How to Start a College Flying Club

Flying is a very expensive endeavor and thus joining arelationship with the FBO. You must also keep the
flying club is a great way to save money, but what ifaircraft clean and find Aircraft Washers to Trade for
you are a poor college student? Well, why not start aFlight Time and you will need Ground School
College Flying Club of your own. First, you need to findInstructors, perhaps you can establish a College
some friends who are serious about flying and form aAviation Course, as that will help to recruit local talent
committee, yes probably meet for coffee and comeor FBO Sponsorship. You will also wish to negotiate
up with a decent mission statement, with goals andTie Down Fees.
objectives.No serious club is without rules and you will need Rules
Next, you need to establish Bylaws and form afor Pilots and Student Pilots
legitimate Legal Entity and find aircraft owners willing to- Aircraft Fuel: Aircraft to be Topped-off After Flight;
go for a Tax Strategy, where their aircraft becomes aPenalty $.50 per Gallon if Aircraft Not Topped Off.
piece of "business" equipment for them or collect- Flight Forms: Squawk Sheets; Destination Flown -
monies from the members to buy a few used aircraft.Tachometer Time- Before and After; Check Oil and
Of course, you will need to create release of LiabilityRecord.
Forms, Aircraft Owner Rental Agreements andFlying is serious business and so is safety so you will
establish a Tentative Fee Structure.need to make sure the pilots are proficient and also
Starting a flying club makes sense as you canwant to learn how to actually land the aircraft. So they
"Capitalizing on the Economies of Scale" bywill need Pilot Proficiency Check-out Flight. Club
working-out special prices for fuel and recruitment ofmembers should also vote who gets to join. Club
an FAA Certified A & P or AI mechanic. You willVotes on New Members 85% to join and then the
also need Certified Flight Instructors that are looking tomembers need a CFI Checkout and Verification of
build Flight-Time to log more hours. With theseGround School Completion. Later on you must insist
economies of scale you can Negotiate Special Ratesthat there are additional Check-outs for each Aircraft.
and make highly Discounted Fees for Aircraft OwnersYou need to make sure there are no incidents or
which are also needing instruction.accidents to keep the insurance low for your new
It is best not to compete directly with the local FixedCollege Aviation Club. If you have any questions; look
Based Operators, but rather develop a workingme up and shoot me an email.