exorbitant aeroclub fee's
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Perth
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exorbitant aeroclub fee's
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
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
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.
It's the joining fees you have to worry about.
What's Southport these days, $25,000 ?
What's Southport these days, $25,000 ?
Join Date: Apr 1999
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What's Southport these days, $25,000 ?
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
Just between you and me, Supermouse3: You don't have to be a member of any flying club.
But don't you go telling.
But don't you go telling.
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.
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.
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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.
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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..? 
$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 
bership Fees are $120 at the Central Coast Aero Club at Warnervale. That includes BBQs and drinks at our Social events.
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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.
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.
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..?
Location, location, location...
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.
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.
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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.
Membership details can be found here: Southport Flying Club Website
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
Last edited by Popgun; 8th Dec 2016 at 01:51.
