Businessman/Leading Edge Flying Club

What Businessman/Leading Edge Flying Club does

Leading Edge Flying Club is a private, member-owned flying club founded in 2006 and based at Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) in Wheeling, Illinois. It serves approximately 100 general aviation pilots in the Chicagoland area, providing access to a single 2004 Piper Archer III (N3096B) equipped with a modern glass cockpit (Avidyne Entegra, dual IFD440 touch screens), ADS-B in/out with weather and traffic, S-Tec 55X autopilot, and EMax engine management, plus free access to a FLYTHISSIM flight simulator and club hangar facilities.

The club operates a community-led, membership-based model. Members pay recurring dues (undisclosed publicly) for participation and gain access to aircraft rental at $220 per hour wet (Hobbs time), with block rates and student discounts available. Flight instruction is offered separately through a roster of five certified flight instructors covering private, instrument, commercial, and multi-engine ratings, plus flight reviews and checkrides; CFI credentials on staff include CFII, MEI, DPE, and CSIP (Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot) ratings. The technology stack is exclusively aviation-avionics and simulator-based — there is no proprietary software product, no AI/ML capability, no app, and no third-party integrations in the source data.

Revenue is generated from three streams: subscription-style membership dues, usage-based aircraft rental, and per-session flight instruction services. Customer acquisition is driven entirely by word-of-mouth referrals within the local aviation community, supported by social events (monthly breakfasts, flyouts, Pilot's Night Out gatherings) and the club's reputation as one of the most active flying clubs in the Chicagoland area. The club is not venture-backed, has no institutional ownership, and operates a single location with no disclosed geographic expansion plans; growth to date has come purely from organic community expansion.

Name

Businessman/Leading Edge Flying Club

Legal name

Leading Edge Flying Club

Website

https://leadingedgeflyingclub.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Leading Edge Flying Club is a member-owned flying club at Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) providing aircraft rental, flight instruction, and simulator access to approximately 100 general aviation pilots in the Chicagoland area since 2006.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Wheeling

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Aircraft Rental: Members pay hourly rental rates to operate the club's Piper Archer III aircraft. Pricing is $220 per hour based on Hobbs time, wet (includes fuel).
2. Flight Instruction: The club offers flight instruction through certified flight instructors (CFIs) for private, instrument, commercial, and multi-engine ratings.
3. Club Membership: Members pay dues for access to club aircraft, simulator, facilities, and community events. Some members choose to buy into their own aircraft while maintaining club membership.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Leading Edge Flying Club is a member-owned flying club at Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) that provides approximately 100 members with access to a modern glass-cockpit Piper Archer III (N3096B), flight simulator use, and certified flight instruction. Revenue is generated through membership dues, hourly aircraft rental ($220 per Hobbs hour, wet), and professional CFI-led training for private, instrument, commercial, and multi-engine ratings, supported by a calendar of social aviation events.

Product overview

Leading Edge Flying Club is a single-location flying club offering a membership-based model centered on access to their 2004 Piper Archer III (N3096B) with glass cockpit avionics. Members (~100 total) receive access to the aircraft for rental ($220/hour), free use of the FLYTHISSIM flight simulator, and flight instruction services from multiple CFIs. The club operates from Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) Hangar 5 and organizes monthly breakfast meetings, training sessions, and social events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Club Membership Membership program granting approximately 100 members access to the club's aircraft, FLYTHISSIM simulator, hangar facilities (WiFi, TV), educational reference library, and community events (monthly aviation breakfasts, flyouts, Pilot's Night Out, Dog Day Afternoon socials). Some members also buy into their own aircraft while maintaining LEFC membership.
• N3096B - 2004 Piper Archer III (Aircraft Rental) Glass-cockpit rental aircraft featuring Avidyne Entegra, dual IFD440 touch screens, ADS-B In/Out with traffic and weather, S-Tec 55X autopilot, EMax engine management, and factory air conditioning. Rented to members at $220 per Hobbs hour, wet (fuel included), with block rates and student discounts available.
• Flight Instruction Services Instruction delivered by multiple CFIs (Tim Miller, Dave MacPhail, Mohammad 'Mo' Shawahin, Dave Young, Brandon Anderson) covering private pilot, instrument, commercial, multi-engine, and Cirrus-specific training, plus flight reviews and checkrides.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Others

• Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA): AOPA is the largest general aviation membership association in the U.S., serving pilots with advocacy, training resources, and member services. Not a direct competitor, but addresses the same general aviation pilot community with a membership/community model analogous to LEFC's club structure.
• Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA): EAA is a membership-driven general aviation organization hosting community events (notably AirVenture), training programs, and youth aviation initiatives. Comparable to LEFC in its community-led engagement with pilots, though operating as a national association rather than a local club.
• Cirrus Aircraft: Cirrus Aircraft manufactures the SR-series and Vision Jet and runs the Cirrus Approach/CSIP training ecosystem that LEFC instructor Brandon Anderson is certified in. Not a direct competitor, but an OEM whose pilot training standards and aircraft ecosystem shape the training services LEFC offers.

Broad incumbents

• CAE: CAE is a global leader in aviation training, including flight simulators and pilot training for airlines and operators. A broader incumbent in pilot training services, with overlapping end-customer (pilots) but vastly different scale, customer base, and technology (full-motion sims vs. light piston).
• FlightSafety International: FlightSafety International is a large professional aviation training organization serving airline, corporate, and military operators with full-motion simulators and fleet training. While serving a much more professional/corporate customer than LEFC, it sits in the same aviation training category and represents a broader incumbent in pilot training services.

Direct peers

• ATP Flight School: The largest flight training organization in the U.S., ATP operates a multi-aircraft, multi-location academy offering private through ATP ratings. Directly comparable to LEFC's training offering, but at professional/scale-driven breadth that LEFC's single-aircraft club model cannot match.
• American Flyers: American Flyers is a multi-location flight training network offering private, instrument, commercial, and multi-engine ratings plus aircraft rental. Comparable service mix to LEFC's instruction offering, but with broader geographic reach and a wider fleet.
• Sporty's Academy: Sporty's combines a flight school, aircraft rental, retail pilot shop, and aviation community at Cincinnati Municipal Airport. Like LEFC, it offers access to well-equipped training aircraft and instructor-led ratings, but at much larger scale and with diversified commercial revenue streams.
• Epic Flight Academy: Epic Flight Academy operates a Part 141 flight school providing private through ATP training, with structured international and domestic student pathways. Comparable to LEFC's training function, though at dramatically larger fleet and headcount scale.
• Phoenix East Aviation: Phoenix East Aviation is a Part 141 flight school offering private, instrument, commercial, and CFI training with an on-site fleet. Directly comparable core training business to LEFC, scaled via an academy-style model rather than a member-club structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leading-edge-flying-club

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Businessman/Leading Edge Flying Club