Michael wrote:

[...]
Now we're getting somewhere. Yes, that's the sort of thing I'm talking
about. Some other club examples (all real):
Maximum crosswind limit 10 kts - google for this one, it was discussed
here.
No formation flying in club airplanes.
No aerobatics in club planes. Even the aerobatic ones. Not unless the
designated aerobatic instructor approves. And there is no designated
aerobatic instructor, and hasn't been in years.
No night flying without an instrument rating. No flights more than 200
miles from home without an instrument rating.
You get the idea. It's not that FBO's don't ever have such rules -
some do - but it's a lot cheaper (and often politically easier) to be
checked out at several FBO's and just choose the ones with rules that
work for your flight than it is to be a member of several clubs.

But these are just the explicit rules.

Okay. I'll defer to your experience that these exist, but I have to say
that they don't in the (small set of) clubs of which I'm aware.

The only rule of that sort in our club is a limit on XCs to 300 miles for
members in their first months (one month? three? I don't recall).

On the other hand, FBOs with which I've experience, make certain airports
off limits (ie. LDJ), prevent grass field operations, etc.

Not so the club safety committee.

True, but I've never heard of this abused. And there are rules which govern
the operation of at least our safety committee...no such limits exist on
what an FBO may do to your ability to fly their planes.

Paul made a statement - that the rules will only be enforced against
you in the worst possible way if you're a complete dick. Just remember
- YOU don't get to decide if you're a complete dick. Someone else
does. Someone who may not like you.

There are rules which govern how rules may be used against one too. We'd a
case where one particular person - with the best of intentions, as it
happens - exceeded his authority. The person against whom the authority
was used complained properly, and the situation was fixed.

There's no question that a club - or even a partnership - will have more
structure than owning one's own. But there are some advantages to the club
beyond the financial.

My favorite is diversity of aircraft. My ideal club will have something
like Super Decathalons and Cessna 206s or Cherokee 6s or such. One for
fun; one to pack up the family and go.

There also risk management; you can still fly if some planes are down for
maintenance. That's tough to do if there's only one plane.

And of course there's the load-sharing involved combined with the
educational experience of maintaining and managing planes with people that
have been doing it longer.

Still, I agree with your statement about knowing the rules.

- Andrew