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Pilots in Iowa
7,145 active pilots lived in Iowa at the end of 2025, making it the 34th largest pilot population in the country and 0.8% of the US total. Of those, 3,042 were student pilots and 1,023 held a flight instructor certificate.
Active pilots
7,145
#34 nationally
Students
3,042
43% of pilots here
Instructors
1,023
one per 3.0 students
By certificate
Where in Iowa
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.
- Cedar Rapids155
- Des Moines146
- Dubuque104
- Ankeny90
- Iowa City89
- Ames88
- West Des Moines85
- Indianola81
- Davenport78
- Bettendorf70
- Urbandale70
- Sioux City68
The people who keep them flying
Iowa is home to 1,504 certificated mechanics — one for every 4.8 pilots in the state.
- Mechanic1,504
- Flight Attendant669
- Ground Instructor486
- Repair men408
- Flight Engineer64
- Dispatcher40