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Pilots in Tennessee
21,250 active pilots lived in Tennessee at the end of 2025, making it the 13th largest pilot population in the country and 2.4% of the US total. Of those, 8,512 were student pilots and 3,823 held a flight instructor certificate.
Active pilots
21,250
#13 nationally
Students
8,512
40% of pilots here
Instructors
3,823
one per 2.2 students
By certificate
Where in Tennessee
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.
- Knoxville663
- Nashville588
- Memphis539
- Murfreesboro454
- Collierville447
- Franklin296
- Clarksville286
- Germantown285
- Chattanooga203
- Maryville182
- Brentwood166
- Lebanon155
The people who keep them flying
Tennessee is home to 7,864 certificated mechanics — one for every 2.7 pilots in the state.
- Mechanic7,864
- Flight Attendant4,737
- Ground Instructor1,968
- Flight Engineer981
- Dispatcher789
- Repair men696