AeroStar Avion Institute

What AeroStar Avion Institute does

AeroStar Avion Institute is a Chicago-based nonprofit educational organization that delivers aviation and STEM programming to youth and adults, with a stated mission focused on underrepresented populations including female, African American, Latino, and underserved youth. Founded in 2008 originally as AeroStar Consulting Corporation and formalized as a nonprofit institute in 2017 by Dr. Tammera L. Holmes alongside Kristy Farrakhan and Kim McCommon, the organization operates a tiered program portfolio: AeroSparks for grades K-4, Aviation Exploration (AeroStars) for grades 5-8, Aviation Apprenticeships for grades 9-12 delivered in partnership with After School Matters, AeroWork adult workforce development, and the Aero Ambassador alumni mentoring program. Programming is built around hands-on equipment including professional-grade flight simulators, virtual reality training systems, remote-controlled helicopters and airplanes, rocket-building kits, and a Build A Glider project developed with STIIX. An E-Learning Academy at aaiaeroverse.com extends content delivery online.

The organization generates revenue through three streams: per-participant program fees (e.g., $175 per participant for the two-week summer camp), a portfolio of donations and grants from corporate, foundation, and government sources (notably a $50,000 MacArthur Foundation award, plus funding from United Airlines, Milhouse Charities, Jack and Jill of America, and the Department of Labor), and product sales of educational glider kits through a NeonCRM e-commerce storefront. Distribution occurs via direct Eventbrite registration for camps and workshops, school and community organization channel partnerships (Chicago Public Schools, After School Matters), and its own website. The organization employs 1-10 staff at its headquarters at 122 South Michigan Avenue in Chicago's Loop district, and has served hundreds of program participants ages 5-18 since inception.

Name

AeroStar Avion Institute

Legal name

AeroStar Avion Institute

Website

https://avioninstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AeroStar Avion Institute is a Chicago-based nonprofit that delivers aviation and STEM education programs to K-12 youth and adults, with a focus on underrepresented and underserved communities in the Chicago metropolitan area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation STEM Education

NAICS

Flight Training (611512), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Drones, UAVs & Aerial Robotics Programs (EDAMADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Aviation & Aerospace (EDABALAC)

Keywords

• Aviation STEM education
• Youth workforce development
• Flight simulation training
• Aviation career pipeline
• STEM nonprofit programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

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, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: Registration fees for summer camps, after-school programs, and aviation exploration workshops. Programs include AeroStar Aviation Exploration Summer Camp ($175 per participant), AeroSparks (K-4), and Aviation Exploration (5-8) programs
2. Donations and Grants: Reliance on corporate and individual donors, foundation grants (MacArthur Foundation $50,000), and government funding (Department of Labor) to support operations and scholarship programs
3. Product Sales: Sale of educational products including classroom glider bins and individual glider kits for hands-on STEM learning activities

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

AeroStar Avion Institute delivers aviation and STEM education programs for K-12 youth and adults, primarily serving underrepresented communities in the Chicago metropolitan area. Programs include hands-on flight simulation, RC aircraft operations, rocket building, glider construction, and aviation apprenticeships delivered through schools, after-school partnerships, and direct family registration. Workforce development modules extend the aviation pipeline to adult learners pursuing aviation careers, complemented by an online E-Learning Academy.

Product overview

AeroStar Avion Institute is an educational nonprofit organization (not a software platform company) that provides aviation and STEM education programs for youth and adults. The organization operates a portfolio of age-differentiated programs: AeroSparks (K-4) introduces young children to aviation basics; Aviation Exploration (grades 5-8) and the Summer Camp provide hands-on experiences with flight simulators, RC aircraft, and rockets; Build A Glider offers project-based learning with instructional resources; Aviation Apprenticeships (grades 9-12) deliver advanced training via After School Matters; and adult programs (AeroWork workforce development, Aero Ambassador mentoring) support career pathways. The E-Learning Academy provides online digital learning access. Programs use flight simulators, model planes, RC aircraft, helicopters, and drones as instructional tools rather than offering a software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AeroSparks: Aviation exploration program for grades K-4, held one Saturday per quarter, exposing young children to aviation and aerospace through age-appropriate activities.
• Aviation Exploration
• AeroWork
• Aero Ambassador
• E-Learning Academy

Products and services

• AeroSparks Aviation exploration program for grades K-4, held one Saturday per quarter. Exposes young children to aviation and aerospace through age-appropriate activities, stories, movies, field trips, aircraft anatomy, aviation history, safety, and space exploration.
• Aviation Exploration (AeroStars) Hands-on aviation program for grades 5-8. Students operate remote-controlled helicopters and airplanes, fly flight simulators, build and launch rockets, and explore airport planning and design, aircraft anatomy, aviation history, safety, and space exploration.
• Aviation Apprenticeships Apprenticeship and advanced apprenticeship program for teens grades 9-12, delivered in partnership with After School Matters. Includes hands-on projects, flight simulators, airport design, field trips to airports, aerospace businesses, and the Chicago Air and Water Show.
• Build A Glider Balsa wood glider plane project developed in collaboration with STIIX for grades 3 and up. Provides hands-on experience building a glider from scratch with step-by-step instructions, educational videos, lesson plans, and teacher resources including activity guides and quizzes.
• AeroWork Workforce development program for adults 18+ with aviation career pathways. Modules cover flight theory, weather, flight planning, aviation careers, cockpit instrumentation, virtual reality, aerospace engineering, airline operations, and Air Traffic Control, including professional competency exam preparation and potential pilot training.
• AeroStar Aviation Exploration Summer Camp Hands-on aviation summer camp for students grades 5-8, priced at $175 per participant for the two-week session. Campers fly simulators, build and launch rockets, operate RC aircraft, and explore aviation science.
• E-Learning Academy Online learning platform providing digital aviation education resources, accessible at aaiaeroverse.com. Extends AeroStar's aviation curriculum to a digital delivery channel for learners.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served hundreds of program participants ages 5-18

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• After School MatterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey program delivery partner for AeroStars Aviation Exploration apprenticeships and advanced apprenticeships for teens in Chicago.
• AFAHSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating partner supporting aviation education initiatives and programs.
• Olive HarveyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating partner in aviation education and workforce development programs.
• Revv AviationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating partner providing aviation industry expertise and support for programs.
• RADDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating partner supporting aviation education and outreach initiatives.
• STIIXminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Balsa Wood Glider Plane Project, providing collaboration and support for hands-on aviation building activities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Imagine Aviation: Nonprofit introducing underrepresented youth to aviation through flight experiences, mentorship, and STEM programming. Closely comparable mission, demographic focus, and program structure to AeroStar, operating as a smaller peer in the same niche.
• EAA Young Eagles: Experimental Aircraft Association's flagship youth aviation introduction program offering free flights and STEM exposure to youth. Directly comparable as an entry-level aviation awareness and flight exposure program, though operates at much larger national scale via EAA's chapter network.
• Tuskegee Airmen Legacy: Organization preserving the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen and running youth aviation education programs targeting underrepresented youth. Comparable mission and demographic focus with strong cultural and aviation-education alignment to AeroStar's programming.
• Women in Aviation International: Nonprofit advancing women in all aviation careers through scholarships, outreach, and education programming for youth and adults. Comparable workforce-development and underrepresented-gender pipeline mission that overlaps with AeroStar's female-youthexposure programs.
• Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP): National nonprofit focused on increasing minority representation in aviation and aerospace through scholarships, youth programs, and career exposure. Closely comparable mission and target demographic to AeroStar's underrepresented-youth focus, and operates aviation-themed STEM programs for K-12 youth.

Emerging players

• The Ninety-Nines: International organization of women pilots offering scholarships, mentoring, and youth aviation outreach. Comparable as a workforce-development and youth-pipeline peer with a narrower pilot-only focus compared to AeroStar's broader aviation STEM curriculum.

Broad incumbents

• Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Aerospace Education: Civil Air Patrol's aerospace education program delivers K-12 STEM and aviation curricula with cadet wings, orientation flights, and educator resources. Comparable as a structured youth aviation education pipeline, though backed by the U.S. Air Force as a much larger national institution.
• Sporty's Pilot Shop (Academy): Long-established aviation retailer and training provider offering online ground school and pilot training courses. Comparable as a digital aviation education platform but commercially positioned rather than mission-driven, representing a potential adjacent competitor as AeroStar scales E-Learning Academy.

Others

• AeroStar Consulting Corporation: The for-profit predecessor entity founded by Dr. Tammera L. Holmes in 2008 that delivered aviation consulting services before AeroStar Avion Institute was spun off in 2017. Closely related via shared founder and original programming, serving as the lineage entity for the current nonprofit.

Regional players

• After School Matters: Chicago-based nonprofit providing after-school and summer apprenticeships for teens, including AeroStar's aviation apprenticeship program. Comparable as a youth enrichment delivery platform in the same geography, and an active channel partner for AeroStar rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AAIPipeline
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGVbhUXFKCj7rHimf7HuE3g
• Facebookfacebook.com/AAIPipeline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aerostar-avion-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/aerostaravion

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AeroStar Avion Institute