Starting a Flying Club?

[shyampatel94]

Has anyone started or thought about starting a flying club? What goes into starting a flying club and can you make profit for the club to buy more aircrafts? How would one go about starting a club? I will be moving back to Lubbock, Tx starting at the end of December and I don't know of any flying clubs based at KLBB. So if anyone can help me out?

 

[AggieMike88]

Yes. Current effort has stalled due to other original guys finding other things they want to put their money and time into.

Lots of work, a good bit of money and time.

Possibly, but not likely.

see #2.

 

[flyingron]

I have been a member of a few clubs, founded one, leased aircraft to another. I can probably answer some questions. A new club thinking that they are going to "make a profit" is probably wishful thinking but yes, successful clubs can expand, though not usually just through money skimmed from the existing members. If you want to get bigger, you usually have to have more members flying. If your existing planes are only flying 10 hours a month, the club isn't likely to survive PERIOD let alone expand.

If this is an open membership club (rather than just a few guys co-owning an aircraft), you better check if the airport is going to put any specific requirements on you. The club I founded was at KAPA and they had restrictions even on ours that was limited to employees of one of the larger corporations, if we were more open they'd have more.

 

[35B33]

Also a past member of a few flying clubs and a leaseback owner to one. The question is almost too basic, like 'how do I start a business'.

Demand - A chicken vs. egg question, does the group determine the plane or does the plane attract the group? How many Lubbock pilots are interested and how many will put up money to get started?

Costs - You need to make a profit because there are always things that break and need fixing, so you need a maintenance reserve as well as an engine reserve. How will you compare with the local FBOs and Flight Schools?

Finance - Self or bank, hard to fly the hours in February to meet the bank payment. How does the bank feel about aircraft loans and lending to a group?

Leaseback simplifies things for the club, for this one the monthly dues cover tie down and insurance. http://www.rfcdallas.com/

Cal