Payable before First Flight

The benefit of being a member of a handful of flying clubs gives great access to aircrafts. But the trend of increasing annual fees for pilots is resulting in an extremely high cost of the season’s first flight.

I am member of two clubs at ENKJ (Oslo's GA airport), and the clubs at ENGM (Oslo's main airport, open 24h), ENTO (summer hang-out), ENOV (my home town), and Kilen (Oslo's Seaplane Base). I do fly 50-60 hours every year, but the increasing fee payable before first flight in most clubs makes me think twice about the season’s first take-off.

The result is probably fewer memberships for me, fewer hours sold and less revenue for the clubs, and more week-ends on the ground for family and friends.