Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation Revenue Benchmarks
The average other nonscheduled air transportation business in the United States generates $3.1M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 516 other nonscheduled air transportation businesses in the U.S., employing 7,087 workers with an average profit margin of 5.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $131K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation Business Actually Do?
Non-scheduled aviation — cargo charter, agricultural aviation (crop dusting), aerial photography, helicopter tours.
Who buys: Cargo shippers, farmers (crop protection), media, tourists.
Average Revenue
$3.1M
per year
Profit Margin
5.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$227K
per year
Total Businesses
516
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$156K
small business avg
Labor Cost
35.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$131K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.2
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation Charge?
Non-scheduled cargo air transport and specialty aviation services (helicopter tours, agricultural).
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Helicopter charter | $800–3,000/hour |
Agricultural aviation (per acre) | $8–20/acre spraying |
Aerial photography (per hour) | $500–1,500 |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete other nonscheduled air transportation business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a other nonscheduled air transportation business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the other nonscheduled air transportation industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Fuel & vehicle costs | $30 | $934K | Fuel is often the single biggest line — plus tires, maintenance, tolls. |
Wages & benefits | $35 | $1.1M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $187K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $3 | $93K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $21 | $654K | Insurance (very high), truck payments, dispatching software, driver benefits. |
Net profit | $5 | $156K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
14.57%
openings/year
Closure Rate
9.44%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+6.84%
annual
Businesses Closed
156
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
12 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a other nonscheduled air transportation business do?
- Non-scheduled aviation — cargo charter, agricultural aviation (crop dusting), aerial photography, helicopter tours. Cargo shippers, farmers (crop protection), media, tourists.
- How much do other nonscheduled air transportation charge?
- Non-scheduled cargo air transport and specialty aviation services (helicopter tours, agricultural). See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average other nonscheduled air transportation make per year?
- The average other nonscheduled air transportation business generates $3.1M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $156K per year at a 5.0% profit margin.
- How many other nonscheduled air transportation businesses are there in the US?
- There are 516 other nonscheduled air transportation businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 7,087 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a other nonscheduled air transportation business?
- Startup costs for a other nonscheduled air transportation business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the other nonscheduled air transportation industry?
- The average employee in the other nonscheduled air transportation industry earns $131K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The other nonscheduled air transportation industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 6.8% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (14.6% entry vs 9.4% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 61% of other nonscheduled air transportation businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 156 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the other nonscheduled air transportation industry earns $130,882/year. This is significantly above the national average of ~$65K, reflecting the skilled nature of this work. With 957 establishments employing 6,778 people, the typical business has about 7 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The other nonscheduled air transportation industry has grown 15% since 2000 (from 1,658 to 1,903 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation revenue with other industries: