What is the perfect flying club aircraft?

[Adam Oke]

I fun little topic came up at the airfield.

What is the perfect flying club aircraft that will cater to novice and pro flyers for a grass roots, real , flying club? The club has a 172 and a J3 currently. The conversation started with someone pointing at the J3 and stating "that should have been the club plane from the beginning, it's just pure fun!". I tend to agree, but the J3 certainly has it's limitations.

One spoke out and pointed over at a 160HP Cherokee and said "that should be our next club plane!". Which got me thinking. What is the perfect club airplane? I read some old minutes and comments and discussions came up regarding a Citabria for aerobatics.

Citab? Cherokee 6? Super Cub? I have a soft spot for C180's and straight tail C150 tail draggers....well any tail dragger for that matter.

[spruceair]

I flew a citabria when I was time-building for my CPL and it is still one of my favourites to fly.

[photofly]

Do you have hangarage?

[Adam Oke]

This is purely for conversation, but yes, everything sits in a non heated hanger.

[Cat Driver]

Beech 18.

[Adam Oke]

Beech 18.

I could only wish.

[JasonE]

Beech 18.

I could only wish.

There just happens to be a really nice one privately owned at the field! Maybe one day I'll get a ride in it.

You could probably survey the members of 20 clubs and get 10 different answers depending on the membership. I think the J3 is perfect as a club aircraft. Not many people would want to own one as their primary aircraft, but you have the opportunity to rent & enjoy it! It's a good training aircraft to learn tailwheel. It's slow, under powered with a longer take off roll (good practice on the rudder holding it straight in the air!)

Every club needs an everyday aircraft (172 or Cherokee) for the members that do not own their own. I prefer the Cherokee myself, but my opinion is biased

3rd choice would be something you normally can't rent - either aerobatic or larger/faster for long haul flying. I have reservations about sharing aerobatic planes. You really have to trust the other people flying it, for a club I'd install a non re-settable G-meter to monitor the members! I'd really like access to something faster for cross country at a reasonable price. No where to rent anything faster around here than a 172 (unless you want a twin....) Cherokee 6/Commanche/182/185/etc would be nice. But then you have the issue of keeping members current in a more complex machine.

There is no ultimate win. All airplanes are compromise!

[Cat Driver]

It is pretty hard to beat a J3 for a club airplane.

The two best airplanes ever built have a 3 in their name.

J 3

DC3

[JasonE]

I've flown the J3, maybe one day I'll be lucky enough to fly a DC3.

J3 is my favorite go hang out and fly for an hour or 2 at the airport. It's a different pace of flight, and very enjoyable.

[boogs82]

Love the 177.

[Cat Driver]

I've flown the J3, maybe one day I'll be lucky enough to fly a DC3.

It is a dream to fly, well worth paying for at least an hour of flying it.

If you do make sure you spend some time sitting in the pilots seat getting used to how high it is off the ground.

Once you get used to the difference in height it fly's just like the J3.

I was fortunate enough to get over five thousand hours on them.

The last one I flew was " Fi Fi Kate " one of the DC3's used in the TV series " Band of Brothers " which I was stand by pilot for.

Somewhere in my stuff I have some pictures taken during the filming of the series.

[JasonE]

I'd gladly pay for an hour of DC3 time (just don't tell my wife!) It's the only motivation to do my multi rating. They seem to be harder to rent these days!

[linecrew]

The last one I flew was " Fi Fi Kate " one of the DC3's used in the TV series " Band of Brothers " which I was stand by pilot for.

Somewhere in my stuff I have some pictures taken during the filming of the series.

Ugh, poor Fifi Kate is no more: https://aviation-safety.net/database/re ... 20140508-1

[Broken Slinky]

Guess it all depends on the club's members. If they're mostly into training new pilots, my vote would be the 172. Lots of them around so there's lots of parts. High wing so less prone to wing damage hitting snowbanks, lights, cones, etc... Aluminum frame so not as sensitive to the elements as their fiberglass, cloth or wood counterparts. They make great training aircraft and are quite forgiving. Now that vote goes right out the window if club's flying profile is different.

[Illya Kuryakin]

Okay, a club. You want something everyone can fly. Something FUN and not wild to insure. Tail wheel? Has to be a Citabria. I'd go with the 115 hp flapless version. No flaps (unless for floats) cheap to run. Personally, I find the 172 (although idiot proof) BORING AF. Grumman Cheetah? 160 hp, fixed pitch, fixed gear, great visibility. Trick with a flying club (for me at least) keep it doable.
Illya

[cgzro]

I'd suggest a plane that is tail wheel, can be put on floats or skis. This gives you a lot of interesting things to do with it.
The J3 Cub/Scout/Champ etc. sort of all fit. If its finished in an epoxy finish and very well rust proofed it could sit outside.
I also thought the 152 Aerobat with the Texas Tail dragger conversion would be pretty cheap fun. Skis, floats, tail wheel and/or aerobatic. Thats a lot of fun for a plane you can park outside and easily get parts for.

[RatherBeFlying]

The Cheetah and Tiger are great planes and more fun than the 172, but landing them on the nosewheel is a writeoff. Parts are getting harder to find.

[Cat Driver]

Why would anyone land one on the nose wheel????

I had a Cheetah in my school and the people just loved the thing.

I bought it with just over two hundred hours on it and its registration was C GRMN.

[photofly]

Yeah, um, how about just not landing them on the nose wheel?

Just a thought.

[Adam Oke]

Yeah, um, how about just not landing them on the nose wheel?

Just a thought.

Just remove the nose wheel...solves all problems!

[Illya Kuryakin]

Yeah, um, how about just not landing them on the nose wheel?

Just a thought.

Just remove the nose wheel...solves all problems!

Except that the insurance companies are on to it.
Illya

[Adam Oke]

I'd suggest a plane that is tail wheel, can be put on floats or skis. This gives you a lot of interesting things to do with it.
The J3 Cub/Scout/Champ etc. sort of all fit. If its finished in an epoxy finish and very well rust proofed it could sit outside.
I also thought the 152 Aerobat with the Texas Tail dragger conversion would be pretty cheap fun. Skis, floats, tail wheel and/or aerobatic. Thats a lot of fun for a plane you can park outside and easily get parts for.

I'd never thought of the 152 Aerobat with a Texas tail dragger conversion. That's a great idea for a fun sporty all around great club airplane.

[Old Dog Flying]

.: You know damned well that the Fleet Canuck is the best flying club a/c. Better than a Citabria and aerobatic to boot

Barney

[JasonE]

It sure would be nice to have a taildragger with more useful load than the cub! A friend of mine wanted a ride however between the 2 of us, we could only legally take 1 gallon of fuel! Needless to say we didn't get off the ground. Now there's motivation to loose weight.

[Old Dog Flying]

Weight is always a problem in a Cub. There once was a sports announcer from Detroit who would rent our Cub (on floats), then spend hours on the river trying to get it on the step. On a calm day with glassy water...forget it!

Barney