LEAD THE NEXT SQUADRON IN
YOUR MARKET
The Squadron is bringing its high-fidelity, 200-degree F-35 simulator experience to cities across the country – a proven corporate leadership platform and a one-of-a-kind private experience venue in one location. We’re looking for driven operators ready to build and run both sides of the business in their own market.
A PROVEN MISSION, READY FOR YOUR MARKET
The Squadron built a category of one in New York – a high-fidelity, 200-degree visual F-35 simulator experience so immersive it turns corporate teams and
executives into better leaders, without the simulators ever moving. Now we’re taking the model national with franchise partners who can operate it with the same intensity we do.
Corporate & Leadership Training
A proven communication, decision-making, and trust-building program for teams and executives – mission, then debrief. More than 1,500 companies have flown with The Squadron, many of them Fortune 1000.
Private Experiences
A destination in its own right. Families, individuals, aviation enthusiasts, celebrations, and unique-experience seekers of every kind book missions of their own.
An Unforgettable Format
No other franchise offers high-fidelity, 200-degree visual fighter jet simulators built specifically for leadership development – a defensible, high-margin, high-demand format.
Corporate & Consumer Demand
Corporate offsites and executive programs fill weekdays; private and celebration bookings fill nights and weekends – a fuller calendar than either business alone.
You Run the Market, we back the brand
THE IDEAL FRANCHISEE PROFILE
We’re not looking for passive investors. We’re looking for operators – people who can raise capital, build a team, and run the mission with discipline.
Proven Business or Entrepreneurial Track Record
You have started, owned, or led a business - and can show it.
Capital Raising Experience
You know how to secure funding and build a case investors believe in.
Operations Leadership
You can run a team, manage a P&L, and execute day to day.
Aviation or Military Aviation Background
Not required - but a meaningful plus given the nature of the experience.
EXPANDING FROM NYC NATIONWIDE
NYC remains our flagship location. We’re awarding franchise territories across the
rest of the country on a first-come, exclusivity basis.
“Franchising The Squadron isn’t about buying a business in a box – it’s about bringing personal excellence leader mindset nationwide.”
FOUR STEPS TO YOUR OWN MISSION
Apply
Submit your application with your background and market of interest.
Discovery Call
Meet our franchise development team to discuss fit and territory.
Due Diligence
Review the Franchise Disclosure Document and financial requirements.
Launch
Site selection, buildout, training, and your grand opening mission.
COMMON QUESTIONS
How much capital do I need to franchise with The Squadron?
Opening a Squadron facility is a real investment – more than a turnkey retail concept, but well within range compared to many serious franchise opportunities in hospitality, fitness, or food service. The centerpiece of the experience is a high-fidelity F-35 flight
simulator, and the facility environment is built to match the brand. Franchise leaders are expected to lead the capital raise for their market, which includes investor sourcing as a core part of the role. During our qualification process, we walk through specific capital
requirements, typical investor structures, and how the HQ team supports franchisees through the fundraising process. If you’re ready to put real capital to work in a differentiated business, let’s talk.
Do I need an aviation background?
Not required. If you have one – great, it’ll serve you well. If you don’t, that’s completely fine; familiarity with aviation or defense is an asset you can hire for, and it’s likely one of your first key additions to the team. What we’re looking for in a franchise leader is executive experience, an entrepreneurial mindset, and the ability to build and lead a high-performing organization. The mission, the brand, and the experience will resonate – the aviation fluency can come from the people around y
Which markets are available?
The Squadron already operates across three countries, with a proven model and a track record in international markets. We’re now expanding in the United States – and we’re approaching it with the same deliberate, quality-first mindset. Every major U.S. city is potentially on the table. The right market is a large metro with strong corporate density, a culture of executive leadership and team development, and the right franchise leader to bring it to life. If you’re serious about your city, reach out – we’ll tell you where things stand.
Is this just a corporate training business?
Far from it. The Squadron’s flagship offering is structured leadership development programs built around high-fidelity F-35 flight simulators – designed for executive teams, senior leaders, and high-performance organizations. The simulator is the centerpiece, not a backdrop. Alongside our corporate programs, we offer private flight experiences for individuals and groups – from solo bucket-list sessions to private events and team celebrations. It’s a multi-revenue-stream business with a one-of-a-kind brand experience at its core.
What support do franchisees receive?
Squadron franchise leaders don’t go it alone. HQ support includes initial training on The Squadron’s full program curriculum and simulator operations; protected territory rights; access to our proven corporate sales and business development playbook; ongoing support for marketing, program design, and client management; and access to national account relationships sourced by HQ. You’re building a local business backed by a differentiated national brand with real infrastructure behind it.
How long does the application process take?
The process moves at the pace of mutual confidence. From initial conversation to a signed franchise agreement, most candidates move through in 60-90 days. That includes an introductory call, a qualification review, a visit to an existing Squadron facility, and a discovery day with our leadership team. We’re selective – and we move deliberately, because the right fit matters as much to us as it does to you.
What makes this franchise opportunity unique?
There is genuinely nothing else like it. The Squadron isn’t a climbing gym with a cool logo or a franchise concept dressed up with a theme – it’s a high-fidelity F-35 flight simulator experience wrapped around a structured leadership development methodology that major corporations pay for. That combination produces something rare in franchising: a business that operates across two completely distinct revenue channels simultaneously.
On the B2B side, The Squadron sells to corporate clients – executive teams, leadership development programs, HR and L&D departments – as a premium, outcome-oriented training experience. It sits inside company budgets that are entirely separate from consumer spending, with deal sizes, sales cycles, and account relationships that look nothing like traditional retail. On the B2C side, the same facility captures individuals, families, aviation enthusiasts, and private groups looking for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Two channels, one operation, one roof. That dual-channel architecture is what separates this from nearly every other franchise concept in the market.
What is the opportunity here?
The short answer: enormous – and it comes from two completely different directions at once.
On the business side, companies are spending more on leadership development than ever before. U.S. companies spent $102.8 billion on training in 2024–2025, and the global executive coaching and leadership development market is estimated at nearly $113 billion in 2026, with corporate spending on leadership development exceeding $366 billion globally. The Squadron competes directly in this space – not as a classroom or a platform, but as an immersive, high-stakes simulation environment that produces leadership insights executives can’t get anywhere else. Devlin PeckMordor Intelligence
On the consumer side, the experiential entertainment market is one of the fastest-growing categories in the economy. The location-based entertainment market is growing at 24.5% annually, driven by consumers – across generations – who are choosing experiences over products. The Squadron draws from this pool too: aviation enthusiasts, thrill-seekers, parents looking for extraordinary family experiences, teenagers on field trips, private event groups, and bucket-list individuals who want to fly an F-35, even if only in simulation.
TAKE THE CONTROLS OF
YOUR OWN SQUADRON
TAKE THE CONTROLS OF YOUR OWN SQUADRON
Tell us about yourself and your market. Our franchise development team reviews every application personally and will follow up within a few business days.
This is not an offer to sell a franchise. Offers are made only through a Franchise Disclosure Document in states requiring registration.
© 2026 The Squadron. Franchise inquiries only – not an offer to sell a franchise.
