Our Mission Statement
Building a community for the next generation, Empowering/inspiring young people to fly,
Securing the future of aviation,
& preserving skills & safety.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of organization is Young Pilots USA?
Young Pilots USA is a members' association and community-building organization, which consists of chapters run by our members (though they may remain unaffiliated with a chapter if they choose), as well as a national organization dedicated to larger-scale projects. We emphasize the social aspect of flying in retaining young aviation enthusiasts as they go through the flight training and early career stages of their pilot careers.
Our Roundel
Who are Young Pilots USA members?
Young Pilots USA members are mainly high school and college students, with widely varying levels of experience in aviation. We've got members who've never cracked open a log book and are just curious about aviation and members with thousands of hours across dozens of types, and each and every one is welcome here and draws on the knowledge and experiences of their fellow members. They come from all walks of life and diverse pathways– we're very proud of the fact that a fifth of both our board and our member base are female –to enjoy everything that flies, and are accepting of and friendly to all new members.
Who runs Young Pilots USA?
Young Pilots USA is run by an Executive Board, made up of passionate and capable young people with the skills required to manage and grow an organization of our size and breadth. Chapters are independently run, but the national organization runs bigger-picture resources, such as funding, social media, web presence, conventional media, chapter development efforts, and more. We also have a small and informal group of senior advisors from all walks of aviation, who consult on a variety of different topics for our members and are available to them, although they do not have any formal leadership role in Young Pilots USA.
the official Young Pilots USA Piper Cub
What does Young Pilots USA do?
Young Pilots USA offers a variety of aviation-related events, programs, and sub-organizations, all dedicated to our mission but each functioning a little bit differently. Right now, we offer our Annual Fly-In, various aviation-related resources, and about 25 chapters around the country who provide local aviation communities for young people, for both regional support and simply for social reasons. We're always trying to expand our offerings to our members, so if you've got an idea or would like to start your own chapter, please contact us!
How do I become a member?
To become a member of Young Pilots USA is a convenient and pain-free process. In keeping with our mission, Young Pilots USA accepts young people regardless of their aviation experience. There are no application fees or annual dues; all that an applicant needs is to fill out a brief application that describes themselves and how they are involved with aviation. The main factor which may exclude someone from joining is their age. We are an organization dedicated to young adults and adolescents, and we strive for our membership to be representative of our mission.
Goodspeed Airport, the home of the
Young Pilots USA annual fly-in!
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Clause
Young Pilots USA does not and shall not discriminate based upon sex, race, color, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity or expression, socioeconomic status, region or country of origin, religion, creed, or political philosophy. Given our basis as an American organization for young people, Young Pilots USA reserves the right to discriminate based upon age and nation of residence in admitting members. Prospective applicants should live a majority of the time in the United States of America, and be between 13 and 25 years of age, although exceptions can be made to the age guidelines.
Young Pilots USA Bylaws
Young Pilots USA is governed by a detailed set of organizational bylaws, designed to make the organization function efficiently beyond the efforts of a core founding group of members. Please feel free to learn more about the specific structure and policies of our organization here.