diff --git a/src/blackcore/aircraftmatcher.cpp b/src/blackcore/aircraftmatcher.cpp
index 676c2e867..5be0c23ef 100644
--- a/src/blackcore/aircraftmatcher.cpp
+++ b/src/blackcore/aircraftmatcher.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,14 @@ namespace BlackCore
     }
 
     CAircraftMatcher::CAircraftMatcher(const CAircraftMatcherSetup &setup, QObject *parent) : QObject(parent), m_setup(setup)
-    { }
+    {
+        if (sApp && !sApp->isShuttingDown())
+        {
+            sApp->getWebDataServices()->synchronizeDbCaches(CEntityFlags::AircraftCategoryEntity);
+            const CAircraftCategoryList categories = sApp->getWebDataServices()->getAircraftCategories();
+            m_categoryMatcher.setCategories(categories);
+        }
+    }
 
     CAircraftMatcher::CAircraftMatcher(QObject *parent) : CAircraftMatcher(CAircraftMatcherSetup(), parent)
     { }
diff --git a/src/blackcore/aircraftmatcher.h b/src/blackcore/aircraftmatcher.h
index 583db99b8..9f67139ca 100644
--- a/src/blackcore/aircraftmatcher.h
+++ b/src/blackcore/aircraftmatcher.h
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include "blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmatchersetup.h"
 #include "blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodellist.h"
 #include "blackmisc/simulation/matchingstatistics.h"
+#include "blackmisc/simulation/categorymatcher.h"
 #include "blackmisc/statusmessage.h"
 #include "blackmisc/valueobject.h"
 #include "blackmisc/variant.h"
@@ -309,6 +310,7 @@ namespace BlackCore
         BlackMisc::Simulation::CAircraftModelList    m_disabledModels;  //!< disabled models for matching
         BlackMisc::Simulation::CSimulatorInfo        m_simulator;       //!< simulator (optional)
         BlackMisc::Simulation::CMatchingStatistics   m_statistics;      //!< matching statistics
+        BlackMisc::Simulation::CCategoryMatcher      m_categoryMatcher; //!< the category matcher
         QString                                      m_modelSetInfo;    //!< info string
     };
 } // namespace
diff --git a/src/blackmisc/simulation/categorymatcher.cpp b/src/blackmisc/simulation/categorymatcher.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7b3036dab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/blackmisc/simulation/categorymatcher.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+/* Copyright (C) 2019
+ * swift project Community / Contributors
+ *
+ * This file is part of swift project. It is subject to the license terms in the LICENSE file found in the top-level
+ * directory of this distribution. No part of swift project, including this file, may be copied, modified, propagated,
+ * or distributed except according to the terms contained in the LICENSE file.
+ */
+
+#include "categorymatcher.h"
+#include <QStringBuilder>
+
+using namespace BlackMisc::Aviation;
+
+namespace BlackMisc
+{
+    namespace Simulation
+    {
+        void CCategoryMatcher::setCategories(const CAircraftCategoryList &categories)
+        {
+            m_all = categories;
+
+            CAircraftCategoryList gliders = categories.findByName("glider").findFirstLevels();
+            if (!gliders.isEmpty())
+            {
+                const int fl = gliders.front().getFirstLevel();
+                gliders = categories.findByFirstLevel(fl);
+                gliders.sortByLevel();
+                m_gliders = gliders;
+            }
+
+            CAircraftCategoryList militaryWing = categories.findByName("wing military").findFirstLevels();
+            if (!militaryWing.isEmpty())
+            {
+                const int fl = militaryWing.front().getFirstLevel();
+                militaryWing = categories.findByFirstLevel(fl);
+                militaryWing.sortByLevel();
+                m_militaryWingAircraft = militaryWing;
+            }
+
+            CAircraftCategoryList militaryRotor = categories.findByName("rotor military").findFirstLevels();
+            if (!militaryRotor.isEmpty())
+            {
+                const int fl = militaryRotor.front().getFirstLevel();
+                militaryRotor = categories.findByFirstLevel(fl);
+                militaryRotor.sortByLevel();
+                m_militaryRotorAircraft = militaryRotor;
+            }
+        }
+    } // namespace
+} // namespace
diff --git a/src/blackmisc/simulation/categorymatcher.h b/src/blackmisc/simulation/categorymatcher.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a53dcb4a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/blackmisc/simulation/categorymatcher.h
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+/* Copyright (C) 2019
+ * swift project Community / Contributors
+ *
+ * This file is part of swift project. It is subject to the license terms in the LICENSE file found in the top-level
+ * directory of this distribution. No part of swift project, including this file, may be copied, modified, propagated,
+ * or distributed except according to the terms contained in the LICENSE file.
+ */
+
+//! \file
+
+#ifndef BLACKMISC_SIMULATION_CATEGORYMATCHER_H
+#define BLACKMISC_SIMULATION_CATEGORYMATCHER_H
+
+#include "blackmisc/aviation/aircraftcategorylist.h"
+#include "blackmisc/blackmiscexport.h"
+
+namespace BlackMisc
+{
+    namespace Simulation
+    {
+        //! Category matcher, uses the DB categories
+        class BLACKMISC_EXPORT CCategoryMatcher
+        {
+        public:
+            //! Constructor
+            CCategoryMatcher() {}
+
+            //! Used categories
+            void setCategories(const Aviation::CAircraftCategoryList &categories);
+
+            //! Specialized categories @{
+            const Aviation::CAircraftCategoryList &gliderCategories() const { return m_gliders; }
+            const Aviation::CAircraftCategoryList &militaryWingCategories()  const { return m_militaryWingAircraft; }
+            const Aviation::CAircraftCategoryList &militaryRotorCategories() const { return m_militaryRotorAircraft; }
+            //! @}
+
+        private:
+            Aviation::CAircraftCategoryList m_all;
+            Aviation::CAircraftCategoryList m_gliders;
+            Aviation::CAircraftCategoryList m_militaryWingAircraft;
+            Aviation::CAircraftCategoryList m_militaryRotorAircraft;
+        };
+    } // ns
+} // namespace
+
+#endif // guard