I currently fly my Aeroclub’s two Robins,
DR300 – 120hp/3seat training, €78/hr ~ £67/hr
DR400-140B – 160hp/4seat tourer, €93/hr ~ £56/hr
But even if it cost alot more I would still fly with this french club, not only because it is exactly 5 minutes up the road from my house, but because of the most amazing ‘joie de vivre’ the club has and the extreamly friendly and understanding way they have treated me, a Brit who speaks extreamly bad French, since I joined the club 2 years ago when coming to France. I have never seen a club spirit and ‘camaraderie’ anything like this in the UK, as all the flying schools I saw were just that – flying schools – ie businesses out to make a profit!!! Here in France I am a member of a club in the true sense of the word, where we all get from the aeroclub what we put into it. Last year we (ie all the members of the club together) completely renovated our clubhouse over the course of the summer. Between us we look after the whole aerodrome, ensuring the grass is cut, manning the bar & fuel pumps over the weekend etc. Weekends are when the club really comes alive, the traditional french long lunch at the club being the order of the day, meaning that if you want to fly you had better do it in the morning...or else dont fly at all that day due to the high quality liquid content!!!
I’m sorry for going off the thread topic abit like this, but I think that too many of us get caught up in how much it costs to fly. I have unwittingly discovered that if you can find a club that is half as much fun as I think my aeroclub is, then dont worry if you are paying a few quid more for your flying than someone somewhere else, flying is supposed to be enjoyable - so enjoy yourself even when you dont fly!!!
Regards, SD..
