Pilot Census
← All states

Pilots in Arkansas

8,205 active pilots lived in Arkansas at the end of 2025, making it the 32nd largest pilot population in the country and 0.9% of the US total. Of those, 3,896 were student pilots and 1,044 held a flight instructor certificate.

Active pilots
8,205
#32 nationally
Students
3,896
47% of pilots here
Instructors
1,044
one per 3.7 students

By certificate

Where in Arkansas

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.

  • Little Rock319
  • Bentonville200
  • Fayetteville188
  • Rogers172
  • Jonesboro149
  • Conway125
  • Hot Springs124
  • Fort Smith111
  • Springdale105
  • Cabot102
  • North Little Rock97
  • Searcy86

The people who keep them flying

Arkansas is home to 2,849 certificated mechanics — one for every 2.9 pilots in the state.

  • Mechanic2,849
  • Flight Attendant962
  • Ground Instructor536
  • Repair men484
  • Flight Engineer80
  • Dispatcher67

Nearby in the ranking