Keep flying in spite of the economy !

This is a notice to determine if there is interests in a no-frills,
super-frugal club, based on 1/10 ownership of a classic 1950's VFR
Cessna 172 in the northern Los Angeles metro area. We are considering
forming a club around this aircraft, and we want to see what the level
of interest is.

The big idea is to make it LESS expensive than other clubs or
expensive airplane fractional ownership schemes. We are shooting for a
$3995 buy-in which includes club membership entry fee AND a 1/10
ownership in the aircraft. There would be a low monthly fee, maybe
$50, that would cover normal annuals, tiedown, and insurance. There
would hopefully be a zero or very very low ($5) hourly charge. Non-
routine maintenance, overhaul, upgrades, etc. would be voted on and
assessed only if/when needed. The older 172's with manual flaps and
simple basic electronics are pretty low maintenance.

The club would be limited to ten members. Students would be WELCOME,
the insurance will be set up to allow student pilots to use the
airplane for lessons! You can save a FORTUNE on training costs this
way!

Compared to renting a more modern 172 at the local FBO, our basic
calculations indicate that for a three year period, flying 100 hours a
year (300 total), you could cut your flying costs in HALF, even if you
keep your membership. If you sell your membership after three years,
your cost of putting those 300 hours in your logbooks is ONE THIRD of
what you would h ave paid as a renter. That includes an engine
overhaul or replacement somewhere n that three years.

The only "downside" is that this is a basic VFR fun / $100 hamburger /
keep current airplane. No G-1000 big-screen TV, no autopilot, no
instrument work. This will be for people to fly inexpensively, not
watch $100K worth of gadgets and blinking lights. Your $300 used
handheld GPS will get you to the hamburger just as precisely as the
big gadgets will. You want gadgets... go spend half a million on a
Cirrus!

Local pilots please contact me at victorbravo at sbcglobal {dot}}
net and let me know if this would interest you or if/why it would
not.