Cercle Aéronautique du SGAC

What Cercle Aéronautique du SGAC does

Cercle Aéronautique du SGAC is a French non-profit aeronautical association (Association Loi 1901, N°8617) founded on 18 January 1949, originally established to provide recreational flying to civil aviation personnel of the Secrétariat Général à l'Aviation Civile and now open to the general public. Operating from Building 31 at the Saint-Cyr-l'École aerodrome (LFPZ) in Yvelines — the only Paris-region airfield easily accessible by RER (12-minute walk from the Saint-Cyr station) — the club delivers DGAC- and EASA-approved Private Pilot License (PPL) training alongside aircraft rental and recreational flying. It maintains a fleet of approximately six aircraft spanning entry-level trainers (two Robin HR200s), a transitional Cessna 172N, a modern Piper PA28 Archer III, and a glass-cockpit Cessna 172 G1000, supported by Microsoft Flight Simulator X and X-Plane 11 flight simulators, OpenFlyers online booking, and Excel-based navigation/weight-and-balance/performance tools.

The club is staffed by approximately five operational employees plus a pool of ten DGAC/EASA-certified instructors drawn from airline, military, professional, and club backgrounds. Revenue is generated through usage-based flight hour fees (€143–244 per hour depending on aircraft), annual membership subscriptions (€246 for under-21, €336 for over-21, including FFA and GUAS fees and pilot insurance), a one-time €100 student entry fee, a €495 discovery package covering three introductory flights with briefings, and full PPL training priced at approximately €7,500–8,000 across an 18–24 month curriculum. Annual flight-hour prices are subject to adjustment coefficients tied to fuel-price fluctuations.

Primary customers are aspiring private pilots aged 15 and over seeking PPL certification, served on-site at the airfield via direct, in-person (and OpenFlyers-enabled) bookings. Acquisition is community-driven: open days (Journées Portes Ouvertes), participation in city festivals, themed social events (Oktoberfest, Crêpe Parties, Pilotesses Party), word-of-mouth among pilots, and free weekly theoretical courses. The club differentiates primarily on geographic accessibility (RER reachability unique in Greater Paris), DGAC/EASA training approval, modern fleet including glass-cockpit equipment, and 75+ years of operating history. In February 2025 it entered a Mécénat de Compétences partnership with Safran Electronics & Defense, which has seconded an employee to support the development of aeronautical training activities.

Name

Cercle Aéronautique du SGAC

Legal name

Aéroclub Cercle Aéronautique du SGAC, Association Loi 1901-N°8617

Website

https://casgac.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cercle Aéronautique du SGAC is a French non-profit aeroclub founded in 1949, based at Saint-Cyr-l'École aerodrome near Paris, providing DGAC/EASA-approved Private Pilot License training, aircraft rental, and recreational flying to aspiring private pilots aged 15 and over.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Flight Training and Aviation Services

NAICS

Flight Training (611512)

akta.pro primary industry

Aviation & Aerospace (EDABALAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Private Aviation Pilot & Crew Staffing/Training Services (THABAFAJ)

Keywords

• Flight training
• Private pilot license
• Flying club
• Aviation training
• Aircraft rental

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-Cyr-l'École

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Flight Hour Fees: Charges per flight hour based on aircraft type and whether flying solo or with instructor. Rates vary from 143€ to 244€ per hour depending on aircraft.
2. Annual Membership Dues: Annual club subscription at 50€ (club), plus GUAS fees (10€) and FFA federal membership (96€), totaling 246€ for under-21 or 336€ for over-21. Includes pilot insurance coverage.
3. Entry Fee: One-time entry fee of 100€ required for first-time student pilot registration
4. Training Packages: Discovery package (495€) for 3 intro flight lessons with briefings. Full PPL training costs approximately 7,500-8,000€ spread over 18-24 months of training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Cercle Aéronautique du SGAC is a non-profit aeronautical association that delivers DGAC/EASA-approved Private Pilot License (PPL) training and rents aircraft to its members. Operating from Saint-Cyr-l'École aerodrome, it provides structured flight instruction, weekly theoretical courses, discovery packages, and access to a fleet of six training and touring aircraft including glass cockpit models. Members book aircraft via the OpenFlyers platform and benefit from supporting tools such as flight simulators and planning spreadsheets.

Product overview

Cercle Aéronautique du SGAC operates as an aeronautical training organization and flying club based at Saint-Cyr-l'École aerodrome (LFPZ), offering a portfolio of four aircraft types for training and travel purposes. The core offering consists of two Robin HR200 training aircraft for initial flight instruction, a Cessna 172N as a transitional platform, a modern Piper PA28 Archer III with advanced avionics for travel, and a Cessna 172 G1000 featuring glass cockpit technology for advanced training and travel. The club provides structured PPL (Private Pilot License) training programs approved by DGAC/EASA, including a discovery package for beginners, weekly theoretical courses, and flight simulator preparation using Microsoft Flight Simulator X and X-Plane 11. Supporting pilot tools include Excel-based navigation logs, weight and balance calculators, and aircraft performance calculators. Members access online reservation systems via OpenFlyers for scheduling aircraft and flight slots.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PPL Flight Training Program DGAC/EASA-approved Private Pilot License training program covering 45+ flight hours, theoretical exam preparation, solo flights, and navigation training over 12–24 months, aimed at aspiring private pilots from age 15.
• Discovery Package (Forfait Découverte) Three introductory flight lessons on dual-control training aircraft, including pre-flight briefings and debriefings, plus access to weekly theoretical courses; priced at €495 and targeted at prospective student pilots.
• Weekly Theoretical Flight Courses Free weekly collective theoretical courses for PPL exam preparation covering meteorology, mechanics, navigation, human factors, and tablet usage, delivered interactively via video conference.
• Robin HR200 Aircraft Rental Hourly rental of two Robin HR200 training aircraft with conventional instrumentation, used for pilot training and coastal navigation; 120 Cv engine, 90 kt cruise speed, 25 L/h fuel consumption. Solo: €143/hour; double: €163/hour.
• Cessna 172N Aircraft Rental Hourly rental of the Cessna 172N as a transitional aircraft between training and travel, with Lycoming 160 Cv engine, 116 kt cruise speed, and 32 L/h consumption. Solo: €198/hour; double: €218/hour.
• Piper PA28 Archer III Aircraft Rental Hourly rental of the modern Piper PA28 Archer III equipped with GPS, DME, ADF, Flight Director, and STEC 55X autopilot; 120 kt cruise speed, leather interior, 4h33 autonomy. Solo: €217/hour; double: €237/hour.
• Cessna 172 G1000 Aircraft Rental Hourly rental of the Cessna 172 G1000 featuring Garmin G1000 glass cockpit avionics (PFD, MFD, 2-axis autopilot), 180 Cv injection engine, 115 kt cruise speed. Solo: €224/hour; double: €244/hour.
• Annual Club Membership Annual membership subscription (€50 club fee plus GUAS €10 and FFA €96 federal membership), totaling €246 for under-21 or €336 for over-21, including pilot insurance coverage.
• OpenFlyers Aircraft Reservation System Online booking platform allowing members to reserve flight slots and aircraft from home, integrated with the club's flight management system.

Quantifiable outcome

• PPL can be obtained with 45+ flight hours; typical training extends to 50-60 hours over 18-24 months
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Safran Electronics & DefensemoderateOthers · 1 February 2025Through the 'Mécénat de Compétences' (skills sponsorship) program, Safran Electronics & Defense, a subsidiary of Safran Group, supports the Cercle Aéronautique du SGAC. A convention signed in February 2025 resulted in Safran providing a dedicated employee to support the development of aviation training activities at the club.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Fédération Française Aéronautique (FFA): National federation governing French aero clubs including SGAC's parent membership; comparable regulatory and training-organization role at scale, providing DGAC approval oversight, instructor certification, and insurance programs that member clubs rely on.
• Airbus Flight Academy Europe (ENAC): Major European integrated pilot training organization (formerly ENAC); comparable DGAC/EASA-approved PPL/ATPL training output at much larger scale, representing a step-up career pathway destination for SGAC's aspiring professional pilots.
• CAE Oxford Aviation Academy: Global integrated pilot training group; comparable ab-initio pilot training program structure with DGAC/EASA-aligned curricula, representing both a competitor for advanced training aspirants and a potential placement destination for SGAC's PPL graduates.

Others

• Safran Electronics & Defense: Strategic partner providing skills sponsorship to SGAC since February 2025; comparable as a broader aerospace industry participant and adjacent to flight training through avionics systems that SGAC pilots are trained on (Garmin G1000 ecosystem).
• OpenFlyers: SaaS flight booking and management platform used by SGAC; comparable to peer aero clubs as the underlying operational software for member flight scheduling, fleet management, and billing across French aero clubs.

Direct peers

• Aéroclub du Rhône (Lyon): Regional French aero club offering PPL training with comparable DGAC/EASA-certified instructors, fleet of training aircraft, and discovery-package offerings targeting amateur pilots — directly comparable business model and customer segment.
• Aéro-Club de France: Historic French aero club offering flight training and PPL programs in the Paris region; comparable membership-based model, DGAC/EASA-certified instruction, and similar small-aircraft training fleet serving aspiring private pilots.
• Aéroclub de l'Ain: French regional aero club offering comparable PPL training, recreational flying, and discovery packages using small training aircraft fleet — direct comparable in business model, pricing structure, and target customer (aspiring private pilots).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cercle-aeronautique-du-sgac

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Cercle Aéronautique du SGAC