Club Tow Fee and Dues?

On Jul 14, 11:36*pm, Randy wrote:
Good evening,
I was just wondering what other clubs where charging for tows
and dues.I just wanted to see where we are compared to other
clubs.

We have 25 members with 3 gliders and a Pawnee. There are
9 privately owned gliders.

Our dues are $50 per month of which $10 goes for an engine fund.
Our tow fees are about $1 per hundred feet.
We are paying $5.25 per gallon for fuel.

Thanks for your information.

Randy Teel

Cell: 918-289-3310
Tulsa Skyhawks Soaring Club - President
SSA Oklahoma State Governor

http://tulsasoaring.com/http://talihinasoaring.com/

Caesar Creek Soaring Club has almost 240 members with 8 Club ships and
3 Pawnees
We have a $300 initiation fee at joining and $300 at the first
anniversary
Dues are $18 per month and members are required to purchase 12 shares
of stock at $100 /per share at a minimum rate of 1 share per year
We have an airplane use fee ranging from $5 for a 2-33 to $18 for an
ASK-21
We have a hookup fee of $20 for every flight but if the member
participates in his Crew Day he gets that $20 credited for every
flight made that month
Tow fees are a fixed rate of $13.50 plus a variable altitude fee
(based on gas prices) currently $0.30 per 100 feet altitude
We also charge for aircraft and trailer storage

AVSC in SoCal (Krey Field near Old El Mirage)

$300 one time membership fee
NO flight fees of any sort
$25 a month for full flight priviledges
$12.50/month for full flight priveledges for those that own/fly thier
own glider
Intern membership and special promotion program with delayed/reduced
membership fee..
SSA annual dues are additional

Restored (6/2011) Grob 103B. Also 1-26, 1-34, and like many other
clubs, a non flyable Blanik L-13.

Tows by commercial operation, $40 for 2k, $2/100' therafter.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SoarAV/

http://sites.google.com/site/kreyfieldflyers/

aerodyne

Caesar Creek Soaring Club has almost 240 members with 8 Club ships and
3 Pawnees
We have a $300 initiation fee at joining and $300 at the first
anniversary

CCSC was my original club way back when. Allowing for inflation, it
appears that they still have the same philosophy regarding finances.
IIRC:

1. Make it easy to join: i.e., set the 1st year of membership in the
"impulse buy" category. Recognize that after the 1st year, the truly
converted will pay what's essentially the 2nd half of a two-part
initiation fee. The casual joiner will drop out, their 1st year fees
having paid a big chunk of maintenance.
2. Fund capital items with equity: i.e., require members to purchase
stock over time. Yes, it's a chunk of cash (12x$100) but it's spread
over 12 years. And you can sell the stock back to the club when you
leave.
3. Encourage scheduled but volunteer monthly crew duty by offering a
big discount on flying fees. Some clubs don't agree with this
philosophy, requiring members to participate in order to avoid those
who want to "buy their way out of supporting the club". I think that's
short sighted in today's hectic world. We had a few back in the 60s
when I started flying there, although they were in the minority. I
believe there are more, now.
4. Based on the above, keep dues, tows, and glider use fees low. "Low"
is relative, but not many clubs undercut CCSC's flying fees and their
gliderport and fleet are enviable.

There's a lot of talk about how to market soaring better to keep our
sport alive. Much, if not most, of this activity goes on at the
grassroots level. A club's legal and financial structure can have a
big impact on its prosperity, just as with any "business" in
competition with other clubs, sports, and leisure time activities.

Chip Bearden
ASW 24 "JB"
USA