Where are the aircraft based?
Our fleet is located at Essex County Airport (CDW)
Minimum experience requirements to join:
- Five hours in the NY high density area (or other similarly congested airspace)
- Private pilot certificate, a current medical, and one of the following:
- 150 hours total time, 75 hours PIC time, or;
- instrument rating, or;
- 12 hours of flight time in the last 90 days.
What does it cost? (Effective July 2022)
Deposit: $6,000, 100% returned on exit
Monthly dues: $201
Hourly rates are wet and based on tach time.
| Tail Number | Type | Rate |
| N6189Q | C172SP G1000 | $127 |
| N8050J | C182T G1000 | $202 |
| N4468N | C182Q Aspen Evolution 2000 | $201 |
| N949KC | DA40 G1000 | $179 |
What affordable is the club?
If we are simply talking dollars and cents, the club offers an excellent value over renting if you plan to fly at least 25 hours in a year, or take an aircraft on a 3 day trip. These aircraft are equipped with advanced avionics not found in most rental fleets and certainly not priced at cost. There is a lot more value to the club when one considers that the club aircraft are only being used by your fellow owners who treat them with care. There is also the camaraderie of your fellow pilots, along with the opportunities to learn more about flying and aircraft ownership and club operations.
How are flights scheduled?
Every member receives a set of keys to the aircraft affording them 24×7 access. All reservations are made through Schedule Master.
To ensure everyone has fair access to the fleet, each member is given 4 reservation points. Any reservation up to 4 hours requires 1 point, while reservations greater than 4 hours and up to 12 days requires 2 points. A same day reservation requires no points. Once a reservation is completed or cancelled for any reason, the points are immediately available for making more reservations. There are no restrictions as to how far in advance a reservation may be made.
If you have any concerns about availability please inquire about reviewing the live reservations system.
What about extended trips?
Members may reserve the aircraft for up to 12 consecutive days including one weekend. There are never any daily minimum flying requirements. Trips longer than 12 days may be arranged with special approval from the board.
Who runs the club?
Our club is entirely run by the members. Each year, the membership nominates and elects members to the club board. There are also numerous positions that are filled from the membership to arrange fly-outs, update the GPS units, maintain the website, etc. We are fortunate to have a very talented group of people from all professions and walks of life.
How is aircraft maintenance handled?
For each aircraft there is a two-person crew who are responsible for scheduling maintenance and handling communication between the club and maintenance facilities. Together, the airplane crews and the club Maintenance Chief are responsible for ensuring that regular inspections and unplanned maintenance are addressed promptly and with minimum impact to the membership without compromising safety. Any member that notices an issue may enter it into an online “squawk list” on Schedule Master to alert all members. Any of our members can tell you that the club has never skimped on maintenance.
Can I work with the club to regain currency or towards a higher rating?
Absolutely! You can have your preferred CFI check out with the club or use one the CFIs that are already checked out with the club.
Many members have trained for their instrument rating using club instructors and aircraft. Several members have gone on to earn their commercial, multi and CFI ratings.
We encourage our members to proactively seek out training to improve their flying skills and remain safe and disciplined pilots. To this end, we require that all members maintain 90-day currency in any aircraft and receive dual instruction in club aircraft on a semi-annual basis to act as PIC.
What do others have to say about Flying Clubs?
See this piece on Avweb by Paul Bertorelli, or this piece on Flying by Stephen Pope.
Okay, I’m interested. What now?
Go to the Apply Now page and complete a membership application to secure your spot on the entry list. Our membership team will follow up with next steps.