Progressive Air Inc.

What Progressive Air Inc. does

Progressive Air Inc. is a family-owned aviation services company founded in 1986 and headquartered at Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport (KJVL) in Janesville, Wisconsin. The company provides flight instruction, FAA-authorized pilot examinations (check rides), aviation consulting, and educational seminars, covering both airplane and helicopter categories. Its operations are centered on the credentials of Chris Anderson, President and Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE), who holds a 10-time NAFI Master CFI designation and has accumulated more than 22,000 flight hours across 30+ years of instruction.

The company monetizes through unit-priced professional services. Standard check rides are priced at $850 with $425 retests within 60 days; Initial CFI examinations are $1,700 with $850 retests; ancillary certificate and processing fees range from $75 to $150. A $30 credit card/PayPal surcharge applies on check ride fees, and $5 on processing fees. Customer segments include individual pilots pursuing certificates and ratings (Sport Pilot through ATP, CFI, CFII, multi-engine), corporate flight departments associated with Fortune 500 companies, regional airlines, charter operators, Part 61/141 flight schools, and aircraft owners seeking advisory services. Bookings are taken by phone and via the website contact form, and the principal examiner travels to customer locations with reimbursed expenses.

Distribution is direct and personal: services are delivered in person by Chris Anderson rather than through third-party resellers or enterprise sales motions. Marketing is built around an extensive aviation blog covering FAA regulations, check ride preparation, ACS/PTS interpretations, and safety topics dating back to 2010, supplemented by seminars delivered to outside organizations. The company is privately held with no external investors, no parent company, and no institutional ownership evidenced in the data; revenue and profitability are not disclosed.

Name

Progressive Air Inc.

Legal name

Progressive Air Inc.

Website

https://progressiveair.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Progressive Air Inc. is a family-owned aviation services company founded in 1986 and based in Janesville, Wisconsin. It delivers FAA-authorized check rides, one-on-one flight instruction, and consulting to individual pilots, corporate flight departments, airlines, and charter operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation Training Services

NAICS

Flight Training (611512)

akta.pro primary industry

Aviation & Aerospace (EDABALAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Private Aviation Pilot & Crew Staffing/Training Services (THABAFAJ)

Keywords

• Flight training services
• Pilot certification exams
• Designated pilot examiner
• Aviation consulting services
• Aircraft ownership consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Janesville

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

Revenue model

1. Flight Examination Services: FAA-authorized flight examinations (check rides) for multiple pilot certificates and ratings in both airplane and helicopter categories
2. Flight Instruction: One-on-one flight instruction on airplane and helicopter; BFR, IPC type specific training and insurance check-outs
3. Consulting Services: Flight training navigation, aircraft buying/selling, aircraft ownership, and safety management consulting

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Progressive Air Inc. provides FAA-authorized flight examinations (check rides) and personalized one-on-one flight instruction for both airplanes and helicopters, delivered through Chris Anderson's Designated Pilot Examiner credentials with the Milwaukee FSDO. Complementary offerings include aviation consulting (flight training navigation, aircraft buying/selling, ownership guidance, and Safety Management Systems implementation) and educational seminars presented for aviation organizations. Services span pilot certificates from Sport Pilot through ATP, CFI, CFII, and multi-engine ratings.

Product overview

Progressive Air Inc. is a family-owned aviation services company founded in 1986, offering a comprehensive range of flight training and examination services. The company's core offerings consist of Flight Instruction (one-on-one training for airplanes and helicopters), Flight Examination/Check Rides (FAA-authorized examinations for pilot certificates from Sport Pilot through ATP), Aviation Consulting (guidance on training, aircraft transactions, ownership, and safety management), and Seminars (educational presentations on aviation topics). The company is led by Chris Anderson, a DPE and NAFI Master CFI with over 22,000 hours of flight experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Flight Instruction One-on-one personalized flight instruction on both airplanes and helicopters, covering BFR (Flight Review), IPC (Instrument Proficiency Check), type-specific training, and insurance check-outs across a variety of aircraft, provided by a 10-time NAFI Master CFI for individual pilots and corporate aviation clients.
• Flight Examination (Check Rides) FAA-authorized practical flight examinations (check rides) for a wide range of pilot certificates and ratings in both airplanes and helicopters, including Sport Pilot through ATP, CFI, CFII, and multi-engine ratings, priced at $850 per check ride ($425 retest within 60 days) and $1,700 for initial CFI ($850 retest).
• Aviation Consulting Consulting services covering flight training navigation, aircraft buying/selling guidance, aircraft ownership support (insurance, maintenance, hangar, airworthiness tracking, budgeting), and Safety Management Systems (SMS) implementation for individuals and small corporate flight departments or flight schools.
• Seminars Educational presentations on a variety of aviation topics delivered for aviation organizations, typically free of charge with potential travel fees applied for distant locations.
• Certificate and Processing Services FAA certificate and paperwork processing services priced at $75 (Student Pilot Certificate, Ground Instructor Certificate Processing, Flight Instructor Renewal Processing, SIC type ratings, SOE/Restricted ATP Limitations removed, US Military Competency paperwork) or $150 (Restricted Private pilot certificate issued to Foreign Pilot).

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,000+ check rides conducted
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Gateway Technical CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLinks to Gateway Technical College's associate degree program in aeronautics/pilot training, indicating a referral relationship for aspiring pilots
• Progressive Aviation ServicesminorOthersAviation services company linked as a partner resource

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI): Trade association that awards the Master CFI designation Progressive Air's founder has earned ten times. Comparable as a defining ecosystem organization for flight instructors, though it is not a commercial competitor — it sets the credentialing framework Chris Anderson competes within.
• Jeppesen (Boeing Subsidiary): Provider of aviation training materials, charts, and pilot supplies under Boeing. Comparable as an ecosystem enabler — its textbooks and resources are widely used by the same pilot-training customers Progressive Air serves, though it does not compete directly for check-ride services.

Emerging players

• King Schools: Provider of online aviation training courses for pilot certificates and ratings, with strong content-marketing distribution. Comparable because it competes for the same pilot-training wallet, especially in ground-school content, complementing or substituting for part of Progressive Air's instruction offering.
• Sporty's Pilot Shop: Long-standing pilot training brand offering ground-school video courses, flight accessories, and recurring academies. Comparable because it monetizes the same pilot-certification preparation workflow via curriculum, whereas Progressive Air monetizes via in-person instruction and check rides.

Direct peers

• American Flyers: Multi-location pilot training chain offering accelerated programs and CFI prep. Comparable as a direct peer in the structured flight-training and certification space, providing an alternative channel for students in Progressive Air's same target segments.
• Hillsboro Aero Academy: Multi-location professional pilot training academy offering Part 141 and accelerated programs. Comparable as a direct competitor for career-track students seeking structured flight instruction and certification pathways, though at a larger scale than Progressive Air's one-on-one model.
• Epic Flight Academy: Flight academy offering Private through CFI training with airline-oriented career tracks. Comparable as a direct peer competing for aspiring airline pilots via structured training programs, contrasting with Progressive Air's individualized DPE-led model.

Broad incumbents

• FlightSafety International: A major incumbent pilot and maintenance training provider serving airlines, corporate operators, and governments with advanced simulation-based instruction. Comparable because it serves the same Fortune 500 and airline customers Progressive Air's alumni work for, although at a vastly larger scale and more enterprise-focused.
• CAE: Global aviation training leader after acquiring FlightSafety International, providing pilot training, crew resources, and simulation. Comparable as a broad incumbent serving the same commercial and corporate aviation customers and competing for the same professional pilot talent pool.
• ATP Flight School: The largest multi-location pilot training chain in the U.S., offering structured Part 141 flight training from Private through ATP. While much larger and more standardized than Progressive Air, ATP addresses overlapping pilot-certification demand and is the natural scale alternative for serious career-track students.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/progressive-air-inc.

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 Progressive Air Inc.