Club w/ no hourly fees

SixPapaCharlie

SixPapaCharlie

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Stumbled across this on craigslist of all places.
http://www.flyplaneset.com/

Membership Pricing:
Cessna 172M - Monthly Fixed Fee $ 349 (Flat Fee)
Initial One Time Fee - $ 2,950
Hourly Fees - None

No minimum pilot requirements! Maintenance, hangar, insurance, subscriptions INCLUDED !
No Hourly Fees
Aircraft Checkout Included


They also have a 182 and a Cirrus.

Edit: but the pricing for the latter 2 is probably why the price for the 172 is so low.
 
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SixPapaCharlie said:
Stumbled across this on craigslist of all places.
http://www.flyplaneset.com/

Membership Pricing:
Cessna 172M - Monthly Fixed Fee $ 349 (Flat Fee)
Initial One Time Fee - $ 2,950
Hourly Fees - None

No minimum pilot requirements! Maintenance, hangar, insurance, subscriptions INCLUDED !
No Hourly Fees
Aircraft Checkout Included


They also have a 182 and a Cirrus.
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I could almost see that working, if you buy your own fuel.
 
I would sign up today if it were close enough.
Edit, you do pay for the fuel you use.
 
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Would be a killer deal for someone looking to build time toward their CPL.

For the 2-3 hour a month pilots (i.e. most people), the club probably comes out ahead with that monthly fee vs. charging $90 a month and a wet rate like a lot of clubs.
 
There ain't no such thing as a free lunch... what's the catch?
 
only thing I can think of is they must have a ton of members
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
only thing I can think of is they must have a ton of members
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Which means the availability could be limited. Oh, and want to **** everyone else in the club off? Take a 2-1/2 week cross country trip.
 
I'm not buying it.

Their "Membership" page stretches some things...

1. Using 6.6 gph (supposed 55% power in a 172) to show massive savings over renting - like flying xc's at 55% is the norm or something.
2. Having "Unlimited" access versus Flying Clubs and the like not having the same.
3. Many of the pictures are not original - some even have "FlightAware" watermarks on them.

I imagine they'll load up each plane with as many users as possible, so the buy-in and monthly fee more than make up for outlays.

Maybe that scenario would work if you flew a ton of hours and got all the advertised perks, but otherwise, the savings just aren't going to materialize.
 
could be trying to capitalize on non-flying members?
 
Would like to see the availability list of dates and times,seems to good to be true.wouldnt mind flying on others dime.
 
Eh, for the initial buy-in cost and monthly fee, I feel like we could own one comparable, and we won't have to share.
 
Mrs. SixPapaCharlie said:
Eh, for the initial buy-in cost and monthly fee, I feel like we could own one comparable, and we won't have to share.
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Probably not comparabl. The one in the photo on their site looks pretty new but yes we could get one with just my name on the title and I would let you use it
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Probably not comparabl. The one in the photo on their site looks pretty new but yes we could get one with just my name on the title and I would let you use it
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You need a few more vowels in your words and one other name on the title. Then we're good.
 
Here's part of the catch, from the FAQ's

Can I take the Aircraft for Long Cross Countries and Overnights?


Yes, absolutely, that is what flying is about; we do allocate certain hours to provide equal and fair access to the aircraft to all members, if the aircraft is available after using the allocated hours, please feel free to fly it!, that’s why we called Fly Unlimited.
 
Ok, I called and I am not sure..

They are very new as in they do not have any planes yet. :no:
Currently 5 members are signed up and they need 8-10 members before they are going to pull the trigger on a plane.

Every member is allocated 8 flight hours per week.
Once all allocated hours are used, a member can take the plane on a multi day trip (I don't think that is going to work. Doesn't really make sense to me.)

No daily min for over night trips

Members sign a 36 month contract and there are termination fees if they opt out early.


So I think this is the answer to what's the catch.
Probably a good club for someone building time. But still 36 months @ $350.
12k and no equity.

So there's the rub.
 
So basically you cant schedule a vacation in advance, because you never know when/if all the other users are gonna use their 8 hours. Plus the little issue that many people don't fly 8 hours a week.

And what about all that time that the plane is sitting there because you've used your 8, but the rest of the group doesn't have time to fly.

Doesn't sound very unlimited to me.
 
StinkBug said:
So basically you cant schedule a vacation in advance, because you never know when/if all the other users are gonna use their 8 hours. Plus the little issue that many people don't fly 8 hours a week.

And what about all that time that the plane is sitting there because you've used your 8, but the rest of the group doesn't have time to fly.

Doesn't sound very unlimited to me.
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Yeah this isn't a good deal at all. 8 hours per week per member should limit the membership to 5 or 6 members per plane. I'm sure they're trying to sell at least 20 memberships per plane. So basically you'll never be able to take it on an overnight trip.

At the same airport, RFC Dallas is a MUCH better option. I was a member for a couple of years. Better airplanes, better terms, and no risk. The buy-in was $500 and they refunded it a couple of years later when I left the club.
 
The only way a fixed priced club model like that works is if some people get screwed and end up just subsidizing the costs of others.

...so it might work until the people getting hosed realize their getting hosed.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Ok, I called and I am not sure..

They are very new as in they do not have any planes yet. :no:
Currently 5 members are signed up and they need 8-10 members before they are going to pull the trigger on a plane.

Every member is allocated 8 flight hours per week.
Once all allocated hours are used, a member can take the plane on a multi day trip (I don't think that is going to work. Doesn't really make sense to me.)

No daily min for over night trips

Members sign a 36 month contract and there are termination fees if they opt out early.


So I think this is the answer to what's the catch.
Probably a good club for someone building time. But still 36 months @ $350.
12k and no equity.

So there's the rub.
Click to expand...


So basically they are getting other people to buy a plane for them and then pay the cost to fly it. $3000k is 10% the cost of a 172M and $40hr is about the hourly dry cost.
 
I've talked to them on a Dallas Facebook page and I'm not so sure they know what they are doing...
 
I think they were advertising of sorts here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/202908213075747/

And I got this in a message:
"Hi Ryan, thank you for your comment, the flying club memberships works as follows initial membership fee of $2,950 monthly fee $350 and basically all you can fly! No hourly fees you just fuel your aircraft

This is for the Cessna 172 for the cirrus is a different price catered for business purposes"

and

"C172M burns 6-8 gph it has a 150 hp engine it consumes less fuel than a 180 hp c172

let me know if our membership seems expensive, I value your feedback because actually we initiated this to reduce the cost of flying and help pilots fly more for less"
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I'd recommend avoiding any for-profit business that calls itself a flying club.

I see heeps of issues with this. Things like aircraft downtime: when the plane is down for three weeks because a part is on order, how will everyone get their 8 hours?
 
Brad Z said:
I'd recommend avoiding any for-profit business that calls itself a flying club.

I see heeps of issues with this. Things like aircraft downtime: when the plane is down for three weeks because a part is on order, how will everyone get their 8 hours?
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And you still have to pay $350/mo...
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Yeah.

I can pay $350 a month and own the plane outright at some point.
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I think that's their plan. Ten members on a plane should more than cover their costs, and since the "members" have no equity, in three years, the company sells the plane and walks away with a bunch of cash. That's assuming it isn't just a scam or a money-laundering operation.
 
Bonchie said:
Would be a killer deal for someone looking to build time toward their CPL.

For the 2-3 hour a month pilots (i.e. most people), the club probably comes out ahead with that monthly fee vs. charging $90 a month and a wet rate like a lot of clubs.
Click to expand...

I was thinking about the math, not really thst great of a deal, even for a hour builder, it's not a bad deal, but nothin special ether.
 
I don't get it...the 8 hour allocation thing doesn't make much sense..I'm not sure they get it either. I wouldn't personally give them a dollar until they were in operation for a year or two and actually describe accurately how it works.
 
Lindberg said:
I think that's their plan. Ten members on a plane should more than cover their costs, and since the "members" have no equity, in three years, the company sells the plane and walks away with a bunch of cash. That's assuming it isn't just a scam or a money-laundering operation.
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Scam maybe, money laundering is done with jets, not 172s.
 
It's not unlike owning. I don't amortize my charges by the hour. I have fixed slugs for maintenance and insurance and then pay for gas.
 
I'm not an owner and I don't know the market over there, but -- including MX, hangar, insurance etc -- I'm pretty sure that 350/mo is not going to buy/keep much of anything.

Over here, 350(or there-about) is what you are paying for shared hangar per month.

Not saying this is a good/viable plan, but cost-wise vs owning, seems pretty reasonable if you get to fly a lot.
 
It really comes down to
1. Do you want to fly that much, and
2. Can they accommodate you flying that much in reality.

if yes(and that's a big question here), then at 10gph and 6$/gal=$60/hour:
36 months @ 8h/week~1300 hours=(2950+349*36)/1300=$11/hour(dry)+$60/hour=$71/hour(Wet)
 
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genna said:
I'm not an owner and I don't know the market over there, but -- including MX, hangar, insurance etc -- I'm pretty sure that 350/mo is not going to buy/keep much of anything.

Over here, 350(or there-about) is what you are paying for shared hangar per month.

Not saying this is a good/viable plan, but cost-wise vs owning, seems pretty reasonable if you get to fly a lot.
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Thinking one can own a 172 for that here for sure and you have equity in the plane when you are done.

ff695df6b5c2a3e54848a6db3f774242.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
genna said:
I'm not an owner and I don't know the market over there, but -- including MX, hangar, insurance etc -- I'm pretty sure that 350/mo is not going to buy/keep much of anything.

Over here, 350(or there-about) is what you are paying for shared hangar per month.

Not saying this is a good/viable plan, but cost-wise vs owning, seems pretty reasonable if you get to fly a lot.
Click to expand...

Who puts a beater old 172 in a hangar?:dunno:
 
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