What is a Master Model?
By definition an aircraft master model creates a grouping of similar aircraft models for analytical purposes and to identify aircraft models that share airworthiness properties. The master model is derived by combining the original aircraft make and aircraft model.
Why is a Master Model necessary?
Current users of aircraft make/model/series data identified a need to group related aircraft models. The users described situations in which the fact that two or more aircraft are related is not explicit to someone without a comprehensive knowledge of a particular aircraft
Can you provide examples of where a Master Model is useful?
- A national military or armed force has aircraft that are based on a civilian model. Persons who analyze aircraft safety data may wish to review reports of military and non-military operations of the aircraft model. In addition, over time former military aircraft enter civilian aircraft registries and accident/incident databases. For example the Master Model DOUGLAS-DC3 applies to the civilian DOUGLAS-DC3 as well as the military versions: DOUGLAS-C47 and DOUGLAS-R4D.
- Aircraft manufacturers purchase the rights to build a particular aircraft model and the aircraft manufacturer designates a new aircraft model. Without performing research the relationship between two related models may not be obvious. For example Ted Smith Aerostar Corp. designed the SMITH-AEROSTAR 600 and later sold the aircraft to Piper Aircraft Corp., which used the designation PIPER-PA60. These rights for this particular aircraft are now held by Aerostar Aircraft Corp., which also uses the “AEROSTAR” designation. The table below lists the aircraft models and series with the master model SMITH-AEROSTAR600.
- An aircraft manufacturer may build an aircraft under license to another manufacturer. An aircraft built under license would maintain the master model used by the manufacturer that holds the design rights. As an example, the Master Model CASA-212 applies to aircraft built by CASA and IPTN.
| ORG COMMON NAME | AIRCRAFT MAKE | AIRCRAFT MODEL | AIRCRAFT SERIES |
|---|---|---|---|
| TED SMITH | SMITH | AEROSTAR600 | NO SERIES EXISTS |
| TED SMITH | SMITH | AEROSTAR601 | UNDESIGNATED SERIES |
| TED SMITH | SMITH | AEROSTAR601 | P |
| TED SMITH | SMITH | AEROSTAR602 | P |
| PIPER | PIPER | PA60 | 600 |
| PIPER | PIPER | PA60 | 601 |
| PIPER | PIPER | PA60 | 601P |
| PIPER | PIPER | PA60 | 602P |
| PIPER | PIPER | PA60 | 700P |
| AEROSTAR AIRCRAFT | AEROSTAR | AEROSTAR700 | P |
| ORG COMMON NAME | AIRCRAFT MAKE | AIRCRAFT MODEL |
|---|---|---|
| CASA | CASA | C212 |
| IPTN | IPTN | NC212 |
What is a Master Series?
By definition an aircraft master series creates a grouping of similar aircraft series for analytical purposes and to identify aircraft series that share airworthiness properties. A master series contains aircraft series from within one aircraft model.
Why is a Master Series necessary?
Current users of aircraft make/model/series data identified a need to group related aircraft series. The users described situations in which series provides too much detail for analysis.
Can you provide examples of where a Master Series is useful?
The table below lists the extent of how many series apply to the BAC-ONE ELEVEN-400 master series.
| AIRCRAFT MAKE | AIRCRAFT MODEL | AIRCRAFT MASTER SERIES | AIRCRAFT SERIES |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAC | ONE ELEVEN | 400 | 488GH |
| BAC | ONE ELEVEN | 400 | 407AW |
| BAC | ONE ELEVEN | 400 | 419EP |
| BAC | ONE ELEVEN | 400 | 401AK |
| BAC | ONE ELEVEN | 400 | 420EL |
| BAC | ONE ELEVEN | 400 | 414EG |
| BAC | ONE ELEVEN | 400 | 422EQ |
| BAC | ONE ELEVEN | 400 | 401CAK |
| BAC | ONE ELEVEN | 400 | 402AP |
| BAC | ONE ELEVEN | 400 | 400 |
| BAC | ONE ELEVEN | 400 | 424EU |
| BAC | ONE ELEVEN | 400 | 410AQ |
| BAC | ONE ELEVEN | 400 | 408EF |
| BAC | ONE ELEVEN | 400 | 432FD |
| BAC | ONE ELEVEN | 400 | 423ET |
| BAC | ONE ELEVEN | 400 | 416EK |
| BAC | ONE ELEVEN | 400 | 414CEG |
| BAC | ONE ELEVEN | 400 | 413FA |
| BAC | ONE ELEVEN | 400 | 412EB |
| BAC | ONE ELEVEN | 400 | 409AY |
Can you explain the difference between an aircraft manufacturer and an aircraft make?
An aircraft manufacturer is the organisation that actually builds an aircraft. The valid values refer to an organisation when referencing the aircraft manufacturer.
By definition, the aircraft make is the name assigned to the aircraft by the manufacturer when each aircraft was produced. In most cases aircraft make is the organisation common name of the aircraft manufacturer. If the organisation that holds rights to an aircraft design permits another organisation to build that aircraft, in most cases the aircraft make would be the aircraft name assigned by the organisation that holds rights to an aircraft design. If an aircraft manufacturer is amateur construction, in most cases the aircraft make would be the name of the organisation responsible for design.
As an example, the Cessna Aircraft Co., an aircraft manufacturer, builds aircraft that are assigned the name CESSNA, an aircraft make. In addition, Reims Aviation S.A. and Direccion Nacional de Investigaciones y Fabricaciones Aeronauticasan, aircraft manufacturers, build aircraft known as CESSNA, an aircraft make. The table below lists the different manufacturers of the CESSNA-182.
| ORG COMMON NAME | ORG FULL NAME | AIRCRAFT MASTER MODEL | AIRCRAFT MAKE | AIRCRAFT MODEL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CESSNA | Cessna Aircraft Co. | CESSNA-182 | CESSNA | 182 |
| CESSNA | Cessna Aircraft Co. | CESSNA-182 | CESSNA | R182 |
| CESSNA | Cessna Aircraft Co. | CESSNA-182 | CESSNA | T182 |
| CESSNA | Cessna Aircraft Co. | CESSNA-182 | CESSNA | TR182 |
| REIMS | Reims Aviation S.A. | CESSNA-182 | CESSNA | FR182 |
| REIMS | Reims Aviation S.A. | CESSNA-182 | CESSNA | F182 |
| DINFIA | Direccion Nacional de Investigaciones y Fabricaciones Aeronauticas | CESSNA-182 | CESSNA | 182 |
Can an aircraft manufacturer have more than one aircraft make?
Yes. This is common when one manufacturer purchases another manufacturer. The first manufacturer’s name is used for the aircraft built by the new manufacturer. In the example below, British Aerospace had its own aircraft make, BAE, those of the previous manufacturers, and even BEECH for an aircraft marketed in the United States.
Aircraft Manufacturer: British Aerospace (now BAE Systems)
Aircraft Makes: BEECH, BAE, BAC, HAWKER SIDDELEY, and PERCIVAL
In another example, an aircraft manufacturer that build aircraft under license could have more than one aircraft make. For example, Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha built aircraft for BELL, HUGHES, and MBB.
Can more than one manufacturer use an aircraft make?
Yes. An example is when a particular aircraft is built by more than one aircraft manufacturer.
The following list of Organisation Common Names applies to manufacturers of the JODEL.
- CEA
- SAN
- JODEL
- WASSMER
- AVIONS ROBIN
- AMATEUR CONSTRUCTION
Why use the term “AMATEUR CONSTRUCTION”?
Current uses of the aircraft make/model/series data found that sources refer to the manufacturer of aircraft built by plans or kits is various ways. Some sources refer to the aircraft manufacturer as the name of the individual(s) who constructed the aircraft. Other sources refer to a generic term. The sub-team decided to use the generic term “Amateur Construction” for “[a]n aircraft assembled and/or constructed by individual(s) or a group for education, recreation, or as identified by the certifying authority. The primary business of the individual(s) or group cannot be aircraft manufacturing.”
Why does the list include popular name?
Aircraft manufactures often give an aircraft a name for marketing purposes that differs from the aircraft designation on official documentation (e.g., a type certificate). In some cases the popular name is more common than the aircraft designation. For example, North American Aviation marketed the NA265 as the “Sabreliner.” The Sabreliner name is even used by current holder of the aircraft type certificate: Sabreliner Corp.
What does “Undesignated Series” mean?
When reviewing draft valid values the sub-team perceived the need to differentiate whether a reference to CESSNA-172 is either (1) a grouping of all aircraft with the same aircraft model (for example, CESSNA-172-A, CESSNA-172-B, et al. or (2) the aircraft designator for a CESSNA-172 aircraft model without a series.
To alleviate this issue, the sub-team created the term “Undesignated Series” for aircraft where one series of an aircraft model, typically the earliest one, is known by the model designation (for example, Cessna-172).
By creating the term “Undesignated Series”
- CESSNA-172 applies to (1) a grouping of all aircraft with the same aircraft model (for example, CESSNA-172-A, CESSNA-172-B, et al.
- CESSNA-172-UNDESIGNATED SERIES applies to (2) the aircraft designator for a CESSNA-172 aircraft model without a series.
What does “No Series Exists” mean?
When reviewing draft valid values the sub-team noted that is some instances an aircraft cannot be described at a level lower than aircraft model. To ensure that users know that the aircraft model level is the lowest, the sub-team created the term “No Series Exists.” Therefore a SOCATA-TB20-NO SERIES EXISTS clarifies that the aircraft cannot be described any lower than aircraft model level.
For example a SOCATA-TB20 cannot be described at a lower level.