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rchamble

rchamble

Pre-Flight
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Jul 18, 2009
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70
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Mississippi
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rschamblee
I have found a place to take flying lessons since moving. It is a flying club in which you join for $250/yr and that gives you access to a Cessna 1973 model 150L. It cost 70/hr wet to fly for members of the club. This does include the cost of insurance to solo (covered both on ground and air).

Does this sound about par??
 
rchamble said:
I have found a place to take flying lessons since moving. It is a flying club in which you join for $250/yr and that gives you access to a Cessna 1973 model 150L. It cost 70/hr wet to fly for members of the club. This does include the cost of insurance to solo (covered both on ground and air).

Does this sound about par??
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No, from what I'm hearing this is not par. This actually sounds like a good and fair deal especially the insurance assuming that as a club member you are one of the insured parties. Good find. $70hr for a 150 wet at todays fuel prices is a fair deal. Nobody is getting rich off that. Beware though of fuel surcharges, do you know the status of that? All in all, as long as scheduling doesn't become an issue it sounds like you have a winner. 150 is a fine plane to learn in. My Aussie friend from way back she always said "It's like flying in a biscuit tin."

EDIT, Just caught insurance was only till solo so you'll still want to pick up a non owner policy.
 
what exactly is a fuel surcharge?? From what I understand the plane will be covered under his name until I start soloing in which time I will be covered under the flying club policy..
 
rchamble said:
what exactly is a fuel surcharge?? From what I understand the plane will be covered under his name until I start soloing in which time I will be covered under the flying club policy..
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Ok, so are you: Insured as a member of the club; Protected by a No Subro Clause; or are you open to subrogation for the damages?

Only in the last situation would I suggest you secure your own insurance. If you don't have to buy insurance $70hr is a good deal. If you do have to buy it it's a fair deal as long as it's a decent plane.
 
rchamble said:
what exactly is a fuel surcharge?? From what I understand the plane will be covered under his name until I start soloing in which time I will be covered under the flying club policy..
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Fuel surcharge is a way to provide some flex for the volatility (mosty upwards) of fuel prices.

For example, the club I participate in has a nice Piper Warrior available for $85/hr wet, but last I rented, there was a 2.75/hr fuel surcharge on my bill when I paid up. It's still a good deal for the area and the little I fly at the moment, so I don't gripe too much.

Another way to look at this is that they keep advertising the original rate, but allow the fuel surcharge to cover any upward spikes in fuel costs.


In regards to insurance, it's worth shopping for and obtaining your own. Non-owned coverage will protect your assets from getting tagged by the aircraft owners insurance carrier should you be at fault for damaging the aircraft. And getting adequate coverage for liability is another good idea to protect yourself from a suit because you were observed in the left seat and they say it's your fault for causing a loss to someone else's person or property.

Both can be obtained from well known and respected carriers for pretty reasonable. Mine last year (when I trained and got my certificate) was about $400-ish for 12 months. Agency was Falcon and my referring agent was Parker Woodruff (a member of this and other aviation forums).
 
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Everskyward said:
Even my trash service adds a fuel surcharge...
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Check a commercial account bill with UPS or a freight truck line some day. It can get sorta upsetting how much they stick on.
 
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