sunrise aviation

Name

sunrise aviation

Legal name

Sunrise Aviation Company, Inc.

Website

https://sunriseaviation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Ana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Flight Training Services: Core revenue from flight instruction across all certificate levels: Private Pilot through ATP, including aerobatics, multi-engine, and instructor ratings. Revenue generated through hourly billing for flight instruction and aircraft rental.
2. Aircraft Rental: Revenue from rental of training aircraft including Cessna, Diamond, Evektor, Piper, Cirrus models. Block rates available with initial purchase of $1000 and minimum balance of $100.
3. Aerobatic Adventure Flights: Revenue from aerobatic experience flights in Decathlon ($265), Extra 300 ($475), and Ultimate Flight ($500). DVD purchases available as add-ons.
4. StartUp Lessons: Introductory flight lessons for prospective students: SportStar ($120-135), Cessna 172 ($140-155), DA-40 options. Credit applied to enrollment.
5. Pilot Supplies and Merchandise: Online pilot supplies store offering headsets, radios, GPS, flight jackets, books, and gift certificates through sunriseaviation.com storefront.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sunrise Aviation operates a flight training academy at John Wayne Airport (Santa Ana, California) delivering pilot certification training from Sport Pilot through Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) under FAA Part 141 and Part 61, supported by aircraft rental across a 30+ aircraft fleet, Redbird FMX simulator-based training, dedicated aerobatic instruction from primary through Unlimited competition level, on-site FAA knowledge testing, and classroom ground schools taught by senior instructors.

Product overview

Sunrise Aviation is a flight training academy offering a comprehensive suite of aviation education services centered around flight training programs (Private Pilot through ATP, including all instructor ratings), aircraft rental (30+ aircraft fleet), and flight training devices. The core offering consists of flight instruction under both Part 61 and Part 141 FAA approval, supplemented by Redbird FMX simulation, computer testing services, aerobatics training, and ground schools. Additional services include spin recovery courses, aerobatic adventure flights for beginners, FAA knowledge test administration, and scholarship programs for pilot training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sunrise Aerobatics: Aerobatic division of Sunrise Aviation, the largest and most active in the western United States
• Southern California Aerobatic Club
• Sunrise Aerobatic Club

Products and services

• Flight Training Programs (Sport Pilot through ATP) Comprehensive pilot certification training from first-time students through career-track airline-bound pilots, delivered under FAR Part 61 and FAA Part 141 approval by senior instructors at John Wayne Airport. Designed for individual students seeking any of the FAA pilot certificates or ratings from Sport Pilot through Airline Transport Pilot.
• Aircraft Rental Hourly rental of a 30+ aircraft fleet covering two-place trainers, four-place glass-cockpit aircraft, and aerobatic airplanes, available to licensed student pilots, renters, and visiting pilots. Pricing is usage-based per hour, with block rate discounts available after an initial prepaid purchase.
• Redbird FMX Flight Training Device (AATD/BATD) Advanced flight simulator used for instrument, multi-engine, and procedural training at lower cost than aircraft time. Available to Sunrise students and renters seeking FAA-approved AATD/BATD simulator hours.
• FAA Computer Knowledge Testing Service On-site proctored FAA knowledge test administration covering all pilot certificate and rating written exams, delivered through the PSI testing platform for Sunrise students and external candidates.
• Aerobatics Training Structured aerobatic instruction from primary through Unlimited competition level, including spin and unusual attitude recovery, taught in dedicated aerobatic aircraft by senior aerobatic instructors. Designed for licensed pilots seeking aerobatic proficiency or IAC competition preparation.
• Ground Schools Classroom and self-study ground school instruction covering Private Pilot, Instrument, Commercial, and CFI theory, taught by senior instructors. Designed as a complement to in-aircraft training for Sunrise students preparing for FAA knowledge exams.
• Spin and Upset Recovery Course One-day spin and upset recovery training consisting of a two-hour classroom briefing and two one-hour Decathlon flights, teaching spin theory, entry, management, recovery, and upset avoidance. Targeted at licensed pilots seeking spin and unusual attitude proficiency.
• Aerobatic Adventure Flights 45-minute hands-on aerobatic experience flights in Decathlon or Extra 300 aircraft, offering loops, rolls, vertical and inverted flight under the instruction of a certified aerobatic pilot. Offered to non-pilots, gift buyers, and prospective students as a discovery experience.
• FAA Test Preparation and Scheduling Assistance Administrative assistance for FAA Tracking Number (FTN) registration via IACRA and FAA knowledge test scheduling via PSI, supporting candidates preparing to take pilot certification written exams.
• StartUp Introductory Flight Lessons Introductory 45-minute discovery flights in SportStar or Cessna 172 with a Sunrise flight training specialist, with lesson credit that can be applied toward enrollment in full training programs. Targeted at prospective students evaluating flight training.
• Pilot Supplies and Merchandise Storefront Online e-commerce storefront selling pilot headsets, radios, GPS units, flight jackets, books, and gift certificates to Sunrise students, renters, and the broader pilot community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 pilots trained in 25+ years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• EXTRAcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerSunrise Aviation is an Authorized EXTRA Service Center providing sales and service for EXTRA aircraft. They operate Extra 300 aircraft for training and solo rental.
• ROTAXcoreTechnology or IntegrationSunrise Aviation is a ROTAX Service center providing sales and service for ROTAX engines.
• Diamond AircraftcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerSunrise Aviation is a Diamond Service center providing sales and service for Diamond Aircraft. They operate DiamondStar DA-40 aircraft with Garmin 1000 technology.
• EvektorcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerSunrise Aviation is an Evektor dealer offering the SportStar Max and Harmony - the fastest selling trainers in the US - for training and rental.
• PSI (Computer Assisted Testing Service)coreTechnology or IntegrationPSI is the exclusive government-contracted provider for FAA knowledge tests. Sunrise Test Center provides FAA knowledge testing through PSI's online system.
• International Aerobatic Club (IAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSunrise hosts IAC Chapter 120 (Southern California Aerobatic Club) and is recognized by IAC for outstanding service. The club advances aerobatic flight through seminars, instructional videos, training camps and contest team support.
• United States Air Force Test Pilot SchoolflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSAF awarded a training contract to Sunrise for Michael Church to serve as instructor at the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ATP Flight School: Largest flight training school in the US, operating 80+ locations with structured career-track programs from Private Pilot through ATP. Directly comparable business model targeting the same career-pilot segment Sunrise serves, but at significantly greater scale.
• Epic Flight Academy: Part 141 flight school in New Smyrna Beach, FL offering Private through ATP certifications with strong international student pipeline. Comparable business model and target market to Sunrise, though operating at higher volume on the East Coast.
• U.S. Aviation Academy: Texas-based flight school providing accelerated professional pilot training programs from zero hours through ATP. Comparable to Sunrise in focus on career-track certifications and international student recruitment.
• Sierra Academy of Aeronautics: California-based flight school offering Private through ATP and instructor ratings. Comparable Part 141 operation serving the same Western US market as Sunrise, though without Sunrise's aerobatic specialization.
• Phoenix East Aviation: Florida Part 141 flight school offering accelerated professional pilot programs with international student services. Comparable to Sunrise's career-track and international student orientation.
• Guidance Aviation: Arizona-based flight school with helicopter and fixed-wing training plus specialty ratings. Comparable in collegiate-style pilot training orientation and regional US market focus.
• National Aviation Academy: Florida-based aviation training organization offering pilot and aviation maintenance programs. Comparable in Part 147/141 training delivery and career-track orientation.

Broad incumbents

• FlightSafety International: Dominant commercial aviation training provider operating full-motion simulators and training pilots for airlines, business aviation, and military. Overlaps Sunrise in pilot certification but serves a much more advanced, corporate-funded market segment.
• CAE: Global aviation training leader operating 50+ training centers and serving 40+ airlines. Comparable in pilot training category but with vastly broader scope including full-flight simulators, defense training, and integrated airline crew solutions.
• L3Harris Airline Academy: Commercial pilot training academy operating integrated ab-initio programs partnered with airlines. Comparable in the career-track pilot training category but at much larger scale and with direct airline placement agreements Sunrise lacks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SunriseFlight
• Instagraminstagram.com/sunriseaviation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sunrise-aviation-company-inc.

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 sunrise aviation