Simple, transparent pricing.
Most clubs make you email to find out what flying costs. Here is everything, current as of September 2026.
| Item | Amount | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly rate | $128 / tach hr | Wet. Fuel and oil included. Billed on engine (tach) time. See below for why that matters. |
| Monthly dues | $192 / month | The club’s fixed costs: tie-down at Whiteman, hull and liability insurance, annual inspection, and maintenance reserves. Dues are set by a vote of the owners and cannot be changed by the Board alone. |
| Buy-in | $5,000 | Purchases one share of Skycombers Flying Club, Inc., subject to Board acceptance. When you leave, you may sell your share to an approved incoming member on terms you agree between you (a $250 transfer fee applies). |
| Minimum flying | None | No monthly minimum hours. Fly as much or as little as you like; dues are the only fixed cost. |
| Overnight and trips | No daily minimum | Take the airplane for a weekend or a week and pay only for the hours you fly. Trips over 14 consecutive days need an officer’s sign-off. |
Why “$128 per tach hour” is cheaper than it sounds.
Most rental fleets bill on the Hobbs meter, which runs any time the engine is turning: taxi, run-up, waiting at the hold-short line, idling on the ramp. The tach meter only counts full time when the engine is at cruise RPM. At low power it runs slow.
On a typical local flight, tach time comes in roughly 20 to 25 percent lower than Hobbs time. So an hour on the Hobbs meter is usually about 0.75 to 0.8 on the tach.
That means our $128 tach rate works out to roughly $100 per Hobbs hour, which is the number to use when you compare us with a rental fleet or another club that bills on Hobbs.
Actual tach-to-Hobbs ratio varies with the flight. Long cruise legs narrow the gap; pattern work and busy taxi widen it. Figures are estimates for comparison only.
Every minute the engine runs is billed, including 10 to 15 minutes of taxi and run-up.
You pay for flying, not for sitting at the hold-short line.
Effective all-in cost drops the more you fly. At 5 hours a month, dues add about $38 per tach hour.
Who can join
Certificate
Private pilot certificate or higher with a current medical. Skycombers is not a training club and does not accept student pilots. Instrument-rated members fly IFR after checkout.
Checkout
A familiarization review with the club’s Chief Pilot, then a check ride with a club-approved CFI covering the constant-speed prop and the GTN 650 / GI-275 panel. The check ride is required by the club’s insurer.
Insurance
The club carries hull, property damage, and liability coverage that protects the corporation and its members. Members are encouraged, but not required, to add personal coverage.