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Pilots in New York
23,212 active pilots lived in New York at the end of 2025, making it the 10th largest pilot population in the country and 2.6% of the US total. Of those, 11,589 were student pilots and 3,229 held a flight instructor certificate.
Active pilots
23,212
#10 nationally
Students
11,589
50% of pilots here
Instructors
3,229
one per 3.6 students
By certificate
Where in New York
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.
- New York724
- Brooklyn576
- Rochester209
- Bronx196
- Staten Island136
- Ithaca92
- Buffalo87
- Saratoga Springs75
- Albany68
- Jamaica65
- Astoria65
- Flushing64
The people who keep them flying
New York is home to 10,723 certificated mechanics — one for every 2.2 pilots in the state.
- Flight Attendant16,269
- Mechanic10,723
- Ground Instructor1,948
- Dispatcher921
- Repair men763
- Flight Engineer286