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Pilots in Michigan
19,539 active pilots lived in Michigan at the end of 2025, making it the 15th largest pilot population in the country and 2.2% of the US total. Of those, 7,901 were student pilots and 3,419 held a flight instructor certificate.
Active pilots
19,539
#15 nationally
Students
7,901
40% of pilots here
Instructors
3,419
one per 2.3 students
By certificate
Where in Michigan
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.
- Ann Arbor286
- Grand Rapids247
- Traverse City208
- Kalamazoo183
- Brighton152
- Canton139
- Howell136
- Waterford134
- Jackson109
- Ypsilanti100
- Midland98
- Holland98
The people who keep them flying
Michigan is home to 7,683 certificated mechanics — one for every 2.5 pilots in the state.
- Mechanic7,683
- Flight Attendant7,586
- Ground Instructor2,001
- Repair men1,258
- Flight Engineer435
- Dispatcher395