Above the Clouds
Above the Clouds is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 that provides free aviation-based experiences and STEM programming to children and teens facing illness, disability, or adversity, relying on volunteer pilots and donations to deliver Dream Flight and Aviation Discovery Day programs across New England.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersNorwood, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Above the Clouds does
Above the Clouds, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2013 by Gary and Martha Oberstein and headquartered at Norwood Memorial Airport in Norwood, Massachusetts. The organization delivers free flight-based experiences and aviation programming to children and teens ages 6-18 who are facing serious illness, disability, trauma, or other adversity. Its core product is the Dream Flyers program, in which volunteer pilots take children aloft in general aviation aircraft so they can temporarily "take the controls" and gain perspective above their challenges. The organization operates with a small staff of 1-10 supported by a large volunteer pilot corps, and serves roughly 100+ children per year with a cumulative impact of nearly 900 lives since founding.
The organization's product portfolio extends the Dream Flyers model into a structured set of programs: Discovery Flyers (at-risk teens paired with pilot mentors), Aviation Discovery Days (hands-on STEM events held at Norwood and Plymouth airports with institutional partners), Cadet Flyers (STEM programming for underrepresented youth), and Virtual Dream Flyers / Dream Flyover (remote and aerial flyover alternatives developed during the pandemic). Technology is limited to general aviation aircraft, flight simulators (partner-supplied), and a standard nonprofit web/donation stack; there is no proprietary software or AI capability.
Above the Clouds generates no revenue from participants; all programs are delivered free of charge. The organization is funded entirely through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, community fundraising events such as the Rodman Ride for Kids, and foundation grants. Disclosed foundation support totals $100,000 across 2021 (JetBlue Foundation and American Tower Foundation), with additional 2025 visibility via a WCVB-TV Chronicle feature. The operating model relies on a two-sided network: volunteer pilots and co-located aviation partners on the supply side, and a referral channel of social service agencies (LifeWorks, Special Olympics, Jimmy Fund Clinic, Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, Italian Home, Big Sister Boston, Boys & Girls Clubs) and educational partners (Cape Cod Community College, Women in Aviation, Apprentice Learning) on the demand side. Service geography is concentrated in New England (Massachusetts and Southeast Connecticut).
Above the Clouds firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Above the Clouds
- Legal name
- Above the Clouds, Inc.
- Website
- https://abovethecloudskids.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Above the Clouds is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 that provides free aviation-based experiences and STEM programming to children and teens facing illness, disability, or adversity, relying on volunteer pilots and donations to deliver Dream Flight and Aviation Discovery Day programs across New England.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Above the Clouds is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Norwood
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Above the Clouds business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: Above the Clouds operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization relying entirely on donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations to fund its operations and Dream Flight programs.
- Grants: The organization receives grant funding from foundations including the JetBlue Foundation and American Tower Foundation's Social Justice Committee to support Cadet Programs, mentoring initiatives, and STEM programming.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
Above the Clouds product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Above the Clouds delivers free flight-based experiences and aviation programs for children and teens facing serious illness, disability, or adversity. Operating from Norwood Memorial Airport in Massachusetts, the organization leverages a network of volunteer pilots to provide in-aircraft Dream Flight experiences, hands-on STEM Aviation Discovery Days, mentor-based Discovery Flyers, and virtual alternatives for participants unable to attend in person. All services are provided at no cost to participants and funded entirely through donations, grants, and community fundraising events.
Product overview
Above the Clouds operates as a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of aviation-based youth programs centered around its core Dream Flyers experience. The main offering provides children facing illness, disability, or adversity with actual flight experiences in small aircraft, while supplementary programs like Discovery Flyers, Aviation Discovery Days, and Cadet Flyers extend access to aviation education and career exploration. The organization also maintains Virtual Dream Flyers and Dream Flyover options to reach children when in-person participation is not feasible.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Dream Flyers: Signature program providing flight experiences for children and teens facing illness, disability, or adversity
- Discovery Flyers
- Aviation Discovery Days
- Virtual Dream Flyers
- Cadet Flyers
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 900 children and teens have experienced transformative flight experiences since 2013
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Above the Clouds
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Above the Clouds technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Above the Clouds partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Angel Flight NortheastcoreCollaboration enabling Angel Flight Northeast volunteer pilots to provide flights for children facing adversity through Above the Clouds missions. Pilots who fly for AFNE automatically qualify to fly ATC missions pending background checks.
- Cape Cod Community CollegecoreHost partner for Aviation Discovery Days at Plymouth Airport, providing access to Aviation Maintenance Technology Program facilities for hands-on STEM learning experiences.
- Women in Aviation - Nor'Easters ChaptercoreMentorship and role model partnership providing women mentors and aviation professionals for Aviation Discovery Day programs.
- Apprentice LearningcoreOngoing partnership bringing middle school students from Boston Public Schools to Aviation Discovery Days for immersive aviation exploration experiences.
- Mike Goulian AviationminorProvider of flight simulators for Aviation Discovery Days, giving students hands-on cockpit experience.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro SouthcoreReferral partner providing Aviation Discovery Day participants from their youth programs, particularly teens interested in aviation careers.
- LifeWorkscoreSocial services referral partner for Dream Flight program participants.
- Special OlympicscoreReferral partner connecting athletes to Dream Flight experiences.
- The Jimmy Fund CliniccoreHealthcare referral partner for pediatric cancer patients to experience Dream Flights.
- The Hole in the Wall Gang CampcoreChildren's camp referral partner for Dream Flight program participants.
- Dunkin'minorCorporate volunteer support for Dream Flight Days, with representatives like Keith Cavella participating in events.
- Flight Level AviationminorCo-located business at Norwood Memorial Airport in same building as Above the Clouds headquarters.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Above the Clouds competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Air Care Alliance: Umbrella association of charitable aviation organizations coordinating volunteer pilot groups nationwide. Above the Clouds board member Mark Hanson serves as its VP, evidencing direct affiliation; comparable as a coordinating body for volunteer-aviation nonprofits.
- Make-A-Wish Foundation: Largest wish-granting nonprofit for children with critical illnesses. Overlaps on beneficiary population (children facing serious illness) and free-experience model, but operates at vastly larger national scale and broader scope beyond aviation.
Direct peers
- Pilots N Paws: Volunteer-pilot nonprofit coordinating free flights to transport rescue animals. Comparable volunteer general-aviation charity model, though serving animal rescue rather than children.
- EAA Young Eagles: The Experimental Aircraft Association's flagship youth aviation program offering free introductory flights to kids ages 8–17. Directly comparable as a volunteer-pilot-driven youth flight-experience initiative, though operated at much larger national scale.
- AeroAngel: Volunteer-pilot nonprofit providing free long-distance private flights for critically ill children and adults. Closely comparable in volunteer general-aviation model, beneficiary focus on medical need, and small-staff nonprofit structure.
- Angel Flight Northeast: A volunteer-pilot nonprofit providing free air transportation for medical and humanitarian needs across the Northeast. Directly comparable in mission, volunteer-pilot model, and New England footprint — and is an explicit Above the Clouds partner.
- Corporate Angel Network: Nonprofit arranging free private-corporate-jet flights for cancer patients and bone-marrow donors. Comparable volunteer/pilot aviation model applied to a medical beneficiary population, mirroring Above the Clouds' charitable-flight positioning.
- Miracle Flights: National nonprofit providing free commercial flights for children with serious medical conditions to access distant specialized care. Comparable mission of using aviation to serve sick/underserved children, though via commercial carriers rather than volunteer private pilots.
Regional players
- Angel Flight West: Sister organization to Angel Flight Northeast providing free volunteer-pilot flights for medical/humanitarian needs across the Western U.S. Comparable volunteer-pilot nonprofit model, but operating in a different geographic region from Above the Clouds.
Others
- LightHawk: Volunteer-pilot nonprofit flying conservationists over environmental sites. Uses similar volunteer general-aviation infrastructure for charitable purposes, though focused on environmental rather than youth/medical beneficiaries.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Above the Clouds social profiles
Digital presenceAbove the Clouds compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Above the Clouds financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Above the Clouds leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Above the Clouds funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Above the Clouds M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Above the Clouds
What does Above the Clouds do?
Above the Clouds delivers free flight-based experiences and aviation programs for children and teens facing serious illness, disability, or adversity. Operating from Norwood Memorial Airport in Massachusetts, the organization leverages a network of volunteer pilots to provide in-aircraft Dream Flight experiences, hands-on STEM Aviation Discovery Days, mentor-based Discovery Flyers, and virtual alternatives for participants unable to attend in person. All services are provided at no cost to participants and funded entirely through donations, grants, and community fundraising events.
Is Above the Clouds a public or private company?
Above the Clouds is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Above the Clouds founded?
Above the Clouds was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Above the Clouds based?
Above the Clouds is headquartered in Norwood, United States, in the North America region.
How does Above the Clouds make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are grants.
Who are Above the Clouds's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Air Care Alliance and Make-A-Wish Foundation. Direct peers are Pilots N Paws, EAA Young Eagles, AeroAngel, Angel Flight Northeast, Corporate Angel Network and Miracle Flights. Angel Flight West is listed as a regional player. LightHawk is listed as an others.
Does Above the Clouds have an API?
No public API is recorded for Above the Clouds.