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Pilots in Arizona
31,968 active pilots lived in Arizona at the end of 2025, making it the 4th largest pilot population in the country and 3.6% of the US total. Of those, 13,218 were student pilots and 6,441 held a flight instructor certificate.
Active pilots
31,968
#4 nationally
Students
13,218
41% of pilots here
Instructors
6,441
one per 2.1 students
By certificate
Where in Arizona
Pilots by city of residence, from the August 2026 releasable file. That file omits airmen who decline address release, so treat these as relative weight between cities rather than counts — see methodology.
- Phoenix1,819
- Mesa1,430
- Tucson1,192
- Scottsdale955
- Gilbert855
- Chandler615
- Goodyear571
- Prescott440
- Peoria323
- Glendale302
- Queen Creek296
- Tempe294
The people who keep them flying
Arizona is home to 10,926 certificated mechanics — one for every 2.9 pilots in the state.
- Flight Attendant12,072
- Mechanic10,926
- Ground Instructor3,397
- Repair men1,898
- Dispatcher608
- Flight Engineer541