Top USDA nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation contractors
In the 12 months ending Oct 5, 2026, the Department of Agriculture obligated $163.2M in net prime contract dollars under NAICS 481211, down 7.4% from $176.3M in the preceding 12 months. 66 prime contractors received positive obligations, and 24 of them accounted for 80% of that spend.
Prime contracts funded by the Department of Agriculture. Latest 12 months: Oct 6, 2025 to Oct 5, 2026. Source: USAspending.gov.
Obligations by fiscal year
Net prime contract obligations by federal fiscal year (October to September).
Top USDA contractors for NAICS 481211
Ranked by positive obligations in the latest 12 months. Share is of all positive obligations in this market.
| # | Contractor | Latest 12 mo | Prior 12 mo | Share | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bighorn Airways Inc | $17.1M | $15.5M | 10.4% | ▲ 1 |
| 2 | Helicopter Express LLC | $13.6M | $18.4M | 8.2% | ▼ 1 |
| 3 | Bode Aviation, Inc. | $13.3M | $7.3M | 8.1% | ▲ 4 |
| 4 | Spur Aviation Services, LC | $13.1M | $11.6M | 7.9% | — |
| 5 | C.C. Calzone, LLC | $11.4M | $11.9M | 6.9% | ▼ 2 |
| 6 | Ponderosa Aviation Inc | $11.1M | $7.6M | 6.8% | — |
| 7 | Flying a Flight Service Inc | $4.6M | $2.8M | 2.8% | ▲ 13 |
| 8 | Gold Aero Inc. | $4.1M | $6.6M | 2.5% | — |
| 9 | Courtney Aviation, LLC | $4.1M | $6.5M | 2.5% | — |
| 10 | Brainerd Helicopters, Inc | $4.1M | $4.2M | 2.5% | ▲ 2 |
| 11 | Capitol Helicopters, Inc. | $4.0M | $8.2M | 2.4% | ▼ 6 |
| 12 | Mindwinder Incorporated | $3.7M | $5.8M | 2.3% | ▼ 2 |
| 13 | Kentucky Airmotive, Inc | $3.4M | $3.7M | 2.0% | ▲ 1 |
| 14 | Hillcrest Aircraft Company | $3.2M | $3.4M | 1.9% | ▲ 3 |
| 15 | Dynamic Aviation Group, Inc. | $2.6M | $4.1M | 1.6% | ▼ 2 |
What changed in the last 12 months
Contractors with the largest change in reported obligations versus the preceding 12 months.
Largest gains
- Bode Aviation, Inc.$7.3M → $13.3M (+$6.0M) · now #3
- Ponderosa Aviation Inc$7.6M → $11.1M (+$3.5M) · now #6
- VAN Arsdale Air Service, L.L.C.$0 → $2.4M (+$2.4M) · now #18
Largest declines
- Helicopter Express LLC$18.4M → $13.6M (−$4.8M) · now #2
- Capitol Helicopters, Inc.$8.2M → $4.0M (−$4.2M) · now #11
- Sierra Pacific Airlines, Inc$2.6M → −$944K (−$3.5M) · no latest-period obligations
New to this market
8 contractors received their first obligations in this market (since FY2022) during the latest 12 months. The largest:
| Contractor | First obligation | Latest 12 mo |
|---|---|---|
| VAN Arsdale Air Service, L.L.C. | Feb 24, 2026 | $2.4M |
| Corvus, LLC | Apr 27, 2026 | $1.3M |
| Superior Helicopter Services, LLC | Apr 20, 2026 | $1.1M |
| Misty Fjords Air and Outfitting, Inc. | Mar 20, 2026 | $461K |
| Susanville Aviation LLC | May 28, 2026 | $369K |
| Kalinin Aviation LLC | Apr 13, 2026 | $298K |
| av8-ORR Helicopter Services Inc | Mar 29, 2026 | $105K |
| North River Air, LLC | Apr 24, 2026 | $15K |
Where the money comes from
Funding sub-agencies within the Department of Agriculture, latest 12 months. The funding organization can differ from the office that runs the requirement.
| Funding sub-agency | Latest 12 mo | Prior 12 mo | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Service | $162.5M | $175.7M | Down $13.2M (7.5%) |
| Natural Resources Conservation Service | $491K | $426K | Up $65K (15.2%) |
| Office of the Chief Financial Officer | $185K | $172K | Up $13K (7.7%) |
Potential recompetes
Large awards in this market whose current period of performance ends in the next 18 months. Treat these as research leads: options, extensions, and follow-on vehicles often change the timing.
| Award | Incumbent | Obligated | Current end |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1202SA24K9419 | Spur Aviation Services, LC PROVIDE AIRCRAFT AND CREW TO PERFORM IAA SERVICES | $10.9M | Dec 31, 2026 |
| 1202SA24K9427 | Dynamic Aviation Group, Inc. 24 HOUR ATGS WITH SENSOR - LANCASTER | $9.7M | Dec 31, 2026 |
| 1202SA24K9404 | C.C. Calzone, LLC PROVIDE AIRCRAFT AND PILOT SERVICES FOR ATGS MISSION, FIRE | $13.7M | Dec 31, 2026 |
| 1202SA24K9425 | Owyhee Air Research LLC AIRCRAFT AND CREW TO PROVIDE SENSOR ENHANCED FIRE MAPPING - BOISE | $7.6M | Dec 31, 2026 |
| 1202SA22K9133 | Ponderosa Aviation Inc 2022 NATIONAL AIR ATTACK, LIGHT FIXED WING ATGS BASE AND 4 OPTION YEARS ALBUQUERQUE | $5.6M | Dec 31, 2026 |
| 1202SA22K9146 | Flying a Flight Service Inc 2022 NATIONAL AIR ATTACK, LIGHT FIXED WING ATGS BASE AND 4 OPTION YEARS MEDFORD, OR | $5.5M | Dec 31, 2026 |
| 1202SA22K9149 | Elkhorn Aviation, Inc. 2022 NATIONAL AIR ATTACK, LIGHT FIXED WING ATGS BASE AND 4 OPTION YEARS SAN BERNARDINO, CA | $5.4M | Dec 31, 2026 |
| 1202SA24K9412 | Bode Aviation, Inc. NATIONAL INCIDENT AWARENESS AND ASSESSMENT (IAA) BOISE, ID | $11.4M | Dec 31, 2026 |
| 1202SA25K9118 | Bighorn Airways Inc TAIL #: N991BH LOCATION: REGION 1, MAP 157 (MISSOULA, MT) RESOURCE: PG-A1 MAP DATES: 04.01.2025 - 09.04.2025 EST. FLIGHT TIME: 100 HOURS | $7.2M | Dec 31, 2027 |
| 1202SA25K9122 | Bighorn Airways Inc TAIL #: N993BH LOCATION: REGION 5, MAP 132 (REDDING, CA) RESOURCE: PG-A-1 MAP DATES: 05.20.2025 - 09.28.2025 EST. FLIGHT TIME: 100 HOURS | $5.8M | Dec 31, 2027 |
Common questions
Who are the top USDA contractors for NAICS 481211?
In the latest 12 months, Bighorn Airways Inc ($17.1M), Helicopter Express LLC ($13.6M), Bode Aviation, Inc. ($13.3M) received the most USDA obligations for nonscheduled chartered passenger air transportation.
How concentrated is this market?
The eight largest primes held 53.5% of positive obligations, and Bighorn Airways Inc alone held 10.4%. 8 contractors won their first obligations in this market during the latest 12 months.
Are any large USDA NAICS 481211 contracts ending soon?
10 of the largest awards in this market reach their current end date in the next 18 months. The first is 1202SA24K9419 (Spur Aviation Services, LC, $10.9M obligated), ending Dec 31, 2026. An end date is a research lead, not a confirmed recompete: options and extensions often move it.
Related markets
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$13.2MFigures are net obligations on prime contracts (award types A–D) from USAspending.gov, grouped by funding agency and the NAICS code on each award. Net obligations include deobligations and corrections, so they can differ from positive-obligation totals. See methodology.
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