Sport Pilot Talk

Chuck · Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 16

Has anyone gone through the pros and cons of adding a light sport aircraft to a flying club fleet?

I belong to a flying club that has a fleet of Cessnas (152, a couple 172s and three 182s). The subject has come up about adding a LSA, but not much action has been taken. Club members have informally talked about the high capital cost, insurance, and maintenance of airframe, engine and avionics. Then there is the intangible of whether or not a LSA will draw new members into the club.

If anyone has actual experience, or at least some thoughts, I would appreciate hearing from you.

scottj · Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 4:24 pm Post subject:

Pros:
4 gallons of gas per hour
"new" technology in the cockpit (i.e. glass)
Flying a new airplane vs. one older than me
Faster than a C-172 in cruise
Range farther than most light airplanes (34 gallon tanks)
Fun to fly
Fun to fly and that will increase usage by existing members
Fun to fly and that will increase membership and new members
Safe to fly, sturdy, BRS equipped
$ 99,000 - new - I will deliver and teach you to fly it. $ 98,000 if you pick it up.

What was your other question?
Cons?

Jim Stewart · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 43

My instructor has been running closer to 2.5-3 gallons/hour for pattern work and slow crosscountry in his Sportstart.

Chuck · Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 16

Scott, you make me smile!

Anyone else have some experience or thoughts?

MikeM · Joined: 17 Nov 2007 Posts: 44 Location: Bucyrus, Ohio

Upside: It's a new airplane. Operating costs low. Modern instrument panel (flat glass if so equipped). Something like a Flight Design CTLS will appeal to private pilots, they might even prefer to fly it over a bigger Cessna. Older pilots with lapsed medicals will line up to fly it.

Downside: It's a new airplane and it's not inexpensive to buy. I don't know what insurance costs might be compared to other aircraft. Resale value is an unknown right now.

I'm no expert, these are just my opinions. I'm sure other folks can add more to the discussion. All I know is that if a local flying club had a light sport available I would give serious thought to joining.

Chuck · Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 16

Mike, your last statement says a lot. We currently have 87 members and need 9 more to have a full membership. Do you think a LSA would bring in the younger pilots and keep some of those more mature pilots?

MikeM · Joined: 17 Nov 2007 Posts: 44 Location: Bucyrus, Ohio

I can only speak from my own perspective and from the things that I have seen while doing my training, but it seems that there is a real interest in LSAs. I was motivated to pursue my Light Sport license because there was a local flight school offering rentals in LSAs after I got my ticket. I know one person who dropped out of a casual partnership on a Cessna 172 and now does his flying in a rented LSA. He is working towards his commercial and will eventually buy his own airplane, but found it cheaper to rent in the mean time.

I have seen older pilots who have allowed their medical to lapse stop in the flight school and inquire about getting checked out in the Flight Design CT that they are instructing in. Right now the flight school has 6-8 students in various stages of their training and only one has plans to buy a LSA when he gets his license. The rest will probably rent an airplane, and many will work towards their private ticket.

New LSA are too expensive for many pilots or aspiring flyers. I would think that membership in a flying club that has an LSA would give many of them the chance to have an airplane available to them. I don't know the business end of having a LSA in a flying club, although the LSA that my local flight school has is renting for $80 an hour. Just my two cents.

Hi Brian!

Chuck · Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 16

Mike, I appreciate your 2 cents.

Anyone else with 2 cents out there?

CTflyer · Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 12:06 pm Post subject:

Not sure if this is what you're asking, but I would have joined a flying club in a New York minute if it had a renter LSA. Unfortunately, my local club said they couldn't afford the insurance for an LSA, and even if they could, they'd only let full PPL pilots with 100+ hours fly it. Talk about a Catch 22!

So two answers: yes - the idea of an LSA made joining a club very appealing to me. And also no - the club said it couldn't afford the insurance unless only experienced PPL pilots were allowed to fly it.

Tom

Chuck · Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 16

Tom, it sounds like insurance for a club's LSA may be a key.

Does anyone have experience with insuring a LSA for a flying club's use?

Chuck