View Full Version : exorbitant aeroclub fee's
Supermouse3
6th Dec 2016, 22:30
wondering how much aeroclub fee's around Australia are and how much they have increased/ decreased in the past few years...
a certain club in Perth sent me a bill for $300 for a year..
another club was $100- admittedly with lower overheads and a lower member count than the former
but both have increased by between $10 and $50 a year over the past few years..
cheers
cogwheel
7th Dec 2016, 01:19
Depends in many cases what you get for your money. Flash club house and a fleet of aircraft may well demand a higher fee/s. Not many of even basic clubs charge less than a $100 pa. Most clubs etc these days are up around the $150 pa mark. Seems to a sign of the time I'm afraid.
Supermouse3
7th Dec 2016, 01:29
a club with a large flying school, uni flying training contracts,
fleet of tired aircraft and run down facility's...
$100-$150 seems reasonable!
Squawk7700
7th Dec 2016, 01:55
It's the joining fees you have to worry about.
What's Southport these days, $25,000 ?
TBM-Legend
7th Dec 2016, 02:16
Lot cheaper than playing golf...
Supermouse3
7th Dec 2016, 03:38
I hope Southport is the equivalent of The Weld club to charge that much...
Popgun
7th Dec 2016, 07:46
What's Southport these days, $25,000 ?
Its a real shame about Southport. Even if you wanted to drop in just a couple of times a year they want $2200!
I made a telephone enquiry once upon a time and got a decidedly frosty reception.
It would have been nice as a backup but luckily my need for this airfield is very limited...given that I'm usually landing on water.
PG
Lead Balloon
7th Dec 2016, 09:02
Just between you and me, Supermouse3: You don't have to be a member of any flying club.
But don't you go telling. :=
gerry111
7th Dec 2016, 13:57
That's certainly true, Lead Balloon.
But for those who choose not to be aircraft owners, that choice may be unavailable at a few aerodromes?
Sunfish
7th Dec 2016, 19:01
I have never been to Southport. My experience of "exclusive" sporting/recreational clubs is that they change their tune when threatened by the possibility of community action and suddenly want to be part of the larger sporting community.
This has occurred in at least Two "exclusive" yacht clubs when the renewal of their leases was threatened - they suddenly rebadged themselves as "Community Assets", opened up memberships, granted reciprocal rights, started disabled and school sailing programs, etc.
My prediction is that one day Southport will do the same.
holdingagain
7th Dec 2016, 19:36
You could join RQ, subs have recently gone out so it's still there sort of
Hugh Mungus
7th Dec 2016, 21:43
Much uninformed comment on Southport Flying Club here....I am. Social Member living interstate...Have flown in on several occasions albeit with an invitation from a current Fullmember. Friendly Natives, Great Facilities,casual hangarage,good Maintenance and Cheap Fuel. What more could you ask ? Admittedly scenic flights and circuit training are discouraged but that's understandable given the noise sensitivity of non aviation types.
That may well be Hugh, but I'm still baffled as to why anyone would pay $25K (or whatever it is) to be a member of an aero club. What exactly do you get for your money that would justify that expense..? http://cdn.pprune.org/images/smilies/confused.gif
BOBCLOUT
7th Dec 2016, 23:36
Membership Fees are $120 at the Central Coast Aero Club at Warnervale. That includes BBQs and drinks at our Social events.
Traffic_Is_Er_Was
7th Dec 2016, 23:42
$100-$300 a year for an aero-club? It costs me $270 at local Junior Rugby Union Club for my 12yo to play rugby for just a few months. That doesn't include any BBQ's or drinks :(
RENURPP
7th Dec 2016, 23:52
bership Fees are $120 at the Central Coast Aero Club at Warnervale. That includes BBQs and drinks at our Social events.so you don't pay anything extra for food and drinks at their BBQs. Must be making a fortune.
BOBCLOUT
8th Dec 2016, 00:27
Our BBQs are very basic with sausages and salad on a roll.
Our Members dont drink if they are flying and very little if they are driving.
We do charge a bit for Christmas Parties, in order to buy good presents for the kids.
Squawk7700
8th Dec 2016, 00:39
That may well be Hugh, but I'm still baffled as to why anyone would pay $25K (or whatever it is) to be a member of an aero club. What exactly do you get for your money that would justify that expense..?
You get the right to hangar your aircraft at said exclusive airport. The hangar rental or purchase are extra of course.
Location, location, location...
no_one
8th Dec 2016, 01:14
Sunfish, It all depends on the if the club owns their land or not. Some yacht clubs lease their land on relatively short leases and so in a sense have very little in the way of true assets. Then need the goodwill of the community to have the lease renewed. Some yacht clubs own their land (or have a very long lease period) and so have much higher membership fees.
Southport aero club have a long lease over their land and essentially have their own airport in a great location. Its not like other aeroclubs where the only owned assets are a clapped out 152 and some magazines from the 1970's. Think of the joining fee as buying into your share of the asset.
Popgun
8th Dec 2016, 01:40
Much uninformed comment on Southport Flying Club here....I am. Social Member living interstate...Have flown in on several occasions albeit with an invitation from a current Fullmember. Friendly Natives, Great Facilities,casual hangarage,good Maintenance and Cheap Fuel. What more could you ask ? Admittedly scenic flights and circuit training are discouraged but that's understandable given the noise sensitivity of non aviation types.
Perhaps I've judged too harshly on the basis of their website membership details and one random, off-hand telephone call.
Membership details can be found here: Southport Flying Club Website (http://southportflyingclub.com.au/Club_Membership.php)
For someone who would only ever possibly drop-in once, maybe twice, per year it seems that there is no reasonable membership option other than the Base Social Membership of $67 Joining Fee plus $95 Membership annually.
This is more than reasonable...with one significant catch. As Hugh Mungus notes above, you need to be invited by a Full Member. What if you don't happen to know one? It would be a nice, aviation community-spirited gesture if that situation was covered off on the website, for example, by say a procedure whereby a telephone call to the Club's President or Chief Instructor might permit that invitation.
I don't happen to know a Full Member, but I will be nearby on the Gold Coast later this month (without an aeroplane) so I'll drop by and see whether it might all be as friendly, fraternal and aviation community-oriented as Hugh Mungus suggests!
PG