The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Foundation announced that Lake Missoula Flight Club is the 300th flying club formed as part of its Flying Clubs Initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The club, based at Missoula Montana Airport (KMSO), has 30 members and five airplanes: two Cessna 150s nicknamed \u201cDimples\u201d and \u201cSunshine,\u201d a Grumman AA-1C Lynx, a Piper Tri-Pacer, and a Cessna 182.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
AOPA Acting Co-President Katie Pribyl, along with AOPA\u2019s media and flying clubs teams, presented the club with a banner to honor the milestone on October 8.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a group of people who have put together their time, and their money, and their friendships to keep flying, and that is something really special,\u201d Pribyl said. \u201cPutting together a flying club is a ton of work, but the benefits are just as great.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA lot of the costs of owning an airplane are the same no matter how much you fly. The hangar, insurance, and the annual cost the same if you fly 20 hours a year or 200. A flying club spreads those costs across a group of people, so everybody pays just a fraction, and you still have access to a real airplane,\u201d Pribyl added. \u201cTo me, it\u2019s the most economical way you can own an airplane.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Local pilots said they\u2019d talked about starting a flying club for more than five years. Member Gus Turner\u2019s grandfather spoke highly of other clubs that used to operate in the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHaving a community presence in a flight club is very important,\u201d said Turner. \u201cOne of the questions we put on the application to join is \u2018Why do you want to join?\u2019 and most people answer with \u2018to be part of a flight community,\u2019 which is great.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n