Pilot numbers

Garthur

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Mar 25, 2012
Messages
169
Location
Nebraska
Display Name

Display name:
retman
As of today the number of pilots by license in the US.

Student 94,816
Recreational 218
Sport 3,933
Private 204,788
Commercial 115,654
ATP 109,955

TOTAL 529,364

FYI
 
And predicted to fall by ~50% by 2025.

As of today the number of pilots by license in the US.

Student 94,816
Recreational 218
Sport 3,933
Private 204,788
Commercial 115,654
ATP 109,955

TOTAL 529,364

FYI
 
All the pilots in the country added up account for 0.16% of the population, and America has the world's largest pilot population. A rare breed indeed.
 
Only 204,788 Private Pilots in the U.S.? That is really, really sad.
 
What about all the Instrument rated pilots?
 
What about all the Instrument rated pilots?

Good question...one could assume that 100% of the ATP's and 99% of the commercials are rated...that leaves to guess the number of private pilots rated...

I am too lazy to actually look it up...so that the best guess I have...:D
 
The information as well as the historical information use to be available on FAA.gov.

I think it was also available at AOPA's website.
 
Good question...one could assume that 100% of the ATP's and 99% of the commercials are rated...that leaves to guess the number of private pilots rated...

I am too lazy to actually look it up...so that the best guess I have...:D


While it might be an interesting number, it wouldn't add to the total. Same with CFIs.
 
As of today the number of pilots by license in the US.

Student 94,816
Recreational 218
Sport 3,933
Private 204,788
Commercial 115,654
ATP 109,955

TOTAL 529,364

FYI
Are those all, or only those held by US residents/citizens? We do a lot of foreign training and license issuance.
 
Good question...one could assume that 100% of the ATP's and 99% of the commercials are rated...that leaves to guess the number of private pilots rated...

I am too lazy to actually look it up...so that the best guess I have...:D
In that case all of the ATP's are also Private Pilots though too. There got to be some number that are just Instrument Rated (like my husband)
 
Only 204,788 Private Pilots in the U.S.? That is really, really sad.

Only 4,000 Sport Pilots also, but I'll bet there are double that. A lot of Private pilots are exercising their sport pilot privleges without medical.

More info is needed. Do they count pilots without a medical? They are technically still pilots. :confused:
 
Last edited:
From the link above: 318,000 instrument ratings
 
In that case all of the ATP's are also Private Pilots though too. There got to be some number that are just Instrument Rated (like my husband)

All ATPs are Private Pilots too?

Your husband just has his Instrument and no private or commercial?



Uh.......What?????

I don't understand a word of your post. Please help make sense.
 
As long as fuel keeps marching towards $6 and $7/gallon, pilot numbers will decrease.
 
As long as fuel keeps marching towards $6 and $7/gallon, pilot numbers will decrease.


Marching towards? We're there already. My airport just raised 100LL to $6.19/gal.
 
As long as fuel keeps marching towards $6 and $7/gallon, pilot numbers will decrease.

Fuel can be $10/gallon for all I care, as long as my salary or return on investments went up commensurately.

It's not just fuel prices rising that affects the decision whether or not to spend the money. We'd all still spend it if wages were also rising at the same rate as the fuel. It's all relative.
 
What the heck is the difference between a sport pilot and a recreational pilot?

I know it's in FARs somewhere, but as long as I'm here, someone might know the answer off the top of his/her head.

-John
 
Local FBO manager (KADS Dallas) said that 100LL sales drop by ~40% when price exceeds $5/gal. All of that drop isn't due to discontinuation of flying activity, some of it simply means that they (we) seek out less-expensive places to buy fuel. I save ~$2.50/gal by flying 40 nm to a self-serv pump.



OK, so the price of aviation isn't a limiting factor on aviation's growth. OK. :rolleyes:
 
OK, so the price of aviation isn't a limiting factor on aviation's growth. OK. :rolleyes:

I think you could honestly say the price of everything is going up. It is up to the individual to choose what they spend their money on. If one decides to follow their passion, then they will figure out a way to do that. Short of government price controls, the free market will reign. There was one political species who thought government should control prices, and they managed to bring the Soviet Union to their knees.
 
I was unaware that the Democrats were responsible for that outcome. Silly me.:wink2:

There was one political species who thought government should control prices, and they managed to bring the Soviet Union to their knees.
 
I was unaware that the Democrats were responsible for that outcome. Silly me.:wink2:

Interesting argument, I would deduct then that you do not buy into the excoriation by the repubs that the current administration hasn't done enough to lower fuel prices. Seems they are advising price manipulation. :dunno:
 
What the heck is the difference between a sport pilot and a recreational pilot?

I know it's in FARs somewhere, but as long as I'm here, someone might know the answer off the top of his/her head.

-John

So....I'm not the only one who doesn't know?

-John
 
  • LSA has LSA instructors. Recreational instructors are CFIs.
  • LSA allows cross-country flying and the solo cross-country training is the same as for PPL. Recreational license is limited to 50 miles from home base and does not include cross-country solo training.
  • LSA is limited to LSA aircraft, 1 or 2 seats. Recreational is limited to 4 or fewer seats.
 
Last edited:
  • LSA has LSA instructors. Recreational instructors are CFIs.
  • LSA allows cross-country flying and the solo cross-country training is the same as for PPL. Recreational license is limited to 50 miles from home base and does not include cross-country training.
  • LSA is limited to LSA aircraft, 1 or 2 seats. Recreational is limited to 4 or fewer seats.

Actually, some CFIs instruct in LSAs, and I think it is better to use a CFI in LSAs so the time will count if the student decides to move on towards PP. It is my understanding that dual received from a LSA instructor can not be counted towards a PP certificate.
 
Right. LSA instructors are LSA instructors. CFIs are Private Pilot, Recreational, and LSA. That's the difference.
 
As of today the number of pilots by license in the US.

Student 94,816
Recreational 218
Sport 3,933
Private 204,788
Commercial 115,654
ATP 109,955

TOTAL 529,364

FYI

Are these only with current medical? Cuz I thought a license was for life, so not sure how we could drop by 50% unless we all die. Also, how does the FAA take into account dead people? Do they even know that you die?
 
Are these only with current medical? Cuz I thought a license was for life, so not sure how we could drop by 50% unless we all die. Also, how does the FAA take into account dead people? Do they even know that you die?

Based on the geriatric condition of most of the pilots I meet I'd say our numbers could decline way more than 50% in a big hurry.
 
Are these only with current medical? Cuz I thought a license was for life, so not sure how we could drop by 50% unless we all die. Also, how does the FAA take into account dead people? Do they even know that you die?

The FAA statistics defines an active airman this way:
"An active airman is one who holds both an airmen certificate and a valid medical certificate. Airmen who must have a valid medical to exercise the privileges of their certificate are all airplane pilots, rotorcraft pilots, flight navigators, and flight engineers. Glider pilots are not required to have a medical examination but the numbers represent only those who had a valid medical certificate on record at the Aeronautical Center."
So far as I know, their database is not updated when a pilot dies. The medical certificate would eventually just expire, decreasing their count.
 
In that case all of the ATP's are also Private Pilots though too. There got to be some number that are just Instrument Rated (like my husband)

Quick lesson
----------
Student, Private, Commercial, ATP, Flight Instructor are all certificates
Instrument Rating is a rating that goes ON a certificate

One can only hold one of the following:
Student, Private, Commercial, ATP

The only way one person will hold two certificates is to have a Flight instructor certificate PLUS either the Commercial or ATP certificate.

For example...I hold a:
Commercial pilot certificate with Airplane Single & Multiengine Land ; Instrument Airplane
Flight Instructor certificate with Airplane Single Engine ; Instrument Airplane

Airplane is a category. Single and Multi Engine are classes. Instrument is a rating.
 
Based on the geriatric condition of most of the pilots I meet I'd say our numbers could decline way more than 50% in a big hurry.

Attending OSH, Sun and Fun or any EAA meeting and you start to suspect that 50% number could be low indeed.:rofl:
 
Back
Top