How easy is it to book a plane at your club?

LongRoadBob

LongRoadBob

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Actually, the real question may be "how easy is it for you to book 2 flights/week at your club?" or so. Assuming you have the time available.

Was just wondering. Of course there are optimum times (after normal workday, weekends) when most need to book.
Other than your instructor (who in our club is the one that has to book it) being available, how hard is it to book the plane(s) you are learning on?

Our club has a lot of members, students. Currently we have two Aquila's available but (mostly me) between me and the instructor we went over to first a Piper (now sold off), and then to a C172. There is one more C172 but it is glass panel and they want us to learn on steam gauges.

So it's the one plane. I need to fly about two times a week, but it is really hard to squeeze in. Between students, and then also just pilots booking it (for like a sat and sun) the booking book is filled very quickly.

I flew yesterday, went to see times I could possibly book, hoping this weekend, and monday, but weekend is solid, monday too. Next possible (if my CFI has available) is the 14th and 17th. The 172 was grounded for a month recently, engine problems, but is available again now.

How is it for other students or pilots at your clubs?
 
Sounds pretty much like my experience. Keep trying. You might get lucky and find an instructor you hit it off with. Then, its just a matter of getting synched up on the schedule. I had to schedule early weekday mornings before 10am when I was doing instrument training. But, even then it wasn't uncommon to have an aircraft suddenly unavailable.
 
The answer is, it depends.

To book a plane next weekend, it may not be possible; in addition to other students, there are travelers booking airplanes too. During the week easier, but not as easy to schedule an instructor (who are also club members and have jobs). If I go 2-3 weeks out it becomes much easier. It also becomes easier to schedule a less popular airplane or type.

Club size makes a difference. We have roughly 150 flying members, maybe less due to recent drama. There are 13 airplanes of 4 different types. With 3 or 4 of each type, it is possible to schedule even when one is down for maintenance.

I have a feeling that is not really your question.
 
bflynn said:
The answer is, it depends.

To book a plane next weekend, it may not be possible; in addition to other students, there are travelers booking airplanes too. During the week easier, but not as easy to schedule an instructor (who are also club members and have jobs). If I go 2-3 weeks out it becomes much easier. It also becomes easier to schedule a less popular airplane or type.

Club size makes a difference. We have roughly 150 flying members, maybe less due to recent drama. There are 13 airplanes of 4 different types. With 3 or 4 of each type, it is possible to schedule even when one is down for maintenance.

I have a feeling that is not really your question.
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Actually, you answered well. I'm not sure how many members we have, but for me and others there is only the one C172 that is suitable for training. It's had issues, and also been grounded. But what you point out, your club has "3 or 4" of each type, yet also you still mention better luck booking 2-3 weeks out.

This is the strategy I will use. I believe my instructor won't book more than a couple at a time (I can't book in advance unlimited) which is fine, but I just have to make sure I'm ahead of the game and booking earlier. Also watching during the week for cancelled bookings.

and I was just curious how it is for others. I'm in Norway, and in an area close enough to be reasonable, this is the club that is the "biggest". That said, there are smaller clubs, and they still may only have one "suitable" plane for students also, so I might have to consider that. Less competition for the ONE plane.
 
Book the plane a month out and cancel if the instructor isn’t available when the time comes. Odds are if you have the plane booked, he’ll be available. At least he won’t be flying with someone else in that plane.....
 
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When I was working on my private and instrument, I improved my odds by booking at times of the day that were less in demand - but I had the work hour flexibility to do that, then, and at that time, the schedule was evening and weekend heavy because many students were local, and otherwise employed.

Now (around here - north Texas), many students are from overseas, and are here for the sole purpose of flight training, so I understand the schedules are... tough.

---

Share more about your flying experiences in Norway!
 
I rent and have for the past 5 years. I left the first place because they gave priority to people in training and I could never plan ahead for flights. The place I’ve been for the past 4 years always has planes available for rent. They have a very large fleet so I’m never closed out! It’s a great set up that I know most people don’t have.
 
I have a pretty good deal. We have 5 of us total in our club. One of the guys has a twin he uses for travel and only uses the 182 for taking his son up and fooling around. In one year I was not able to fly one day that I wanted to. The rest of the guys probably only fly once a month.
 
I belong to a club with a limit of 50 members. Most of the time we've had 4 airplanes, but now we have 3. A pair of C-172s and a C-182. In the 18 years I've been a member I have been unable to get a plane (maybe not always my first choice) exactly 3 times. If I were looking for something with steam gauges, all three qualify. One (the C-172P) is /A, the other two (C-172N and C-182P) are /G. That is only important if you are working on, or already have your instrument ticket.

It helps that each year at the annual meeting I find that about 1/3 of the members never fly a club plane all year. I love those members. They are subsidizing my hangar and insurance expenses and not competing for cockpit time. The only time things can get tight is when one of the planes is down for its annual inspection. I also had to reserve a plane well in advance last year for viewing the solar eclipse. That was well worth it, viewing the eclipse from 7500 MSL was spectacular.
 
My club has one plane and 12 members. Looking at the schedule there are only about 5 of us that fly regularly. So, I don't usually have trouble getting the plane. Coordinating my schedule with my instructor's, who also has a 9-5 job, is the tough part.

Plane starts annual this week and is scheduled for 3 weeks. So, I'll need to rent from one of the schools to keep my IR training on track.
 
2+ weeks out is pretty much wide open, 1 week out starts filling up, same week only if lucky.
 
My school had 3 C-172s during my training that I could chose from. (after I finished training they sold one so now they have 2). (They also have one with glass panel but I don't fly that).
During training I would schedule 7 lessons ahead of time (twice a week, both of them on weekends), and my CFI had no 9-5 job so he was always available. Only 7 because the online scheduling system would not let me book more than 7 lessons at a time.
Now that I have my ticket, I can choose from two schools (one 15 mins from home, the other about 30 mins drive); 2 C-172s and the other school with 4 C-172s.
 
Our club is pretty great for planes. we flew three planes 125 hours in July, but I had little problem getting a plane most of the times I wanted one.

Yes, weekends/etc are a little tighter. I would say too that if I can be flexible, 80% of the time, one of the three will cancel. The problem is that sucks for planning family trips, but if I just (might want to fly this weekend), then I can usually end up with one of three (someone is sick, changes plans/etc).

Getting an instructor + weather + my schedule + plane can take some back and forth, but for right now, I only need an instructor every few months for something so it's not that hard (6 month checkouts + various types of currency + occasional extra training).

It makes it tougher to justify owning, but, the siren still calls...
 
Members here are limited to 4 reservations at a time. That favors those with longer term plans, but students still manage to be able to book. It depends on type too - there's about a $5 difference in the rate between a 172 and Warrior, so naturally everyone wants to fly the 172s. But travellers are booking months out and students concentrate their bookings into the next two weeks. That means there's more students flying Warriors, just because they're more available for quick bookings.
 
See if your instructor will just give you a standard time slot every week. something like can you fly 7am Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday?, Then schedule the plane out for those days for the next 3 months or more.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL
 
Your situation sounds tough. A common guideline is 12-15 people per aircraft. If you have more students than that all using that one plane, your club has a problem to solve.
 
About 30 members for 1 well-equipped 172. Pretty easy to book a couple of times a week.
 
Seems like there is a good deal of variation. I don't have a lot of choice, where I am there are not that many clubs. The best is to book way in advance, is my strategy now. Also check regularly for cancellations.
My CFI seems to have a flexible schedule (he flies a lot, instruction and other) but it is not predictable. I don't think it is possible to have a set day/time. Also from a fellow student and my experience I don't think they allow many bookings for the same person in advance.

So that is the deal. I just have to book a few weeks ahead of time. It's not terrible, but with so much demand on the one plane it gets a lot of use. It's interesting how others deal with this.
 
LongRoadBob said:
Seems like there is a good deal of variation. I don't have a lot of choice, where I am there are not that many clubs. The best is to book way in advance, is my strategy now. Also check regularly for cancellations.
My CFI seems to have a flexible schedule (he flies a lot, instruction and other) but it is not predictable. I don't think it is possible to have a set day/time. Also from a fellow student and my experience I don't think they allow many bookings for the same person in advance.

So that is the deal. I just have to book a few weeks ahead of time. It's not terrible, but with so much demand on the one plane it gets a lot of use. It's interesting how others deal with this.
Click to expand...

Come to Texas!
 
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