Aircraft type clubs are organizations that provide information and support to a single aircraft type or a group of aircraft types from the same manufacturer or family of aircraft.

There are hundreds of aircraft type clubs around the world providing services to most certified

Type certificate

A Type Certificate, is awarded by aviation regulating bodies to aerospace manufacturers after it has been established that the particular design of a civil aircraft, engine, or propeller has fulfilled the regulating bodies' current prevailing airworthiness requirements for the safe conduct of...

, amateur-built

Homebuilt aircraft

Also known as amateur-built aircraft or kit planes, homebuilt aircraft are constructed by persons for whom this is not a professional activity. These aircraft may be constructed from "scratch," from plans, or from assembly kits.-Overview:...

, warbird

Warbird

Warbird is a term used, predominantly in North America, to describe vintage military aircraft.- Naming :Although the term originally implied piston-driven aircraft from the World War II era, it is now often extended to include all military aircraft, including jet-powered aircraft, that are no...

 and ultralight aircraft types that have been produced in any significant numbers. In some cases, especially those dealing with highly popular aircraft designs, there may be two or more competing type clubs offering services for the same aircraft type or types.

Most aircraft type clubs are independent of the manufacturer. While the majority are organized as not-for-profit associations, some type clubs are run as for-profit businesses.

Services

Type clubs vary in the services they offer and how they work. Some clubs are run by one volunteer enthusiast, using a free web service to provide a website or forum. These often have minimal publications or services. Some of the largest types clubs have fulltime professional staff and offer a full range of services.

Services offered by type clubs can include:

• A magazine
  Magazine
  Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
  
  
• News and events
• A website
  Website
  A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
  
  
• Technical question support from aircraft type experts
• Buyers guides
• Convention
  Convention (meeting)
  A convention, in the sense of a meeting, is a gathering of individuals who meet at an arranged place and time in order to discuss or engage in some common interest. The most common conventions are based upon industry, profession, and fandom...
  
  s
• Fly-in
  Fly-in
  A fly-in is a pre-arranged gathering of aircraft, pilots and passengers for recreational and social purposes.Fly-ins may be formally or informally organised, members of the public may or may not be invited, the gathering may be at an airport or in a farmer's field.Fly-ins can be aimed at specific...
  
  s
• Information on Airworthiness Directive
  Airworthiness Directive
  An Airworthiness Directive is a notification to owners and operators of certified aircraft that a known safety deficiency with a particular model of aircraft, engine, avionics or other system exists and must be corrected....
  
  s
• Information on Supplemental Type Certificate
  Supplemental Type Certificate
  A Supplemental Type Certificate is an FAA approved major modification or repair to an existing type certified aircraft, engine or propeller. As it adds to the existing type certificate, it is deemed 'supplemental'.-Purpose:...
  
  s
• Type-specific classified ads
• Background and historical information
• Maintenance tips
  Aircraft maintenance
  Aircraft maintenance is the overhaul, repair, inspection or modification of an aircraft or aircraft component.Maintenance includes the installation or removal of a component from an aircraft or aircraft subassembly, but does not include:...
  
  
• Operating tips
• Maintenance and aircraft systems courses
• Aircraft type conversion training
• Type-specific insurance
  Insurance
  In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
  
   (at group discounted rates)
• Formation flying
  Formation flying
  Formation flying is the disciplined flight of two or more aircraft under the command of a flight leader.Military pilots use formations for mutual defense and concentration of firepower....
  
   training
• Scholarship
  Scholarship
  A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
  
  s

Listing of aircraft type clubs

• Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association
  Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association
  The Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association is a not-for-profit aircraft type club for owners and pilots of certified aircraft manufactured by Cirrus Design.In October 2008 the association had 2800 members worldwide....
  
   - for Cirrus SR20
  Cirrus SR20
  The Cirrus Design SR20 is a piston engine composite monoplane that seats four. The SR20 is noted for being the first production general aviation aircraft equipped with a parachute designed to lower the aircraft safely to the ground after loss of control or structural failure.-Design and...
  
   and SR22
  Cirrus SR22
  The Cirrus SR22 is a single-engine, four-seat, composite aircraft, built by Cirrus Aircraft starting in 2001. It is a more powerful version of the Cirrus SR20, with a larger wing, higher fuel capacity, and a 310 horsepower engine...
  
   owners
• Tiger Club
  Tiger Club
  The Tiger Club is a flying club formed in 1956 at Croydon Airport, England to race DH82a de Havilland Tiger Moths. The founder was Norman Jones who ran the Club until he handed it over to his son Michael Jones...
  
   - a UK-based flying club that also acts as a type club for the de Havilland Tiger Moth
  De Havilland Tiger Moth
  The de Havilland DH 82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and was operated by the Royal Air Force and others as a primary trainer. The Tiger Moth remained in service with the RAF until replaced by the de Havilland Chipmunk in 1952, when many of the surplus aircraft...
  
  

External links

• The Canadian Owners and Pilots Association's Listing of Aircraft Type Clubs.