Advice On Flying Clubs

On 2005-08-02, Michael wrote:
Now we're getting somewhere. Yes, that's the sort of thing I'm talking
about. Some other club examples (all real):
Maximum crosswind limit 10 kts - google for this one, it was discussed
here.
snip

On the flip side, the club I used to be in made it quite hard to make
new rules (which was a good thing) and the existing rules weren't at all
onerous - no restrictions on flying to grass runways (which most FBOs
have), nor length restrictions nor restrictions on whether the airfield
is public or private use - it merely had to be charted *somewhere*
(because that's what the insurance said). Plus 24/7 access to the
aircraft.

When joining a club, apart from the normal things you'd check out at an
FBO, check the rules/bylaws, and check how easily they can be added to
or be changed. If the rules are agreeable and difficult to change,
you're likely to be happy with the club.

But these are just the explicit rules. Clubs can also have safety
committees - ones that can decide to ground you, make you fly with an

On the other hand, our club had never (and to my knowledge, since I left
the area and therefore the club) still hasn't in 25 years of operation.
The FBOs that fly a similar amount of hours have all destroyed more than
one plane in that time. This is reflected by the club still being able
to get a decent insurance policy, and members not having to spend extra
on renter's insurance.
--
Dylan Smith, Castletown, Isle of Man
Flying: http://www.dylansmith.net
Frontier Elite Universe: http://www.alioth.net
"Maintain thine airspeed, lest the ground come up and smite thee"

On the flip side, the club I used to be in made it quite hard to make
new rules

I seem to recall you were in TWO clubs when you were in Houston. Why
don't you tell us about the other one?

Michael