Name

Part Time Pilot

Legal name

Part Time Pilot

Website

https://parttimepilot.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Part Time Pilot is a San Diego-based online aviation education company founded in 2020 that provides self-paced ground school courses for student pilots pursuing FAA Private, Sport, and IFR certifications, with proprietary AI simulators and a $249.99 lifetime-access model serving individual student pilots and flight instructors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation Education / Online Pilot Training

NAICS

Flight Training (611512), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Aviation & Aerospace (EDABALAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Avionics Test, Simulation & Calibration Equipment (IMABAFAN)

Keywords

• Online ground school
• Pilot training
• Aviation education
• FAA exam prep
• Flight instruction

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Online Ground School Courses: One-time lifetime access purchases for Private Pilot, Sport Pilot, and IFR online ground schools. Includes written, video, audio lessons, practice tests, AI tools, and FAA endorsement.
2. Checkride Prep Courses: Additional courses for practical test preparation with step-by-step guidance, oral question banks, and mock checkride videos.
3. VIP Audio Lessons: Premium ad-free audio lessons and expert interviews available as podcast downloads for offline listening.
4. Interactive AI Tools Subscriptions: Add-on AI-powered tools including ATC simulator and mock checkride simulator on subscription basis.
5. Affiliate Referrals: Commission-based revenue from affiliate partners who refer students through custom tracking links.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Part Time Pilot sells online ground school courses that prepare aspiring pilots for FAA Private Pilot, Sport Pilot, and Instrument Rating (IFR) written exams and checkrides. Courses are delivered through a proprietary learning platform with written, video, and audio lessons, AI-powered instructor chat, voice-to-voice ATC simulator, AI mock checkride examiner, practice test generators, and 1,600+ flashcards, plus official FAA exam endorsements from a Certified Ground Instructor.

Product overview

Part Time Pilot is a comprehensive aviation education platform offering online ground schools for Private Pilot, Sport Pilot, and Instrument Rating certifications. The core product is the Online Ground School which provides written, video, and audio lessons aligned with FAA Airmen Certificate Standards (ACS), along with AI-powered study tools including an AI instructor chat and voice-to-voice ATC simulator. Add-on products include Checkride Prep courses, VIP Audio Lessons, and interactive AI simulators. The platform also offers a free mobile app with practice tests and E6B calculator, free audio podcasts, free instructor access for CFIs, and an annual scholarship program. Key differentiators include lifetime access, AI 24/7 chat support, money-back guarantee plus up to $175 exam cost refund, and discounts for military (33%) and first responders (25%).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Audio Ground School Podcast: Free audio lessons podcast available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube for student pilots.

Products and services

• Private Pilot Online Ground School Comprehensive FAA exam preparation course covering all Private Pilot Airmen Certificate Standards (ACS) topics with written, video, and audio lessons, practice tests, AI chat support, 1,700+ flashcards, mobile app access, live sessions, and FAA written exam endorsement. Priced at $249.99 for lifetime access.
• Sport Pilot Online Ground School Comprehensive ground school course tailored to Sport Pilot certification, updated with MOSAIC requirements, including written, video, and audio lessons, practice tests, AI tools, and FAA Sport Pilot endorsement.
• IFR Online Ground School Instrument Rating ground school covering IFR procedures, regulations, weather, navigation, and flight planning. Includes VIP audio lessons and FAA IFR endorsement upon completion.
• Private Pilot Checkride Prep Step-by-step checkride preparation course including a What to Expect guide, 200+ Practice Oral Questions, Mock Checkride Videos, and expert guidance for passing the FAA private pilot practical test.
• Sport Pilot Checkride Prep Checkride preparation course for Sport Pilot candidates covering oral exam topics and practical test expectations.
• VIP Audio Lessons Premium ad-free audio lessons and expert interviews available as podcast downloads for offline listening. Includes Private Pilot, Sport Pilot, and IFR VIP audio lessons for learning on-the-go during commutes or flights.
• AI ATC Simulator AI-powered realtime voice-to-voice Air Traffic Control simulator for practicing radio communications at home. Students interact with an AI ATC controller for realistic radio practice.
• AI Mock Checkride AI examiner for simulating full oral checkride. Students practice with an AI that conducts a mock oral exam to prepare for the real FAA checkride.
• Part Time Pilot Mobile App Free mobile application for iOS and Android providing unlimited FAA Written Practice Test Generator, E6B flight computer calculator, offline lessons and quizzes, with progress syncing across devices.
• Free Instructor Access for CFIs Free ground school access for certified flight instructors (CFIs) with student enrollment. Includes lesson plans, student progress tracking, quiz reviews, and practice test monitoring.
• Audio Ground School Podcast Free audio ground school lessons available via podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube. New Private Pilot and IFR audio lessons released weekly.
• Free 10-Step PDF Plan & Resource Guide Free downloadable 10-step PDF guide on how to become a pilot, along with email course providing daily lessons, additional PDF downloads, tips, and scholarship links.
• Part Time Pilot Scholarship Program Annual scholarship program offering $1,000 plus free ground school to enrolled students. Four scholarships per year (winter, spring, summer, fall). Previous scholarships have included $6,000 (Spring 2023) and $3,000 (Spring 2024).
• Ground School Accountability Lounge Bi-monthly Live Q&A sessions plus Study Achievement Tracking, included at no additional cost with the Online Ground School to support student accountability and progress monitoring.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.9% FAA written exam pass rate (only 2 failures out of 5,000+ students)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability5 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KORE AviationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerKORE Aviation is a preferred headset partner providing exclusive 15% discount codes for Part Time Pilot students. Recommended as best aviation headset for student pilots in buyer's guide content.
• The Ninety-NinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational women aviation organization partnered with Part Time Pilot. Founder Nick Smith is an active member and conference speaker.
• Katana Aviation FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNon-profit aviation foundation partnered with Part Time Pilot for scholarship opportunities. Previous sponsor of PTP Spring scholarship.
• EAA AirVenturecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPart Time Pilot is an active industry partner and conference speaker at the Experimental Aircraft Association's annual AirVenture air show and convention.
• Skyfarer AcademyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured and recognized partner in Part Time Pilot's ecosystem of aviation education resources.
• PlaneEnglishminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAviation radio simulator app partner offering 10% discount to Part Time Pilot students for communication training.
• LogTen (Coradine)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital logbook partner providing 3 months free trial and 12-23% ongoing discount for Part Time Pilot students.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• King Schools: King Schools is one of the largest online aviation ground schools, offering Private, Sport, Instrument, and Commercial courses with video-driven instruction. Competes directly with PTP on pilot certification prep with a longer operating history and larger marketing footprint.
• MzeroA Flight Training: MzeroA provides online flight training and ground school content delivered primarily through YouTube and a paid course platform. Comparable to PTP on targeting student pilots with quality video content at accessible price points.
• Sporty's Pilot Shop: Sporty's offers the Pilot Training app and a comprehensive online ground school (Private Pilot, IFR, Commercial) with lifetime access, practice tests, and video lessons. Most direct competitor to Part Time Pilot with a broader product catalog and established pilot supplies retail business.
• Pilot Institute: Pilot Institute offers online ground school courses for Part 107 drone, Private Pilot, and Instrument Rating with video-based instruction and exam prep. Targets the same student pilot segment with a similar digital-first, lower-priced model.
• Gleim Aviation: Gleim provides online ground school, test prep, and aviation training materials (books, online courses, syllabus) for Private Pilot through ATP. Directly comparable to PTP on FAA exam preparation with deeper institutional and flight school adoption.

Emerging players

• Aviation Theory: Aviation Theory (Australia) provides online RPL, PPL, and CPL theory courses aligned with CASA syllabi. Comparable to PTP in product/market but focused on the Australian market rather than competing directly in the US.
• CFI Bootcamp: CFI Bootcamp provides accelerated in-person and live-online CFI certification training. Adjacent to PTP on the pilot training pathway but specialized in instructor certification rather than Private/IFR ground school.
• FlightShoolList (Boldmethod): Boldmethod delivers free aviation articles, quizzes, and podcast content for student pilots, with adjacent paid courses. Overlaps with PTP on student pilot education and FAA exam content, primarily top-of-funnel.
• FlightInsight: FlightInsight delivers online ground school, checkride prep, and student pilot support materials. Direct overlap with PTP's product positioning and target customer, smaller scale.
• ATPC (Aviation Theory Preparation Course): Provides online ground school content for various aviation certifications. Comparable to PTP in the online aviation education space with a smaller scale and narrower course catalog.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@PartTimePilot
• Facebookfacebook.com/part.time.pilot1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/part-time-pilot
• Instagraminstagram.com/part.time.pilot

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Part Time Pilot