and limited festival calendar dates.

Broad incumbents

• CAE: Major aviation training services provider operating training centers and simulator-based pilot programs worldwide; relevant comparable for advanced pilot training services and enterprise flight-department contracts.
• FlightSafety International: Dominant global flight training organization with full-motion simulators and type-rated programs serving commercial, corporate, and military aviators; offers overlapping advanced pilot training capabilities and significant UPRT content as part of a much larger portfolio.

Others

• Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA): Largest GA pilot membership organization Patty serves as ambassador for; adjacent ecosystem player offering its own training products (e.g., Rusty Pilots, online courses) reaching the same pilot audience.
• Sporty's Pilot Shop: Long-standing aviation education retailer and course producer; partner/distributor for Patty Wagstaff video courses and similar flight training content—comparable in serving the same pilot-training customer base with curriculum-based digital products.

Emerging players

• SAFE Pro / Survival Systems Training: Smaller specialized UPRT and emergency maneuver training provider for professional pilots and flight departments; emerging niche peer competing for the same upset-training-compliance budget.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pattyaerobatics
• Facebookfacebook.com/PWAS1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/patty-wagstaff-airshows-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 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 Patty Wagstaff Airshows