Chicago area flying club/rentals

bkey79

Well-Known Member
Might be moving (being dragged) a little more north to the chicago area and wondering if there are any FBO's or flying clubs that anyone would recommend. Price and quality are the two main points, don't mind driving a bit to find that good deal. Shoot, if anyone even has a plane they like to rent out, that'd be great.

Thanks!
 
Might be moving (being dragged) a little more north to the chicago area and wondering if there are any FBO's or flying clubs that anyone would recommend. Price and quality are the two main points, don't mind driving a bit to find that good deal. Shoot, if anyone even has a plane they like to rent out, that'd be great.

Thanks!
If you're really an FO for Great Mistakes, how are you going to pay for a rental? Food stamps? Sugar momma?
 
If you're really an FO for Great Mistakes, how are you going to pay for a rental? Food stamps? Sugar momma?

Really? Didn't know my money wasn't of any other color than yours... No stamps, no sugar momma, good money management and other than that, none of your business...

If you don't live near or have dealt with any of the clubs/FBO's in the area, and have no input, why would you reply to a question that you have no input? Oh, to bash an airline you have never worked for? Question my income or motives of why I work for who I work for? I gave up a job making over $150k/yr to do this, and haven't regretted one minute of it yet.
 
Thanks tlewis95 ... Been wanting to get a tail-wheel endorsement, might have to check it out!

I think I know the guy who does tailwheel endorsements out of C77. He is a really nice guy and is willing to help a lot of people out.

Depending on where you may be living there is a a flying club out of PWK which may get a little expensive from time to time due to fuel costs being so high in Chicago. http://www.windycityflyers.com/ They do have quite the variety of planes but also depends on how much you would plan on flying. I looked into them but didn't plan on flying that often so it wasn't for me.

I normally rent out of KARR which is the SW suburbs of Chicago. 172P for $123/hr wet. Again this just worked for me because I wasn't planning on flying that much so a club was just not cost effective. If you have any questions feel free to ask. I grew up at KDPA and know the area fairly well.
 
Really? Didn't know my money wasn't of any other color than yours... No stamps, no sugar momma, good money management and other than that, none of your business...

If you don't live near or have dealt with any of the clubs/FBO's in the area, and have no input, why would you reply to a question that you have no input? Oh, to bash an airline you have never worked for? Question my income or motives of why I work for who I work for? I gave up a job making over $150k/yr to do this, and haven't regretted one minute of it yet.

I think he was just joking.

But lol your signature does say 1900-Twice the Pilot and Half the Pay.

I am also good at money money management on a side note. :)

Also I do know a guy local to Chicago. I will try and find some information on good flying clubs for you. Any preference on airplanes in the flying club? :)
 
I think he was just joking.

But lol your signature does say 1900-Twice the Pilot and Half the Pay.

I am also good at money money management on a side note. :)

Also I do know a guy local to Chicago. I will try and find some information on good flying clubs for you. Any preference on airplanes in the flying club? :)

Agreed, maybe he was, but there's only so many times you can hear some of these comments before they just get old... I commute usually more than twice a week, mainly on Skywest, and you wouldn't believe how many times I get the brow beating on how bad my job must suck, how we are the lowest of the low, blah blah.. Funny thing is that people think the name "Great Mistakes" was put out by people taking the job when in fact in came out years ago on a decision to go with a certain union, that was the "great mistake".

As far as flying goes, price and quality of the plane would are first priority. I don't mind paying a bit more to fly a Mooney/Arrow or even a Baron if the price is right. Nothing glass (still haven't flown anything glass). Preferably IFR cert, just for those longer road trip flights...
 
As far as flying goes, price and quality of the plane would are first priority. I don't mind paying a bit more to fly a Mooney/Arrow or even a Baron if the price is right. Nothing glass (still haven't flown anything glass). Preferably IFR cert, just for those longer road trip flights...

I'd definitely look into Windy City Flyers. Knew a guy who rented their SR-20 and it looked great inside and out. I'd recommend calling them and talking to their membership manager, sorry I can't remember her name. She will talk with you about what your looking to do and suggest their different type of memberships they offer. On the phone they seemed very professional with everything. Then again that is in the North/Northwest suburbs area.
 
Really? Didn't know my money wasn't of any other color than yours... No stamps, no sugar momma, good money management and other than that, none of your business...

If you don't live near or have dealt with any of the clubs/FBO's in the area, and have no input, why would you reply to a question that you have no input? Oh, to bash an airline you have never worked for? Question my income or motives of why I work for who I work for? I gave up a job making over $150k/yr to do this, and haven't regretted one minute of it yet.
Just honestly curious (well, and giving you a little crap). If you banked a bunch of that $150k a year and can afford to fly for fun on Great Lakes wages, good for you.
 
Just honestly curious (well, and giving you a little crap). If you banked a bunch of that $150k a year and can afford to fly for fun on Great Lakes wages, good for you.

If I ever end up flying for a living, I'd be in a similar boat. (Low, slow, no dough and lot's of savings to to make it comfortable-ish for a few years starting out)

But trying to stay involved in GA is a wonderful thing to hear. Is Great Lakes cool with instructing on the side? It's a cheap way to do it, and I've learned a lot flying with 121 folks through osmosis, a lot to be said for it.
 
If I ever end up flying for a living, I'd be in a similar boat. (Low, slow, no dough and lot's of savings to to make it comfortable-ish for a few years starting out)

But trying to stay involved in GA is a wonderful thing to hear. Is Great Lakes cool with instructing on the side? It's a cheap way to do it, and I've learned a lot flying with 121 folks through osmosis, a lot to be said for it.

Ya know I have more fun flying around in 172's and the similar now that I don't have to. When it was instructing, I looked at a Cessna as a means to an end, now I look forward to the fews days off I have to fly one!

I asked the question of if it was ok to be a part time CFI and really didn't get an "official" answer. Reading between the lines, if you work for Lakes, they are your priority. You can only officially commercial fly for 8hrs/day, 34hrs/week, 120hrs/mo 1200/yr (part 135 max times) and as long as you don't get in the way of that, they don't seem to get into your business. Right now, the max lines at my base are around 100hrs/mo and the lowest lines are around 60hrs/mo, so I don't think it would be an issue. I've been thinking about picking up a part time CFI on the side.
 
I think I know the guy who does tailwheel endorsements out of C77. He is a really nice guy and is willing to help a lot of people out.

Depending on where you may be living there is a a flying club out of PWK which may get a little expensive from time to time due to fuel costs being so high in Chicago. http://www.windycityflyers.com/ They do have quite the variety of planes but also depends on how much you would plan on flying. I looked into them but didn't plan on flying that often so it wasn't for me.

I normally rent out of KARR which is the SW suburbs of Chicago. 172P for $123/hr wet. Again this just worked for me because I wasn't planning on flying that much so a club was just not cost effective. If you have any questions feel free to ask. I grew up at KDPA and know the area fairly well.

Me? Haha. I have given a dozen or so TW endoresements there but they do have a bunch of other TW instructors too and they are all really good.

I can give a +1 to JA at KARR too. Nice equipment but you have to pay a bit more for it. Great management and facility though.
 
I flew out of KLOT with Chicagoland Aviation 172SP $175/hour wet tach. Plane was in pretty good shape but KMDW yelled at me for the transponder being intermittent.
 
I flew out of KLOT with Chicagoland Aviation 172SP $175/hour wet tach. Plane was in pretty good shape but KMDW yelled at me for the transponder being intermittent.

And I complain about 107 an hour for a 172.. So glad I get to instruct in it and not pay for it. I need to stop feeling so bad for the college students I instrucr around here.. It's cheap in Omaha.
 
I flew out of KLOT with Chicagoland Aviation 172SP $175/hour wet tach. Plane was in pretty good shape but KMDW yelled at me for the transponder being intermittent.

Wow. I thought the 145 per hour wet I was paying was steep. Even on tach time, you only save money at low power settings.

Is that 172 glass or steam gauge?
 
Me? Haha. I have given a dozen or so TW endoresements there but they do have a bunch of other TW instructors too and they are all really good.

I can give a +1 to JA at KARR too. Nice equipment but you have to pay a bit more for it. Great management and facility though.

Ha, I'm not sure. Are you or do you know a Bob O'Quinn?

JA is a really nice FBO and their airplanes are just as great. They are a little more on the pricey side however if you are looking for a twin rental every now and then the have two PA-44's one steam gauge and one glass. The check out is just when ever they feel comfortable signing you off. A buddy I know did one flight and they said he was good. That's mostly because he did his CMEL in a seminole about a month earlier. Lumanair is where I get the 172R from. I said P earlier but now I remember its an R. They also have a 182RG which is nice but I never used it. Tons of availability too. It really depends on how much you plan on renting and what your going to do with it.
 
Wow. I thought the 145 per hour wet I was paying was steep. Even on tach time, you only save money at low power settings.

Is that 172 glass or steam gauge?
Steam with a olllddd GPS. Checkout was pretty cheap though .4 on the tach.
 
Lumanair is where I get the 172R from. I said P earlier but now I remember its an R. They also have a 182RG which is nice but I never used it. Tons of availability too. It really depends on how much you plan on renting and what your going to do with it.

I did my MEI there in their seminole. Not the prettiest plane, but it did the job and I did it waaaay cheaper than JA. JA seems a little more savvy, but LumanAir definitely is the Mom/Pops atmosphere. Regardless, ARR is a great place because your close enough to go bug MDW/ORD/ Pilot Petes at Schaumburg, but then you also have a great practice area to the west.
 
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