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Pilots in Nebraska
5,219 active pilots lived in Nebraska at the end of 2025, making it the 40th largest pilot population in the country and 0.6% of the US total. Of those, 2,344 were student pilots and 729 held a flight instructor certificate.
Active pilots
5,219
#40 nationally
Students
2,344
45% of pilots here
Instructors
729
one per 3.2 students
By certificate
Where in Nebraska
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.
- Omaha576
- Lincoln312
- Bellevue135
- Papillion113
- Elkhorn83
- Kearney74
- Grand Island61
- North Platte44
- Norfolk44
- Fremont40
- Columbus36
- Alliance36
The people who keep them flying
Nebraska is home to 1,566 certificated mechanics — one for every 3.3 pilots in the state.
- Mechanic1,566
- Repair men424
- Flight Attendant400
- Ground Instructor333
- Flight Engineer49
- Dispatcher46