Joining a club. What questions should I ask?

[RalphInCA]

Thanks to the very helpful people on this board, I have decided to join a local flying club - SoCal Flying Club at KPOC - to get back into flying and pursue my instrument rating.

I've kicked the tires on the airplanes (very nice DA40s), talked to a couple of instructors (seemed competent), checked out their facilities (somewhat basic), checked them on Yelp. I also got my medical taken care of yesterday.

What other questions should I ask? Should I be concerned about insurance? Should I check into their financials? The credentials of the CFIs?

I want to do this the right way.

If there is a sticky on this, or if this has been discussed before ad nauseum, let me know.

 

[Doggtyred]

Yes to all of the above.

Is this really a "club" or is it a flight school in disguise. Who owns the planes, who pays for the maintenance, who selects the mechanics. How long are planes down for 100 hr inspections (and if they are being used for instruction, they best be on 100 hr inspections - club or school..)

How do you pay? per flight? per month? pre pay? as billed? If you prepay how much must you prepay and how do you get that money back?

Who are the instructors, and what are their availability. Are these guys who are retired and "instruct" because they love teaching? Are they guys with day jobs who instruct on the side because they love teaching? Are they airline bound time builders who are here one day and gone the next? (its possible for those guys to love to teach too, but...)

What are the rules on cross country use? Do they require a flight plan to be filed? Do they allow night flight or overnight stays? Whats the minimum rental per day on long duration trips (as in.. if you fly three hours away, stay a week and fly three hours back, are they expecting compensation for lost rental opportunity??)

Talk to current members. Go to a meeting of the board or membership, meet the folks... do you have anything in common with them? There isn't a board? (red flag - this isn't a club, its a for profit flight school...)

Look at aircraft availability. Booked solid? Can you get an impromptu flight in, or you have to plan weeks in advance?

Thats a good start for now..

 

[MachFly]

Might want to look at their maintenance records just in case.
Search the NTSB database for their tail numbers.

 

[Hank S]

"Who is the Mile High instructor?"

 

[Jim_CAK]

Insurance is a big one. You did not mention if this is an equity club. Are you buying into the club?
You always want to understand your obligation when you exit the club. Do you have to find someone to buy your share? Do have to pay dues until you find a replacement?

As was mentioned, you need to find out if it is an FBO / flight school in disguise. I have been part of a flying club for a long time. For me - it is a great arrangement. I always send perspective members a link to our calendar. They can get a look at availability and see if it will meet their needs.

 

[BrianR]

The above, plus...

As previously noted, find out if it's an equity club, non-equity club or FBO. (As an aside, I am a member/director of a long-standing non-equity club. I am also a member of one of those "for-profit FBOs masquerading as a club". But it gives me access to a complex, well-equipped airplane at what I consider a reasonable price. There's no board, it's essentially run by the airplane owner and the FBO owner, but it works for me and I get along with the principals. Just go into this situation with your eyes open.)

Ask to see their bylaws and SOPs. Are there currency or training requirements above and beyond the FARs?

How many members actively fly? If there are 50 members but only half fly regularly, aircraft availability is going to be much different than if all are active flyers.

If you plan regular trips away from home, how is fuel handled? Are you reimbursed for fuel bought away from home? Is there a limit on the per-gallon price you will be reimbursed? What about maintenance issues away from home? How about if you're grounded far away from home by weather? Who will be responsible for the expense of getting the airplane back?

If you know other pilots at the airport (non-club members) ask about the club's reputation. Do they maintain their airplanes? Hold any social events?

What's the member to airplane ratio?

How many members are instrument-rated? (If it's only a few, the temptation to skimp on IFR currency/maintenance issues might be greater.)

I could come up with more, but these are the first ones to come to mind not already mentioned...

 

[DJTorrente]

Re: Scheduling;

Ask how they do it (usually some website or another); and ask if they can give you a guest password. Look first hand to see how booked the plane is when you probably want to use it?