I've belonged to a group for the past six years and I've found it wholly beneficial to my experience of flying. I'm now the registered trustee so even get a free copy of GASIL!!
OK the things to watch for. Don't jump in on the promise of cheap flying alone. In our C150 group I reckon you need to fly at least 18 hours a year to even begin to see a financial benefit- that's comparing our rates of £45 per month £30 per hour with the cheapest 150 rentals of £60 per hour. If you only fly once a month each hour costs £75. On the other hand that extra twenty minutes enjoying the evening calm after a day of flying only costs a tenner. Though most of our members spend a good time longer in the aircraft than they pay for as a result of sharing which is rarer for people who merely rent an aircraft
You need to ensure that the other members are people who you can get along with and whose flying is compatible with yours. three hour builders in a group and you'll never get near the aircraft.
A lot of the advantages are not financial, there is a sense of ownership- though you probably won't get that in a group of 20- In a friendly cooperative group you shoul get less of "I booked it at twelve and it's not my fault the fog's only just lifted." and more of "Where were you thinking of going- why don't we go together and get to somewhere a bit further afield. The best groups IMHO are those in which the members genuinely want to encourage one another to fly and take a healthy interest in each others flying (In our group the person I most often fly with and I give each other marks out of ten for our landings)
Make sure you're happy that the group contains people you trust and no cowboys who could leave you with a nasty liability if they go and do something daft that voids the insurance. And check carefully the condition of the aircraft and the finances of the group- If a group you are considering is unhelpful or cagey about any of those then walk away- there are plenty of others.
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