S.E. Queensland Aero Clubs

[Angle of Attack]

I've returned to Qld after several years, looking for a good fair dinkum aero club around S.E. Queensland that is a good place for a beer on a fri or sat afternoon, has fairly regular flying comps/ events etc, that allows for a bit of fun relatively cheap flying, and a good bunch of blokes/chicks for a good yarn without too much politics and cr*p. A few of the places around here have turned more into the sausage factory type lately, i suppose its the sign of the times:ugh: Well its a airly simple question, any answers?? Cheers in advance!:ok:

[Tinstaafl]

Redcliffe Aero Club comes to mind. I think there's a Caboolture Aero club now too. Also Caloundra, Maroochydore, Kingaroy, Gympie. All to the N. of Brisbane.

[Bad medicine]

Darling Downs in Toowoomba is pretty good. How far from Brisbane are you talking about?

[Angle of Attack]

Thanks for the replies, well Toowoomba is not too far away, I'll guess I'll make the rounds of all mentioned and see what they are like!

[Short and Sweet]

Hi AoA

You could always try from whence you came!! He He :D

I went there a couple of months ago and it is still the usual suspects. My recommendations are Redcliffe Aero Club or Caboolture. Both seem like down to earth clubs.

See you at the next PH gathering.

SnS

[SuPeRcHaRgEd]

If you want politics and cr@p the Redcliffe Aero Club is the place to be!

[404 Titan]

SuPeRcHaRgEd

Personally I haven’t found an aero club that isn’t like that. They tend to be run by amateurs with no f*****g idea. I’m talking about the committee members here, not the instructors who are generally very professional but unfortunately have to put up with this BS.:yuk:

[CHAIRMAN]

404

'generally very professional' ..... at what - instructing?
Why have the major aero clubs including RQAC, Redcliffe and Caboolture survived decades despite the interference of 'amateur' committee members with quote, 'no f*****g idea'?
I think some of them over the years must have had SOME f*****g idea! The clubs have outlasted most of their staff.
However, it is a shame that dedicated flying staff have to put up with the odd REAL 'amateur' from time to time until sound business sense prevails.
Face it and get on with life, the real world is full of 'amateurs'.

[404 Titan]

CHAIRMAN

Touchy aren’t we. Have I hit a nerve? You know exactly what I am talking about. The political infighting that goes on in every aero club committee is what I am referring to. I am not saying for one minute that there aren’t any capable committee members on aero club boards. Quite the contrary. It is the capable one’s that in a lot of cases that keep the idiots at bay. It is just a shame that the staff of these aero clubs have to witness and put up with this BS instead of doing the job that they are paid to do, teach people to fly.
Why have the major aero clubs including RQAC, Redcliffe and Caboolture survived decades despite the interference of 'amateur' committee members with quote, 'no f*****g idea'?
Yes there are some quite successful aero clubs. There have also been some spectacular failures as well, i.e. Royal Aero Club of NSW. As an accountant please don’t get me started on the advantages aero clubs have in regard to tax exemptions and the like. They have a distinct and in my opinion unfair financial advantage over normal flying schools that have to pay all these taxes and at the same time make money. Most aero clubs smell like a company but hide under the financial protection of a club.
:mad: :* :yuk:

[CHAIRMAN]

404

'As an accountant please don’t get me started on the advantages aero clubs have in regard to tax exemptions and the like'.

True - the ONLY tax that Aero Clubs don't pay is COMPANY TAX. I would suggest that the great majority of their competitors pay NO company tax also - for 1 of 2 reasons.

1. Most non aero-club flying schools are supported by equipment owners who claim 25% pa depreciation, written off against other business, and who are then in a position to offer those a/c to these flying schools at rates that do not reflect the true operating and replacement costs of the equipment.

Aero Clubs have to compete with this.

2. The remaining aero club competitors are wannabees and are incapable of ever making a profit.

The aero club tax exempt status is no panacea for longevity.

[cunningham]

Stay away from Caboolture if the list of past committiee members is anything to go on. Absolute bunch of ******s. Most unprofessional bunch of flyers I have ever seen.

[CHAIRMAN]

cunningham
do the committee people really have that much influence? I would have thought that on a day to day basis the flying staff have all the contact, and unprofessionalism should not be an issue.
but is the problem with the private pilots on the committee?

[cunningham]

Chairman,

Generally speaking yes. Too many fat old ******s throwing their weight around on power trips, which actually encouraged more to leave then renew their memberships. Many knew jack about airmanship and were too busy playing gestapo mind games instead of encouraging people to enjoy flying aircraft and sinking a few coldies.

What a shame.