17K
Predicted shortage of U.S. Aviation Pilots by 2032.
Southern Tier Aviation Initiative · New York
Building an aviation economy in New York’s Southern Tier.
STAI brings industry, education, government, airports, and communities together to grow aerospace opportunities across the southern region of New York.
The workforce gap
The aviation industry is growing fast.
But there’s a problem.
60K+
Projected decline in maintenance technicians by 2029.
1,500+
Shortage of certified U.S. air traffic controllers in 2026.
- 1. Industry forecast, U.S. House aviation subcommittee hearing, 2023
- 2. Cornell University Program on Applied Demographics, U.S. Census data
- 3. FAA Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan 2026–2028: about 11,000 certified controllers against a target of 12,563. Via AP, May 2026.
The incentive gap
The Southern Tier has the opposite problem.
We have the airports, the open land, and a long history of precision manufacturing, but we’re losing talent. Our graduates leave to find careers elsewhere, and manufacturing jobs keep shrinking.
#1
In population loss of any other NY region 2023 to 2024.
2.5%+
Loss in residents across several counties in the Southern Tier.
Our opportunity
What’s the solution?
The region already has the airports, open land, and manufacturing base that aviation needs. STAI’s job is to connect them.
STAI will work as a coordinated platform that converts underutilized regional advantages into a competitive aviation ecosystem.
How it works
Airports
Airport Network (STAN)
Instead of nine county airfields competing for funding and operating alone, STAN unites them into a single regional network.
Education
Education Pipeline
Starting with local classrooms to major cockpits. With severe national shortages, STAI builds a debt-smart pipeline that keeps talent here.
Manufacturing
Advanced Manufacturing
We want to build the supply chain from the ground up. Major aerospace builders move where the part suppliers already exist.
Infrastructure
Regional Infrastructure
High-tech training and manufacturing fail without everyday essentials. STAI aims to coordinate the systems required to keep the region moving.
Project status
Phase One: Building the Coalition
We are actively assembling the founding group of municipal partners, educational leaders, and early investors to bring this roadmap to life.
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Phase 1
Foundation
Current PhaseBuild the regional coalition and fund an independent feasibility study.
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Phase 2
Validation
Study findings measure demand, sites, and workforce. Partners formalize agreements.
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Phase 3
Build and launch
Facilities and programs are established and the first students enroll.
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Phase 4
Operation
Graduates are placed with regional employers and new firms locate here.
In the press
What people are saying.
Pragmatic Papers
STAI: Revitalizing Industry in New York’s Rust Belt
“One of the more enduring issues in American politics is the fallout from our move to global trade in rural regions that formerly focused on manufacturing and industrial processing.”Read the article →