Fintech Partnership Aims to Solve Pilot Shortage with Flexible Loans

By Tyler Nguyen

NEW YORK and OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – April 20, 2026 – A landmark partnership between fintech lending platform Edly and aviation technology leader Pilotbase is set to clear the runway for thousands of aspiring pilots by tackling the single greatest obstacle to their careers: cost. Announced today, the deal makes Edly’s innovative income-based repayment (IBR) loans exclusively available across Pilotbase’s vast network of flight schools, offering a flexible new financing path in an industry grappling with a severe and persistent pilot shortage.

The collaboration integrates Edly’s financial products directly into the Pilotbase Pilot Experience Platform, an operating system used by over 1,400 flight schools worldwide. This move aims to directly address the financial bottleneck that prevents many qualified candidates from ever stepping into a cockpit, potentially unlocking a new wave of talent for the global aviation industry.

The Soaring Cost of a Cockpit Career

The need for new pilots has never been more acute. Recent industry forecasts paint a stark picture: Boeing’s 2024 Outlook projects a global need for 674,000 new commercial pilots over the next two decades, with North America alone requiring 123,000. This demand is fueled by a combination of surging post-pandemic air travel, an expanding global fleet, and a wave of mandatory retirements, with tens of thousands of seasoned pilots expected to leave the workforce by 2030.

Yet, as demand skyrockets, the path to becoming a pilot remains prohibitively expensive. The journey from a first flight lesson to achieving the Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate required by major airlines can easily cost over $100,000. Unlike traditional four-year degrees, many flight training programs at Part 141 and Part 61 schools do not qualify for federal student aid, forcing students into the private loan market. These traditional loans often require high credit scores, substantial cosigner backing, and rigid repayment schedules that can be burdensome for students who are not yet earning a pilot’s salary.

This financial barrier creates a significant chasm between aspiration and reality. “What we consistently hear from flight schools is that many students are ready to begin training but don't yet have a way to pay for it,” said Bryan Landaburu, Chief Revenue Officer of Pilotbase. “Expanding financing options helps unlock that demand and support both students and the schools training them.”

A New Financial Flight Plan

The partnership introduces a financing model relatively new to the world of aviation training: the Income-Based Repayment (IBR) loan. Unlike a traditional loan with a fixed monthly payment, Edly’s model ties a graduate’s loan payments to their actual earnings. Borrowers agree to pay back a set percentage of their income for a predetermined term, typically around seven years.

This structure has several key advantages for aspiring pilots. An income floor, often set around $30,000 annually, means that if a graduate’s earnings fall below this threshold, payments can be paused or reduced, providing a critical safety net during early career stages or unexpected job interruptions. Conversely, as a pilot’s salary increases, their payments adjust accordingly. To protect borrowers from runaway costs, the loans also feature a repayment cap, ensuring they will never pay back more than a fixed multiple of the original loan amount, regardless of how high their salary climbs.

“We're focused on helping more students take the first step toward becoming pilots,” said Chris Ricciardi, CEO of Edly. “By working with Pilotbase, we're able to reach aspiring pilots across a wide range of training environments and provide a financing option designed to be affordable when they need it most.” This approach directly contrasts with other financing options that may require substantial payments to begin immediately after training, long before a pilot secures a high-paying airline job.

Uniting the Training Ecosystem

The strategic power of this partnership lies in Pilotbase’s deep integration within the flight training industry. As the company behind Flight Schedule Pro, the dominant operational software for flight schools, and LogTen, a leading digital logbook for pilots, Pilotbase has an unparalleled reach. The new Pilot Experience Platform aims to connect all facets of the training pipeline—from schools and students to instructors and employers.

By embedding Edly’s financing solutions directly into this platform, the partners are creating a streamlined, one-stop ecosystem. Students at participating flight schools can explore and apply for financing within the same digital environment where they manage their training schedules and log their flight hours. This removes friction from the application process and presents a viable funding path to students at the exact moment they need it.

For flight schools, this integration is a powerful tool for growth. Many institutions, from large academies to smaller independent schools, are forced to turn away otherwise qualified students who lack funding. “We serve a diverse group of students, and no single financing solution fits everyone,” commented Matt Liknaitzky, co-founder and Co-CEO of Sling Pilot Academy, a prominent flight school. “Having access to additional options like Edly allows us to better support students who are ready to train but need different pathways to get started.”

This sentiment reflects a broader industry need for a more diverse portfolio of financial tools to match the diverse needs of the student population. By enabling more students to fund their education, schools can increase enrollment, optimize instructor and aircraft utilization, and ultimately contribute more pilots to the pipeline.

The collaboration underscores a modern approach to solving complex workforce challenges, where technology platforms and financial innovators join forces to dismantle longstanding barriers. “Financing partners play a critical role in supporting both students and flight schools,” noted Ben Finney, Vice President of Partnerships at Pilotbase. “The strongest partnerships are mutually beneficial, creating value for students, schools and lenders alike. Our focus is on working with trusted providers who align to that model, and this partnership with Edly helps expand access in a way that supports students, flight schools and the broader training ecosystem.”