Fellowship
Every part of flight
Civil and military, aircraft and space, operators and investors. Competitors sit side by side, under Chatham House rules and a written code of conduct.
By invitation · Founding in Paris, MMXXVII
The private council of the people who fly the world.
Airline and manufacturer chiefs, air commanders, astronauts and the people who finance flight, gathered as equals in the great houses of every continent.
CAELUM CONIUNGIT MUNDUMThe sky unites the world
The Council
Aviation has many associations. Until now it had no club.
The clubs that exist today each serve one city or one community. The World Aviation Council is the first to bring the whole of flight to one table, in every region where its leaders land. Its seats are held by industry leaders from every continent, so that no part of the world goes unheard at the table.
Merit
Earned, never bought
Candidates are proposed by members from two countries, balloted by the Admissions Committee and invested at the Grand Assembly. A seat cannot be purchased.
Hospitality
The world's great houses
The Council keeps no clubhouse. It gathers in royal châteaux, palaces and landmarks of flight, opened for one evening and for members alone.
Chapters
Five chapters, each opened during its city's air show.
The Council is founded at the Paris Air Show in June 2027. A new chapter follows at each of the great shows, and the Grand Assembly moves to a different continent every year.
| Chapter | Airfield | Opens | Occasion | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paris | LFPB | JUN 2027 | Founding Gala, Paris Air Show at Le Bourget | Founding |
| Dubai | OMDW | NOV 2027 | Dubai Airshow | Scheduled |
| Singapore | WSSS | FEB 2028 | Singapore Airshow | Scheduled |
| London | EGLF | JUL 2028 | Farnborough International Airshow | Scheduled |
| New York & Washington | KJFK | 2029 | Chapter launch gala | Planned |
The Grand Assembly rotates: Paris 2027, Dubai 2028, Asia 2029, London 2030, the Americas 2031.
Gatherings
A year of evenings that happen once.
Members never sit in the same room twice. Each gathering is held in a house chosen for that night, and dues include the member's own place at every one.
The Grand Assembly & Gala
YearlyBlack tie. Investitures, the World Aviation Awards and the Council's vote, in a royal palace on a new continent each year.
Chapter Galas
Each chapterA black-tie dinner with a guest of honour, in a château, stately home or aviation museum after hours.
Air Show Salons
Each showA private reception during Paris, Dubai, Singapore and Farnborough, held in a heritage house near the show and never in a trade chalet.
Council Dinners
MonthlyTwenty to forty members and one speaker, off the record, in the private salons of palace hotels and historic residences.
Flight Days
SeasonalHeritage aircraft, test centres and carriers, opened to members by those who run them.
The Expedition
YearlyA historic route flown again, from the Aéropostale to the Kangaroo Route, with châteaux and grand hotels along the way.
Closed Councils
QuarterlyEight to ten peers who meet in confidence to advise one another, under a charter drawn up with competition counsel.
The World Aviation Awards
YearlyThe first global honour for flight chosen by peers, across airlines, manufacturers, defence and space.
Among the houses on our shortlist
Château de VersaillesHall Concorde, Le BourgetBlenheim PalaceEmirates PalaceThe Painted Hall, GreenwichNational Gallery SingaporeChâteau de ChambordIntrepid MuseumBanqueting HouseAeroscopia, Toulouse
Membership
Membership is by invitation, and the way in is deliberately slow.
The Council will never exceed 1,500 members worldwide. One in five places is held for aviators under forty.
The path to investiture
- ProposedBy one member, and seconded by two more from at least two countries.
- ReviewedAgainst published criteria: contribution to flight, integrity and collegiality.
- ReceivedThe candidate dines with three members of the Council.
- BallotedBy the Admissions Committee. Two black balls exclude.
- InvestedAt the Grand Assembly, with a numbered wings pin and an oath on the motto.
Orders of membership
Founding Member
50 SEATSThe first fifty, invited by the founders. The title is held for life.
Councillor
BY BALLOTSenior leaders of flight who meet the Council's criteria, with a vote at the Grand Assembly.
Young Aviator
UNDER 40Pilots, engineers and founders with a proven record, paired with a mentor from the Council.
Corporate Patron
20–30Companies that host and support the Council's evenings, without any say in admissions.
Honorary Fellow
BY INVITATIONAstronauts, legends of flight and heads of agencies. The Council's highest distinction.
Traditions
What a member carries, signs and keeps.
The wings pin
Numbered, and the member's number for life.
The Flight Log
A leather book signed at every venue, which becomes the Council's history.
The Standard
The Council's flag, hung in each house for the night.
The WAC Foundation
Each generation of members funds and mentors the next.
Scholarships
Flying and engineering scholarships for young people from every continent, selected with leading aviation schools.
Heritage
The restoration of historic aircraft and of the places where flight began.
Humanitarian flight
Support for aviation that carries aid where roads cannot reach.
Enquiries
Request an introduction
If a member has spoken to you about the Council, or you would like to be considered, write to the Secretary-General. Every request receives a personal reply.