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Pilots in Florida
97,112 active pilots lived in Florida at the end of 2025, making it the 1st largest pilot population in the country and 10.9% of the US total. Of those, 38,122 were student pilots and 16,904 held a flight instructor certificate.
Active pilots
97,112
#1 nationally
Students
38,122
39% of pilots here
Instructors
16,904
one per 2.3 students
By certificate
Where in Florida
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.
- Pensacola3,852
- Miami2,260
- Orlando1,568
- Jacksonville1,280
- Tampa948
- Naples829
- Fort Lauderdale823
- Melbourne630
- Daytona Beach630
- Port Orange602
- Pembroke Pines523
- Boca Raton518
The people who keep them flying
Florida is home to 34,818 certificated mechanics — one for every 2.8 pilots in the state.
- Flight Attendant36,896
- Mechanic34,818
- Ground Instructor10,114
- Repair men4,478
- Flight Engineer2,992
- Dispatcher2,306