I see full flying membership at Barton is now £240 per year.
A slightly above inflation increase! Well there must be extra goodies on offer to justify the increase then?
Lets have a look then.
Access to the Flying School for the hire of aircraft for check rides and for revalidation flights..........No change there.
The use of the members clubhouse.........No change there.
Preferential rates in the aircraft maintenance Department................no change there
Hangerage for aircraft...........no change there
The free use of the Members' Car park when car parking charges are introduced later this year..........errrrrrr a change there!!
Belonging to the oldest established and largest flying club in the U.K. which maintains Barton as an historic aerodrome for General Aviation.......well you can't change history.
Is this good value for money? I suppose the only way to answer that is to look at another flying club and see what they charge.
Lets take Bournemouth. A fine establishment with a good fleet of aircraft offering all of the above and a bit more.
It has inclusive landing fees at the airport included in the membership fee.
It has a great clubhouse with "character" and has free car parking for all.
Its' hire rates are competative and has twin hire available.
The only problem with Bournemouth is that it is miles from Manchester and so does not offer much competition to the LAC.
So what do they charge a year to join??? £60!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bit of a difference don't you think, or am I alone in this train of thought?
And so where does all this money go? Peel Holdings perhaps?
Or maybe overflowing club funds?
Which brings me to another point of which a number of members have commented.
Paying top dollar to join and the going rate for hire, the aircraft you fly would be expected to be "top notch".
Lets just say on occasion, the aircraft could be a whole lot better.
I await your comments with baited breath.
Coopervane
