Military service members and veterans with and without experience in aviation receive benefits that can help them succeed as entrepreneurs in the industry. Consider the following five facts:
1. Big Things Happen at Small Airports
Entrepreneurs enter into aviation via all of the industry sectors, broadly understood as:
- The military
- Commercial airlines and air transport
- General aviation (non-airline or air transport)
A study by eight aviation associations found that in the five years leading up to 2023, “sizable increases” in employment and productivity ended in general aviation alone accounting for more than 1.3 million jobs and more than $339 billion in economic output.
Many of the companies carrying out and supporting business aviation are at the smaller regional airports, where tenants may also conduct activities including research, development and testing.
2. Transitioning Troops Receive Free Entrepreneurship Training
Active-duty service members can receive a reality check about their entrepreneurial aspirations before they separate by signing up for a Boots to Business (B2B) class. The U.S. Small Business Administration offers the two-day entrepreneurship training courses on military installations. A base’s manager over the Transition Assistance Program must approve the B2B registration.
The class helps participants evaluate their business ideas and leads them through the steps of developing a business plan. It introduces a “broad spectrum of entrepreneurial business concepts and the resources available,” including how to access startup funds and contracting opportunities.
3. The Government Sets Aside Contracts for Small Businesses
The federal government rewards inventiveness on the part of U.S.-owned small businesses with Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants. The STTR grants also involve academic institutions. A small business must have 500 or fewer employees.
The grants’ phases propel the businesses toward profitability with initial funding to determine feasibility of the idea, typically: Phase 1, a minimum of $150,000; Phase 2, additional funding to build a prototype; Phase 3, commercialization (positioning to supply government or commercial customers).
4. Certain Veteran-Owned Small Businesses Receive Contracting Preferences
The U.S. government may limit competition for public contracts to try to ensure that at least 5% of federal contracting dollars are awarded to service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs).
No U.S. governmentwide benefit exists for veteran-owned small businesses in the absence of any disability, but that could change. If passed, the Contract Our Veterans Act of 2026 would expand contracting preferences to non-disabled veterans.
Some states have established contracting goals for veteran-owned businesses. The National Veteran-Owned Business Association maintains a tracker.
5. Military Education Benefits Pay for Aviation Training, Business Degrees
Your military or veteran education benefits can help provide a foundation of knowledge in either aviation or business. Here are the military and veteran education benefits that pay for aviation maintenance or flight training in addition to bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business and business administration.
- Military Tuition Assistance. Active-duty and some reserve component service members may receive reimbursement for a portion of their training.
- Post-9/11 GI Bill. Veterans who have earned the full Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit could get all of their aviation maintenance training covered, and professional pilots-to-be can also receive a benefit. The benefit covers full in-state tuition at public institutions of higher education and up to an annual maximum at private academies.
- Montgomery GI Bill. This benefit reimburses veteran beneficiaries at a flat monthly rate. However, the benefit will pay only 60% of the charges for flight school.
Find out how much you might get.
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