The Story of Cloud Cowboy

Cloud Cowboy was founded in spring of 2022. The three founders were gathered in Pittsburgh PA, for a college reunion. After a flight, we came up with an idea to solve a troubling problem. There is simply no aviation clothing that is representative of our generation.

We all agreed that we wanted to create a brand of clothing we would actually want to wear, ourselves. A brand built by aviators for aviators. Our goal was to create aviation products that would showcase the pilot lifestyle for the next generation. As a result, Cloud Cowboy was born.

Our brand was created with a passion rooted in improving and advancing aviation. Wearing Cloud Cowboy is the perfect way to showcase your love for flying and the aviation industry as a whole.

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Meet the Cowboys

Founders & Friends

Check out the Aviators behind Cloud Cowboy.

Founder & Marketing

Rich Rafferty

Rich Rafferty is a certified flight instructor from Pittsburgh, PA. He is currently nearing his goals of 1000 hours of flight time and becoming an airline pilot.

Rich started flying in 2018 because he was unsatisfied with what he was learning in business school at Liberty University. He had always dreamed of flying through the air but had never realized being a pilot was a civilian career option. Seeing planes fly over Liberty’s campus was the push in the right direction that he needed to finally take a discovery flight. Once the wheels left the ground, he never looked back.

To Rich, Cloud Cowboy is a way of expressing his love for aviation to the world. He hopes that the brand will go beyond pilots to inspire and encourage people to explore aviation that normally would not come in contact with it.

Founder & Designer

Max Johnson

Max Johnson is an airline pilot and certified flight instructor from Dayton, OH. He has passion for tailwheel and seaplane flying.

Growing up in the birthplace of aviation Max's passion for flying was instilled at a young age. From collecting model airplanes to taking his first flight lessons in high school aviation became a way of living. Working hard to continue his education Max graduated with a degree in Aviation Technology.

On his journey to the airlines, aviaton took him from the Blue Ridge Mountians and great lakes to the swamps of Georgia and the Florida Keys.

To Max, Cloud Cowboy is love letter to aviation and the next generation of aviators entering it. Max hopes this brand serves as an entry point for people to join this amazing aviation community, that has become home.