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Pilots in Illinois
23,394 active pilots lived in Illinois at the end of 2025, making it the 9th largest pilot population in the country and 2.6% of the US total. Of those, 9,904 were student pilots and 4,293 held a flight instructor certificate.
Active pilots
23,394
#9 nationally
Students
9,904
42% of pilots here
Instructors
4,293
one per 2.3 students
By certificate
Where in Illinois
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.
- Chicago1,174
- Naperville309
- Aurora140
- Rockford135
- Crystal Lake125
- Saint Charles118
- O Fallon108
- Springfield107
- Plainfield105
- Downers Grove101
- Champaign101
- Arlington Heights92
The people who keep them flying
Illinois is home to 8,367 certificated mechanics — one for every 2.8 pilots in the state.
- Flight Attendant15,424
- Mechanic8,367
- Ground Instructor2,406
- Dispatcher1,388
- Repair men1,113
- Flight Engineer612