Cloud One Flying Club

Frequently Asked Questions

Updated: 11/27/06

 

Q:        What year are the airplanes?

A:       The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is a 1976 and it has around 5,680TT with 300 SMOH. The club has owned it since new (it had 100 demo hours or so on it).  The Piper Arrow 180 is a 1968 and has 3729 TT with 800 SMOH. 

 

Q:        Where are the airplanes kept?

A:       Both airplanes are tied-down at Hanger 6B on the west side of Downtown Airport.

 

Q:        How much are the monthly dues?

A:       $100. This includes Club and pilot insurance, scheduled maintenance, tie downs, monthly expenditures, and most other aircraft expenditures. 

 

Q:        What are the hourly rates and how is that charged?

A:       The hourly rates are based on Tach time, not Hobbs time.  $45 per hour for the Arrow (dry) and $35 per hour for the Cessna (dry).

          Click here for Hobbs vs. Tach Time comparisons

 

Q:        How many club members are there?

A:       Our State Charter only allows 18 members/owners.

 

Q:        Can my family or friends learn to fly in the Clubs Aircraft?

A:       Our Insurance and Corporate Charter state that only owners can fly the aircraft. However, there are a limited number of family memberships available. If you qualify as a family membership, your spouse and your dependants can fly the aircraft. Friends, in-laws, cousins, etc. will not be allowed to fly the aircraft. Email us for more information.

 

Q:        Can a student pilot join cloud one?

A:       Yes! Student pilots can fly the Cessna until they earn their rating and have enough total time to qualify for insurance in the Arrow

 

Q:        The Arrow is a “complex” aircraft…what are the pilot experience qualifications to fly it.

A:       The insurance requirements in summary are as follows;

1.        A member of the flying club.

2.        A Private, Commercial, or Airline Transport Pilot certificate.

3.        Satisfy the FAA's flight review requirements.

4.        Receive a check-out from and written approval of a CFI in the same make and model.

5.        At least 100 hours of total logged flight time as Pilot in Command any aircraft.

6.        At least ONE of the following in the same make and model as the ARROW: NOTE the CFI MUST BE APPROVED BY CLOUD ONE.

A.        10 hours dual with CFI if member has less than 50 logged time in

    retractable gear aircraft.

B.        5 hours dual with CFI if member has 50 or more hours logged in

    retractable gear aircraft, or

C.        1 hour with CFI if member has 500 or more hours total logged time and 100 or more hours in retractable gear aircraft.

7.        At least 3 hours logged pilot time in the same make and model in the preceding 180 days, or has taken and passed a checkout in the insured

aircraft by a CFI in the preceding 45 days. Click here for more information

and official insurance certificate. 

 

Q:        How do you schedule the airplanes?

A:       We have a custom-developed scheduling software written by one of our club members. You may schedule online from anywhere in the world.  The rules are simple; you can only schedule two flights at one time. Only one of the flights can be longer than 3 hours and limited to less than 9 days. Only one of the regular flights can be scheduled for the weekend. (In other words, you can’t schedule every Saturday in the summer in advance) The exception that you can take an airplane for up to two weeks total time one time a year or split the two weeks two times under the “priority rule”. However, we are flexible and have been known to bend the rules slightly to allow members to pursue a new rating more efficiently. Cloud One Schedule. 

 

Q:        Can I schedule the airplanes for business?

A:       Yes. Business travel is allowed but the club scheduling rules favor vacations, training and casual type flying. Business travel is generally kept to a minimum among members.

 

Q:        Are there minimum time flown requirements when you take the plane?

A:       No, you can take the plane for a week, fly it to Lawrence, fly it back at the end of the week and only pay the 1.5 you will have put on the Tach (and of course, your fuel).

 

Q:        How much is the initial investment? How do I join?

A:       Memberships are bought and sold freely. There are no transfer administration or transfer fees. Memberships are most often sold for price based on an eighteenth share of the current total Club’s assets. Currently the share value is $7,820. Now, and then some might negotiate higher or lower sales prices depending on the demand for memberships. Airplanes appreciate quite nicely, so your membership will likely be worth more and more as time passes. Click here for our current Corporate Valuation.

 

Q:        How is the club managed

A:        We elect officers just like any organization.  We have President, Treasurer, Secretary, Maintenance Manager, and the like.  It is a non-profit corporation. We have bi-monthly meetings held usually at MKC unless one of the members invites the club to his place of residence for a meeting. We strongly encourage all members to be actively involved in the organization, and operation of the club.

 

Q:        Does the club have a CFI?

A:        Yes, currently we have one member who is a CFI, two additional approved CFI’s and one of them is a CFII (instrument instructor).

 

Q:        Are the planes well maintained?

A:        At Cloud One, the first and foremost focus is on safety.  We make sure we have complied with all applicable AD’s and SB’s and we do engine overhauls when they are recommended.  Even small maintenance items are taken care of quickly. As an additional safety measure, the aircraft receive 100 inspections in addition to the annual.  Although we do care for the planes and they are clean, cosmetics have never been a strong focus in the past until recently. The Cessna is being painted and new interior installed with many other improvements made including new glass and refurbished avionics. The Arrow has already received some new glass and will most likely get a new avionics upgrade to compliment the Garmin 430 as well as paint and interior. The club has temporarily placed an upgrade fee of $50 per member per month to expedite these valued upgrades.

 

 Q:       I am interested in becoming a Club Owner/Member, who do I contact?

 A:       Contact Wayne Miller. Please remember that we are working stiffs,

sometimes response is slow. waynemiller@kc.rr.com genek@everestkc.net or 816 803-8735 cell.