Flight Club Frustrations

Murdoughnut

Well sized member
Requesting some advice. As many of you know, our flight club's a/c went down in January, taking the life of one of our owners and his parents. We all agreed that it was best to move on and get a new aircraft. Well here it is nearly half a year later and we still don't have an aircraft. I told myself several months ago that if we didn't have a plane by July, that I was backing out of the club. It's getting close to put up or shut up time, so I'm wondering what I should do.

Here's my principal beef - myself and one other guy have taken up the charge of finding a new aircraft. Of the 16 members, we're the only two sending folks web links to potential planes - but the problem is that we can't do anything about it - our exec board has to make a move. Unfortunately, we have a huge collective action problem - a few people reply back "ooh, that's a nice plane" and then nothing. It also kinda peeves me off that myself and this other guy work full time and manage to find the time to find a/c - while most of the other guys (mostly retired) find time to forward dumb ass emails, but nothing pertaining to planes.

The key issue is this - we're still being charged our $100 monthly dues. Now it's not a lot, but that'll soon be $600 spent on a non-existant club aircraft (not to mention next to no time in the log book). That's money that could have been spent flying some crappy rental for 6 hours.

Anyone have any advice or insight ... or just want to commiserate? Would appreciate it.
 
First rule about Fight Club is that... Wait... oh, Flight Club. Nevermind. Mods, erase please!
 
From the surface I would say look elsewhere and move on. If you have a real feel good connection there and enjoying flying because you have good friends at the club then it might be different. Your right, thats $600... and in a few more months its going to be more, not only that but your committing your time to something that you wouldn't have to do at another club, and your paying the same dollar for it than the rest.

Have you looked at any other options yet? Cant hurt to see what else there might be, and who knows you might find something that is really worth it.
 
Dump the flight club. Sound slike you're just thowing away money, and only 2 people are doing anything while everyone else sits on their butts. Make it clear to everyone they need to step up and contribute to it, or go elsewhere and possibly bring the other person helping you along. Sounds like it's way past time for a "Come to Jesus meeting" for everyone in the club.
 
It may take the threat of resignation (or actual resignation) to prompt the board to action. Having 2 of 16 members resign due to inaction of the board may be just the incentive they need to make finding another airplane a priority, or it may prompt other members to join your side of the argument. $500 in monthly dues is a lot to spend for no benefit.

Just make sure you leave on good relations -- if they do find an airplane and you would like to come back, make sure that's an option for you. You may even want to state in your resignation letter how much you've enjoyed being a member of the club, that you put faith in the board's decision to acquire a new aircraft, but that you are not able to keep financing the club until it secures an aircraft. Once it does secure an aircraft, you look forward to the opportunity to rejoin the club and become an active member again.
 
Requesting some advice. As many of you know, our flight club's a/c went down in January, taking the life of one of our owners and his parents. We all agreed that it was best to move on and get a new aircraft. Well here it is nearly half a year later and we still don't have an aircraft. I told myself several months ago that if we didn't have a plane by July, that I was backing out of the club. It's getting close to put up or shut up time, so I'm wondering what I should do.

Here's my principal beef - myself and one other guy have taken up the charge of finding a new aircraft. Of the 16 members, we're the only two sending folks web links to potential planes - but the problem is that we can't do anything about it - our exec board has to make a move. Unfortunately, we have a huge collective action problem - a few people reply back "ooh, that's a nice plane" and then nothing. It also kinda peeves me off that myself and this other guy work full time and manage to find the time to find a/c - while most of the other guys (mostly retired) find time to forward dumb ass emails, but nothing pertaining to planes.

The key issue is this - we're still being charged our $100 monthly dues. Now it's not a lot, but that'll soon be $600 spent on a non-existant club aircraft (not to mention next to no time in the log book). That's money that could have been spent flying some crappy rental for 6 hours.

Anyone have any advice or insight ... or just want to commiserate? Would appreciate it.

Don't you guys have monthly meetings? If not you should. The issue needs to be argued out until a decision is made. Also the club should have a set of rules that covers issues like this. Where did the insurance payout go??? Who is the treasurer collecting the dues?? What is the ballance on the clubs finances? Can you get elected to the board? Perhaps you can grab a few other members who feel the same and partner up on a plane.
 
If your club one a/c and that went down, how can the club continue to exist. The formerly 'fixed' costs are nto realy fixed anymroe seeing that you don't have an a/c.

Was the plane insured to a decent replacement value?

Has any insurance been received? If so, why hasn't anything been purchased?

It makes no sense at all to continue to pay dues on an a/c that doesn't exist. I would say that it is time to move on.

P.S. if you wanna move to MSP, I can sell you the share I currently have.

6k 6 a/c 2-172s 2-182s 2-210's
 
Jimmy's thinking is exactly the same as mine. If you've got one aircraft and it's gone, then why are you paying for something that doesn't exist?
 
Don't you guys have monthly meetings? If not you should. The issue needs to be argued out until a decision is made. Also the club should have a set of rules that covers issues like this. Where did the insurance payout go??? Who is the treasurer collecting the dues?? What is the ballance on the clubs finances? Can you get elected to the board? Perhaps you can grab a few other members who feel the same and partner up on a plane.

That was the plan (to have monthly meetings) but it never came to fruition. The insurance payout went back into our account (towards purchasing a new plane). I have no doubt that the treasurer is just putting the funds into our account, it would just be nice to not have to pay them in the interim seeing as we have no insurance or tie down costs.
 
If your club one a/c and that went down, how can the club continue to exist. The formerly 'fixed' costs are nto realy fixed anymroe seeing that you don't have an a/c.

Was the plane insured to a decent replacement value?

Has any insurance been received? If so, why hasn't anything been purchased?

It makes no sense at all to continue to pay dues on an a/c that doesn't exist. I would say that it is time to move on.

P.S. if you wanna move to MSP, I can sell you the share I currently have.

6k 6 a/c 2-172s 2-182s 2-210's

Sounds like a good fleet, but I'm stuck in Florida for a couple more years :)

We ended up with $12k after the loan on our previous a/c was paid off - it's just sitting in the bank right now. It's just a collective action problem - no one wants to take the lead and say "let's buy this aircraft"

I did get an email today about a conference call so maybe that's a good sign.
 
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