Skyfarer Academy has announced the completion of its acquisition of InstructAir, a leading platform connecting flight instructors and pilots across the United States.
This strategic acquisition brings together two pioneering forces in aviation education to create the most comprehensive digital ecosystem for student pilots, flight instructors, schools, and aviation enthusiasts nationwide.
A Unified Platform for the Aviation Community
As part of the integration, InstructAir’s independent website and app have been retired. All active instructor profiles, listings, and other non-sensitive data have been migrated to the Skyfarer platform.
“InstructAir began with a mission to make finding a flight instructor easier and to reengage inactive instructors,” said Adam Skinner, Founder of InstructAir. “We’re proud to see that vision expand under Skyfarer Academy—helping more pilots connect, learn, and grow.”
The combination of Skyfarer Academy’s expanding training platform and InstructAir’s instructor network now provides a single destination for discovering and booking flight instructors, accessing educational resources, and fostering mentorship opportunities across the U.S.
Bridging the Flight Training Gap
Flight training remains one of the most complex and fragmented areas in general aviation. While some career flight instructors continue teaching for many years, an estimated 80–90% of new flight instructors move on to other professional flying careers—such as airline or corporate pilot roles—within one to two years, leaving student pilots struggling to find available, qualified instruction.
At the same time, most online instructor directories are outdated or incomplete, often listing instructors who are no longer active. This creates confusion and significant wasted effort for students—while instructors face their own challenges, such as filtering unqualified leads, handling scheduling, and managing online payments without the infrastructure flight schools enjoy.
“Students frequently tell us how hard it is to find the right instructor—not just someone nearby, but someone who’s truly available and a good fit for their goals,” said Nick Tsang, Co-Founder and CEO of Skyfarer Academy. “At the same time, independent flight instructors deserve modern tools that make it easier to focus on teaching rather than administration. Our approach is to close that gap—to build a better, more reliable connection between students and instructors.”
Skyfarer Academy’s model directly addresses these inefficiencies by combining instructor listings, integrated scheduling and payments, and transparent profiles that highlight each instructor’s experience, certifications, and teaching specialties.
Nationwide Reach and Expanded Training Categories
Following the profile migration from InstructAir, Skyfarer’s network has now expanded to include flight instructors and flight schools across the 48 U.S. continental states—and the network is still expanding.
The platform offers pilot training options that span nearly every major category—including Airplane (Single-Engine Land and Multi-Engine Land), Seaplane, Rotorcraft (Helicopter), Glider, and Small Unmanned Aircraft (Drone) giving students unparalleled choice and flexibility to pursue their aviation goals anywhere in the country.
In addition, Skyfarer welcomes partnerships with flight schools and flying clubs to bring local training opportunities onto the platform, allowing organizations to promote their programs and reach a wider audience of student pilots.
Expanding the Future of Aviation Education
Skyfarer Academy recently partnered with the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI) and continues to expand its platform with new tools and resources designed to enhance safety, efficiency, and professional growth within the training community.
By integrating online and in-person instruction, verified profiles, and tailored learning options, Skyfarer aims to build the foundation for a more sustainable flight training ecosystem—one that supports both student success and instructor longevity.
“This is about making aviation education smarter, more transparent, and more human,” said Tsang. “We want to empower both sides—giving students confidence in who they train with and giving instructors the systems they need to succeed.”
Upcoming DPE Checkride Category and Tools
With thousands of flight instructors now joining Skyfarer Academy, the platform is accelerating its plans to introduce a new category dedicated to Designated Pilot Examiners (DPEs) and checkride preparation. In the coming months, Skyfarer will roll out features designed to help students find and schedule checkrides, while giving DPEs better tools to manage applicants, availability, and communication.
Checkrides represent a crucial step in every pilot’s journey—yet delays and inefficiencies in connecting qualified applicants with available examiners often slow progress and add costs. Skyfarer’s upcoming DPE checkride category aims to modernize this process by increasing visibility, improving scheduling transparency, and making certification access smoother and more equitable across regions.
Personalized Support Through Skyfarer Concierge
Following the acquisition, Skyfarer Academy has also launched a Concierge Service designed to simplify the student pilot journey. Instead of spending hours browsing directories, contacting instructors individually, and explaining training goals, students can now submit a training request directly through Skyfarer.
The Skyfarer team then personally reviews each request and matches students with flight instructors who are available, qualified, and best suited to their training needs and schedule. This hands-on approach helps students start training faster, while ensuring a more personalized and efficient connection process between students and instructors.
