★★☆☆☆
2 out of 5
a year ago
5 year 6 month member.
Issues: The club is oversubscribed, making it difficult for members to schedule flights. I was only able to complete one instrument training flight from February to May 2023, which has been very frustrating. Despite this, leadership is looking to add even more members. Board meetings focus on maximizing flight hours per aircraft, which often means the planes are booked solid during good weather.
Members can only reserve training flights up to one week in advance, and schedules fill up quickly—often within minutes (see attached photo of full bookings 6AM-11PM) . In contrast, other local clubs, flying for-profit businesses, and equity shares allow reservations months in advance at the same or lower hourly rate.
Additionally, the club does not effectively monitor the performance of Certified Flight Instructors (CFIs) or seek feedback from students, which leaves members feeling isolated. I was contacted by two club leaders asking me to remove this review. After I provided detailed documentation outlining these structural issues, my concerns were ultimately ignored, and I was ghosted twice. When the club asked for feedback on a group chat, it was quickly overwhelmed with dismissive comments from club CFIs thus creating a hostile atmosphere for constructive criticism.
Overall, the club prioritizes maximizing CFIs' flight hours rather than meeting the needs of its members. Most positive reviews on Google seem to come from CFIs at the club, rather than from regular members.
Opportunities for Improvement: With a few changes, this club could become more member-focused. Allowing flight reservations two or more months in advance, establishing a feedback system for CFIs, and creating a proper onboarding process with meet-and-greet events would significantly enhance the member experience. CFIs should pay membership dues, full-stop. There is potential here, but it requires serious attention to member needs.
A Taylor
