What is an Antique Airplane, Anyway?

The Antique Airplane Association, Inc. has the distinction of being the world's oldest antique and classic airplane organization. Quite early on in the fifties and sixties AAA leaders and members held several standards meetings to work up a logical system of categories for judging and awards. At this meeting the following categories were established and subsequently reaffirmed at several meetings since.

Pioneer Period

1903 - 1914

World War I Period

1914 - 1918

Antique or Golden Age

1919-1936

Classic

1936 - 1942

World War II

1940 - 1945

Neo-Classic

1946 - 1950
(Since extended to 1955 during the 1978 AAA/APM standards meeting.)

At the 1994 AAA/APM Fly-In a new category named the "New Generation Antique" was voted in to recognize home built types designed or flown prior to 1970. However, any construction dates acceptable if the design and first flight occurred during or prior to 1970. There are numerous overlapping categories including those in the replica class that are sometimes controversial but the "New Generation Antique" category will help resolve this mixture of the new and old which is growing rapidly.