The US Air Force has selected US Aviation Academy to provide early-stage pilot training under a long-term contract valued at $835.6 million, marking one of the largest civilian flight training awards the service has issued in recent years.
The agreement runs through December 2035 and covers Initial Pilot Training, the first flying phase for student pilots before they enter military-run undergraduate and advanced training pipelines. According to the Air Force, the award followed a competitive process that drew eight bids.
The training does not involve fighter jets or front-line military aircraft. Instead, US Aviation Academy will provide foundational flight instruction to US and international military pilot candidates at the very start of the Air Force pilot pipeline. Students will learn core airmanship, basic instrument flying, and standardized procedures in civilian aircraft before transitioning to military trainers such as the T-6 Texan II.
Training will be conducted at multiple locations, including Denton and San Marcos, Texas, and Peachtree City, Georgia, using contractor-provided aircraft, simulators, instructors, and course materials. The Air Force will issue training orders over time as student demand fluctuates, allowing it to manage capacity without expanding its own flight training fleet.
Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Denton, Texas, US Aviation Academy has grown into one of the largest flight training organizations in North America. The company supports both civilian and military programs and says it now operates a fleet of more than 200 aircraft across its training network. In addition to single-engine piston aircraft used for ab initio instruction, the academy operates multi-engine trainers and advanced simulators to support airline and military training.
The Air Force contract builds on a period of rapid expansion for the company. In March 2025, US Aviation Academy signed a major fleet agreement with Italian lightplane maker Tecnam, placing a firm order for 38 aircraft with options for an additional 52, for a total potential deal covering 90 airplanes. The order included Tecnam’s single-engine P2010 and twin-engine P2006T MKII trainers and reflected a broader move toward standardized, high-utilization training fleets.
The contract reflects a broader shift in how the Air Force feeds its pilot pipeline. Faced with instructor shortages, limited military trainer availability, and sustained demand for new aviators, the service has pushed more early-stage flight training to civilian providers in recent years. The approach allows the Air Force to expand capacity quickly while preserving military aircraft and instructors for later, mission-specific training.
For US Aviation Academy, the award places the company at the center of that strategy. The long-term agreement gives the Texas-based flight school a prominent role in shaping the earliest phase of Air Force pilot training for the next decade.
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