Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

AviationRef.com ("we", "us", "our") operates as an educational aviation reference website. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website. Please read this carefully. By using AviationRef.com, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

2. Information We Collect

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit AviationRef.com, certain information is collected automatically by our analytics and advertising systems:

• IP address and approximate location (country/region)
• Browser type, version, and operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• Referring website URL
• Device type (desktop, mobile, tablet)

Information from Third-Party Services

• Google Analytics: collects aggregated usage data to help us understand how visitors interact with the site
• Google AdSense: may collect data for personalised advertising based on your browsing behaviour

We do NOT collect names, email addresses, or personal details unless you contact us voluntarily.

3. How We Use Your Information

The information we collect is used for the following purposes:

• To analyse website traffic and improve content quality and relevance
• To serve relevant advertisements via Google AdSense
• To monitor and improve website performance and user experience
• To respond to your enquiries (if you contact us voluntarily)
• To comply with legal obligations

4. Cookies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. AviationRef.com uses cookies to enable analytics, serve personalised advertisements, and remember your cookie consent preference. The table below describes the cookies used on this site.

You can control cookies through your browser settings or our consent tool (shown on your first visit). Rejecting non-essential cookies will disable Google Analytics and personalised advertising.

5. Google AdSense & Advertising

AviationRef.com participates in the Google AdSense programme. Third-party advertisers, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this and other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on your visit to AviationRef.com and other sites on the Internet.

You may opt out of personalised advertising by visiting Google Ad Settings. Alternatively, you can opt out of third-party vendor use of cookies for personalised advertising by visiting www.aboutads.info. If you opt out of personalised ads, you may still see ads on AviationRef.com — they will simply be non-personalised, based on the page content rather than your browsing history.

We do not control the content of advertisements served on this site. Ad content is determined by Google's algorithms based on page content and, where consent is given, your browsing behaviour.

6. Data Retention

We retain data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy. Google Analytics data is retained for 26 months, which is the default retention period set by Google Analytics. Enquiries submitted via our Contact page are retained for up to 12 months and then permanently deleted. Cookie preference data (stored in your browser's localStorage) persists until you clear your browser data or reset your preferences.

7. Your Rights (GDPR / CCPA)

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right to access — you may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to rectification — you may request correction of inaccurate data
• Right to erasure — you may request deletion of your personal data ("right to be forgotten")
• Right to restrict processing — you may request that we limit how we use your data
• Right to data portability — you may request your data in a portable format
• Right to object — you may object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Right to withdraw consent — to reset your cookie preferences, clear the cookieConsent key from your browser's localStorage and revisit this site; the consent banner will reappear

California residents (CCPA): You have the right to know what personal information is collected, the right to delete personal information, and the right to opt out of the sale of personal information. AviationRef.com does not sell personal data to third parties.

To exercise any of these rights, please use our Contact page.

8. Third-Party Links

AviationRef.com contains links to external websites, including official aviation authorities such as the FAA, EASA, ICAO, and CAA. These links are provided for reference and convenience. We are not responsible for the content, accuracy, or privacy practices of those external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any site you visit via links from AviationRef.com.

9. Children's Privacy

AviationRef.com is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child under 13 has provided personal information via this site, please contact us and we will take steps to delete such information promptly.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. The "Last Updated" date displayed at the top of this page reflects when the policy was last revised. Your continued use of AviationRef.com following the posting of changes constitutes your acceptance of those changes.

11. Contact

For privacy-related enquiries, requests to exercise your data rights, or questions about this policy, please use our Contact page.