Aéro Touring Club de France - ATCF

What Aéro Touring Club de France - ATCF does

Aéro Touring Club de France (ATCF) is a French non-profit association (loi 1901) constituted in 1982, with organisational roots dating to a 1908 air tourism committee of the Touring Club de France. The club operates from Bâtiment 248, Aérodrome de Paris-Saclay-Versailles at Toussus-le-Noble, in the Yvelines department of the Île-de-France region, less than 30 minutes by car from central Paris. It holds EASA Approved Training Organisation certification under reference FR.ATO.0088, granted by the Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile, and is affiliated with the Fédération Française Aéronautique (FFA).

The core offering is diversified pilot training and aircraft rental built around a fleet of approximately 11 aircraft plus 2 electric Pipistrel Velis Electro units and one Dynamic WT9 ULM. The fleet spans training-oriented German Aquila AT01s (four units), the American Piper PA28 Archer II for touring, IFR-certified Austrian Diamond DA40s (two units), and high-end American Cirrus SR20 and SR22 aircraft (one SR20 and two SR22). Aircraft are equipped with modern glass-cockpit avionics including Garmin 1000 with GFC700 autopilot, Garmin G5 and GNX 375, Avidyne, and Dynon HDX 1100 EFIS. ATCF also operates FAA-certified IFR and VFR simulators. Services include LAPL(A), PPL(A), ULM, SEP(T), VFR night, BIR and CB-IR qualifications, theoretical courses delivered through partners AéroGliGli, Coach my English and Air English, plus discovery and initiation flights for the general public. ATCF was the first flying club in France to experiment with the Pipistrel Velis Electro electric aircraft, provided by the FFA. A 2022 Mécénat de Compétence partnership with Safran Electronics & Defense places a Safran staff member at the club to develop avionics training materials and BIA youth outreach.

ATCF serves approximately 300 pilot and student pilot members as of 2024, plus walk-in discovery-flight customers and prospective learners. Revenue is generated through annual membership subscriptions tiered by age (165 EUR under 26, 295 EUR over 26, from 200 EUR for benefactor members), usage-based flight-hour billing per minute at block-to-block times (ranging from 141 EUR/hour for a Velis Electro dual control to 507 EUR/hour for a Cirrus SR22 IFR dual control), one-time theoretical training packages (200 EUR), and prepaid unit account packs that lock in discounts of 10 to 250 EUR. Distribution is direct-to-consumer at the aerodrome, supplemented by weekly virtual presentations on Thursdays at 21h, social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), open days, and a Safran partnership supporting BIA outreach at Lycée International de Palaiseau - Paris Saclay.

Name

Aéro Touring Club de France - ATCF

Legal name

Aéro Touring Club de France

Website

https://aeroclub-atcf.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Aéro Touring Club de France (ATCF) is a non-profit flying association based at Toussus-le-Noble near Paris, operating an EASA-approved pilot training organisation (FR.ATO.0088) with a fleet of 11 aircraft plus 2 electric Pipistrel Velis Electro units, serving approximately 300 pilot and student pilot members plus walk-in discovery-flight customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Toussus-le-Noble

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Flight Hour Billing: Time-based billing per minute for aircraft rental, charged at block-to-block flight times. Different rates for solo flight, dual control (D.C.) with instructor, and IFR training.
2. Annual Membership Fees: Annual club membership with rates based on age: 165€ for members under 26, 295€ for members over 26, and 200€ minimum for benefactor members.
3. Training Fees: Theoretical training package at 200€ charged once at start of training, plus theoretical courses from partners AéroGliGli, Coach my English, and Air English.
4. Unit Account Packs: Prepaid flight credits with discounts: 1000€ deposit = 10€ discount, 2000€ = 25€ discount, 5000€ = 100€ discount, 10000€ = 250€ discount. Helps club manage cash flow.
5. FFA Federation Fees: FFA membership including license and insurance: 96€ basic, or 145€ with pilot info package

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ATCF is a French non-profit aeroclub providing EASA-approved pilot training (LAPL, PPL, ULM), hourly aircraft rental, and discovery/initiation flights from its base at Toussus-le-Noble. The club operates a fleet of approximately 13 aircraft — including electric and ultralight platforms — and delivers its services to roughly 300 members under an association loi 1901 governance structure.

Product overview

Aéro Touring Club de France operates as a diversified flight club offering a portfolio of 10 aircraft and 1 ULM, structured around three core service areas: pilot training (using 4 Aquila AT01 training aircraft and the Dynamic WT9 ULM for ULM license training), IFR-certified air travel (featuring 2 Diamond DA40, 1 Cirrus SR20, and 2 Cirrus SR22 aircraft), and recreational/educational experiences (including traditional aircraft like the Piper PA28 Archer II and innovative electric flight via 2 Pipistrel VELIS Electro aircraft provided by the FFA). The club serves as an Approved Training Organisation (FR.ATO.0088) providing comprehensive pilot licensing programs alongside flight experiences for non-pilots.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Patrouille Touring Charlie: The club's own patrol/demonstration team.

Products and services

• Pilot Licensing Training Programs EASA-approved structured pilot training delivering LAPL, PPL, and ULM qualifications through 22 certified instructors, aimed at adult individuals seeking recreational pilot certification in the Paris region.
• Discovery and Initiation Flights Short introductory flights designed for non-pilots to experience general aviation, serving as an on-ramp to membership and training for prospective individual customers.
• Aircraft Rental (Hourly) Hourly rental of the club's fleet (single-engine, twin-engine, ultralight, and electric aircraft) available to members and licensed pilots needing access to aircraft without ownership.
• Annual Club Membership Annual association membership providing access to training, aircraft rental, club facilities, and benefits via FFA and FFPLUM affiliations for individual members.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 300 members served in 2024
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Safran Electronics & DefensecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Skills sponsorship partnership (Mécénat de Compétence) where Safran Electronics & Defense assigned a staff member to ATCF to strengthen aviation training activities. Focus areas include developing avionics training materials, teaching avionics courses for students, and preparing BIA (Brevet d'Initiation Aéronautique) courses for high school students. Also supports youth career outreach and promoting diversity in aviation through the Union Aéronautique de Toussus (UAT).
• Fédération Française Aéronautique (FFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATCF is affiliated with FFA. The FFA provides two Pipistrel Velis Electro electric aircraft for ATCF to operate for member clubs of Union des Aéroclubs de Toussus-le-Noble (UAT).
• AéroGliGliminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner for theoretical distance learning complementing on-site training for pilot license preparation.
• Coach my EnglishminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEnglish language training partner for aviation English radiotelephony qualification (FCL.055.D).
• Air EnglishminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEnglish language training partner for aviation English radiotelephony qualification.
• Union Aéronautique de Toussus (UAT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative body of aviation clubs at Toussus-le-Noble aerodrome. ATCF participates in coordinated youth outreach and career promotion activities with UAT.
• Lycée International de Palaiseau - Paris SaclayminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTarget educational institution for BIA (Brevet d'Initiation Aéronautique) courses and aviation career outreach as part of Safran partnership activities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Lufthansa Aviation Training: European aviation training group delivering pilot, cabin crew, and maintenance training across multiple sites. Comparable as an EASA-approved training organisation offering modular pilot licences and type ratings, at significantly larger scale than ATCF.
• FlightSafety International: Global leader in professional aviation training, operating full-flight simulators and type-rating programmes worldwide. Comparable as an EASA-aligned training provider delivering instrument and type ratings, though at much higher scale and price point than ATCF.
• ENAC (École Nationale de l'Aviation Civile): France's national civil aviation school, an EASA-approved ATO delivering integrated ATPL and advanced rating programs. Comparable as a French EASA ATO delivering formal pilot licensing, though it operates at a much larger institutional scale than ATCF.
• CAE: Canadian-headquartered aviation training company operating one of the largest pilot training networks globally, including ab-initio programmes through CAE Aviation Academy. Comparable EASA/ICAO-aligned pilot training delivery, but at significantly broader scale than a single aeroclub.

Direct peers

• Aéroclub de France: Founded in 1898, Aéroclub de France is the historic French aeroclub federation ancestor, affiliated with the FFA and operating in the Paris region. It offers a directly comparable mix of pilot licensing, aircraft rental, and discovery flights to overlapping Ile-de-France members.
• Aéroclub Jean Bertin: Historic French aeroclub (Lognes, Ile-de-France) affiliated with the FFA, offering pilot training, aircraft rental, and discovery flights in the greater Paris catchment. Directly competes with ATCF for the same aspirational pilot and member market.
• ESMA Aviation: French aviation training academy (Montpellier and other sites) offering EASA-aligned pilot licences, ratings, and instructor courses. Comparable to ATCF in delivering structured European pilot licensing pathways for individual students.
• Aéroclub d'Issole: FFA-affiliated French aeroclub offering LAPL(A)/PPL(A) training, aircraft rental, and discovery flights. Comparable community-driven French aeroclub model to ATCF, though based in a different regional catchment in southern France.

Regional players

• Sabena Flight Academy: Belgian EASA-approved flight academy offering integrated ATPL and modular pilot training. Comparable as a European EASA ATO delivering pilot licensing to European students, though geographically anchored in Belgium rather than France.
• Aéroclub de la Côte d'Azur: FFA-affiliated aeroclub serving the Nice/Côte d'Azur region with pilot training, aircraft rental, and discovery flights. Comparable service mix to ATCF but operates in a different geographic catchment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ATCFAeroTouringClubdeFrance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/a%C3%A9ro-touring-club-de-france---atcf
• Instagraminstagram.com/aero_touring_club_de_france/?hl=fr

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Aéro Touring Club de France - ATCF