International Aerobatic Club

What International Aerobatic Club does

The International Aerobatic Club (IAC) is a U.S.-headquartered, private non-profit membership organization and a division of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). Founded in 1970 and based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, IAC serves as the official governing body for precision aerobatic flight competition in the United States, standardizing contest rules, competition sequences (from Primary through Unlimited categories using the Aresti notation system), judge training and certification, and the selection of U.S. national and world championship teams. The organization serves recreational pilots, competition pilots, aerobatic flight instructors, judges, and aviation enthusiasts through a network of local chapters and an international flight school directory spanning approximately 18 countries.

IAC's core technology and product surface includes the IACCDB online contest results and judging statistics database (iaccdb.iac.org), a downloadable Contest Rules and Sequences library, a four-volume Technical Tips publication series plus a Spin Recovery Series built on expertise from figures like Gene Beggs and Eric Muller, a recurring EAA-co-hosted webinar program (active since June 2011, FAA WINGS-credit eligible), and an Aerobatic Flight Schools directory. Operational delivery leans on EAA's infrastructure (webinar platform, EAA Shop for merchandise, the annual AirVenture convention in Oshkosh) and on partnerships with sponsors such as Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co. and training providers like CP Aviation.

IAC generates revenue through five channels: annual membership dues (subscription/recurring), per-contest registration fees (transaction), website advertising (rate card dated 2019 still published), EAA Shop merchandise sales (reseller), and PayPal donations. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; the membership is implicitly coordinated through EAA. As a non-profit governed by an elected board, IAC reinvests receipts into programming, scholarships, and event hosting — most notably the 2026 World Aerobatic Championship in Mason City, Iowa. The organization competes not on price but on its monopoly governance status and the depth of its community ecosystem, and it shows no AI/ML capability, no venture or private equity backing, and no acquisitions.

Name

International Aerobatic Club

Legal name

International Aerobatic Club, a division of Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc.

Website

https://iac.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The International Aerobatic Club is a U.S. non-profit membership organization and division of EAA that governs precision aerobatic competition. It serves recreational and competition pilots, instructors, and judges through standardized contest rules, a contest results database, training programs, chapters, and championship events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aeronautical Sport Membership Services

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Amateur Sport Governing Bodies & Federations (National/Regional) (MPAKACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rules, Officiating & Referee Associations (Officials/umpires bodies) (MPAKAFAK), International Sport Federations (IFs) (MPAKAFAB)

Keywords

• Aerobatic competition governance
• Aviation membership organization
• Precision flight contests
• Aerobatic pilot training
• Sport aerobatics association

Headquarters

HQ city

Oshkosh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership subscriptions that provide access to contests, chapter network, technical resources, and member benefits including the annual member dinner at AirVenture
2. Contest Registration Fees: Fees charged for participation in regional contests, U.S. National Championships, and World Aerobatic Championships events
3. Advertising Revenue: Advertising rates available for the IAC platform including website and publication placements
4. Merchandise Sales: Partnership with EAA Shop for IAC-branded merchandise and products
5. Donations: PayPal donation options for supporting the organization and Team USA

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The International Aerobatic Club is the official U.S. governing body for precision aerobatic flight competition, providing annual memberships, standardized contest rules and Aresti-based sequences across five competition categories (Primary, Sportsman, Intermediate, Advanced, Unlimited), and managing regional contests, U.S. National Aerobatics Championships, and Team USA representation at the World Aerobatic Championship. Members gain access to a network of local chapters, a flight school directory, technical publications, webinars, judges training and certification, and scholarships.

Product overview

The International Aerobatic Club is a membership organization (division of the Experimental Aircraft Association) providing a platform of interconnected services for the aerobatic flying community. The core offerings include a searchable directory of aerobatic flight schools and instructors, educational webinars with industry experts, technical publications on aircraft maintenance and flight safety, and competition management tools including a contest calendar, rules library, and results database. These products work together to support pilots from initial training through competitive participation at regional, national, and world championship levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual IAC Membership An annual subscription product for individual pilots, instructors, judges, and aviation enthusiasts that provides access to IAC's competition infrastructure, local chapters, technical publications, webinars, and member events such as the annual IAC member dinner at EAA AirVenture.
• Aerobatic Flight Schools Directory A searchable directory of aerobatic flight schools and certified instructors organized geographically across 18+ countries including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Morocco, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States, enabling pilots to locate qualified aerobatic training providers.
• IAC Webinars An online educational series delivered via the EAA webinar platform featuring IAC pilots and experts covering topics such as unusual attitude flying, aerobatic competition basics, reading aerobatic sequences, emergency maneuver training, and aircraft-specific training; webinars qualify for FAA WINGS credit and have been offered since June 2011.
• Technical Tips Publications (Volumes 1-4) A four-volume technical publication series containing articles originally published in Sport Aerobatics magazine, covering aircraft maintenance, spins, aerodynamics, rigging, fuel systems, and safety procedures for aerobatic aircraft including Pitts, Citabria, Decathlon, and others.
• Spin Recovery Series An educational content collection focused on spin aerodynamics, spin recovery techniques, and the Beggs-Mueller spin recovery method, with contributions from experts including Gene Beggs and Eric Muller.
• Contest Results Database (IACCDB) An online database hosted at iaccdb.iac.org containing competition results from IAC-sanctioned aerobatic contests and judging statistics for tracking competitor performance.
• Contest Calendar A calendar listing all upcoming IAC-sanctioned aerobatic competitions, including regional contests, the U.S. National Aerobatics Championships, and the World Aerobatic Championship, used by pilots to plan their competitive season.
• Contest Rules and Sequences Official downloadable IAC Contest Rules and published Aresti-based aerobatic sequences for the five competition categories from Primary through Unlimited, used by pilots, judges, and contest organizers to standardize competition formats.
• CP Aviation Emergency Maneuver Training Scholarship A $3,100 scholarship for IAC members holding a private pilot certificate, promoting aviation safety through unusual attitude and aerobatic training; administered in partnership with CP Aviation, a family-owned aerobatic flight school in Santa Paula, California, in memory of Vicki Cruse.
• U.S. National Aerobatics Championships The annual U.S. National Championship competition, the premier domestic event in the U.S. precision aerobatic competition ladder; the 2026 U.S. Nationals Bulletin 1 was released on June 8, 2026.
• 2026 World Aerobatic Championship (Hosted Event) The 2026 edition of the World Aerobatic Championship, hosted in Mason City, Iowa, USA from August 24 through September 2, 2026, bringing together more than 35 of the world's top aerobatic pilots and organized under IAC's governance.

Quantifiable outcome

• The 2026 World Aerobatic Championship will bring more than 35 of the world's top aerobatic pilots to Mason City, Iowa

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, core and minor.

• Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co.supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAircraft Spruce & Specialty Co. provides sponsorship support for IAC's webinar programming, enabling the delivery of educational content to the aerobatic community through the EAA webinar series.
• Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAC operates as a division of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). This parent organization relationship provides infrastructure including the EAA webinar platform, EAA Shop partnership for merchandise, and the broader EAA membership base for IAC recruitment.
• CP AviationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCP Aviation, a family-owned aerobatic flight school in Santa Paula, California, partners with IAC to offer the CP Aviation Emergency Maneuver Training Scholarship in Memory of Vicki Cruse, valued at $3,100, supporting pilot safety training.
• Figure 1 FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerExternal scholarship link provided by IAC for the Figure 1 Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to aviation scholarships acting as a conduit between investors and individuals pursuing aviation careers.
• International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerExternal scholarship link provided by IAC for the ICAS Foundation, which offers numerous scholarships for pilots, instructors, and performers in the air show industry.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA): Parent/host organization of which IAC is a division. Comparable as a large membership-based aviation recreation association that hosts the AirVenture mega-event and shares infrastructure, webinar platform, and shop with IAC.
• Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA): Large U.S. general aviation membership association. Comparable as the broader aviation-membership incumbent that overlaps with IAC's pilot audience and competes for aviation enthusiast mindshare.
• FAI - Fédération Aéronautique Internationale: International air sports federation that sanctions the World Aerobatic Championship via its CIVA commission. Directly comparable as the parent international governing body for the same sport in which IAC operates domestically.

Direct peers

• Soaring Society of America: U.S. national governing body for soaring/gliding competition. Closely comparable in structure, governance model, and member-funded nonprofit approach as a fellow FAI-affiliated U.S. air-sport federation.
• British Aerobatic Association: UK national governing body for aerobatic competition. Most direct functional analogue to IAC: sanctions national contests, publishes rules and sequences, certifies judges, and fields a national team at the World Aerobatic Championship.
• Australian Aerobatic Club: Australian national aerobatic governing body. Comparable as a regional/national peer in the same sport, running its own championship ladder and affiliated with CIVA for international representation.

Regional players

• Commemorative Air Force: U.S. recreational aviation organization that shares AirVenture participation and a heritage-aviation audience with IAC. Comparable as an EAA-adjacent aviation hobby nonprofit with event-driven engagement.
• US Parachute Association (USPA): U.S. national governing body for skydiving and parachute sport. Structurally comparable as another FAI-affiliated, member-funded U.S. air-sport federation running sanctioning, training, and competition programs.
• International Council of Air Shows (ICAS): U.S. and international association representing air show performers and organizers. Comparable as a closely adjacent aviation sport/recreation membership body that overlaps with IAC on aerobatic demonstrations and shares scholarship partnerships via the ICAS Foundation.

Others

• Cirrus Aircraft / aerobatic aircraft manufacturers (e.g., Extra Aircraft, Zivko Aeronautics): Manufacturers of competition aerobatic aircraft (Extra, Edge). Comparable as ecosystem participants whose aircraft supply and marketing reinforce IAC's competition ladder and contest participation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCCsMKfkVQdgA7YbZjC5lTQg
• Facebookfacebook.com/eaaiac
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-aerobatic-club
• Instagraminstagram.com/iac_hq
• Xx.com/iachq

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Aerobatic Club