Run your aircraft syndicate with confidence

A syndicate lets several pilots share the cost of owning one aircraft — typically 4 to 10 members per plane. The first decisions are the hardest: who's in, how shares are divided, and how decisions get made.

Start with a core group you trust and fly with already. Agree the buy-in share, the monthly standing charge, and the hourly flying rate up front — ambiguity here is where most disputes begin. Pick a home airfield that suits the group's typical mission, and confirm the aircraft can be based there.

Once the group is agreed, set up a shared system for bookings, logging and money from day one. A spreadsheet works for a while, but the moment a second aircraft or a tenth member joins, the admin overhead eats your weekends. That's exactly the problem AeroBuddy was built to solve.

In the UK, cost-sharing is governed by the Air Navigation Order and CAP 1535. The headline rule: the pilot in command may not profit from a flight — they may only recover a proportionate share of the direct costs.

For a private (non-commercial) flight, the direct costs — fuel, landing fees, maintenance contributions — can be shared between the pilots on board. The critical limit is that no more than the actual cost of the flight is recovered, and the pilot pays at least their pro-rata share. You cannot charge a passenger more than their share, and you cannot advertise flights to the public.

A syndicate is not the same as commercial hire. Members own a share of the aircraft and pay an hourly rate that covers running costs, not profit. Keep your hourly rate honest — based on real burn-off and a maintenance reserve — and keep the records to prove it. AeroBuddy's automatic cost calculation and per-pilot ledger exist precisely to keep this transparent.

A written syndicate agreement is the single best investment a group can make. It turns unspoken assumptions into enforceable rules, and it's what you reach for the first time someone wants to leave or a dispute over maintenance arises.

At minimum, cover: ownership shares and the buy-in; the monthly and hourly charges and how they're reviewed; how bookings are allocated and conflicts resolved; maintenance authority — who can ground the aircraft and who signs off work; an exit process for a member leaving, including how their share is valued and sold; and what happens if a member defaults on payment.

You don't need a solicitor to start — a clear, signed one-page agreement beats a vague ten-page one nobody reads. Store the signed copy where every member can see it. AeroBuddy's document vault keeps agreements, permits and insurance certificates in one shared, always-current place.

The best syndicate aircraft is the one that matches the group's real flying, not the one that looks best on the ramp. Match the aircraft to the most common mission: local bimbling, touring, or training. A four-seat tourer is versatile but costs more per hour than a two-seat trainer; a permit aircraft is cheaper to run but limits where and when you can fly.

Look hard at hourly running costs — fuel burn, maintenance type (permit vs C of A), and parts availability for the type. A cheap purchase price often hides expensive maintenance. Check the engine hours remaining and the calendar age of the airframe; both drive the next overhaul bill.

Finally, pick a type with a healthy supply of pilots who can fly it, so that when a member leaves you can replace them quickly. A popular training type is easier to keep a full syndicate for than an obscure taildragger that only two of you can land.