OPERATING PROCEDURES
October 24, 2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 0. PURPOSE
SECTION 1. MEMBERSHIP COSTS
A. CLUB MEMBERSHIP
B. FLYING COSTS
C. MONTHLY DUES
D. PAYMENT OF ACCOUNTS
SECTION 2. ELIGIBILITY
SECTION 3. RESPONSIBILITY
SECTION 4. VIOLATIONS
SECTION 5. FLIGHT OPERATIONS
SECTION 6. CLUB-APPROVED INSTRUCTORS
SECTION 7. CHECK RIDES
A. CLUB CURRENCY REQUIREMENTS
B. CHECK RIDE FORMAT
C. CHECK RIDE REPORTING
SECTION 8. PINCH-HITTER TRAINING
SECTION 9. ACCIDENTS
SECTION 10. INSURANCE
SECTION 11. FLIGHT SCHEDULING
A. DEFINITIONS
B. SCHEDULING
C. DELAYS
SECTION 0. PURPOSE
The purpose of the Operating Procedures is to assure (1) the safe operation of Club aircraft, (2) fairness to all Club members in the use of Club aircraft and (3) consistency in Club operations.
SECTION 1. MEMBERSHIP COSTS
A. CLUB MEMBERSHIP
Membership costs consist of an initiation fee, a share deposit, flying costs, and monthly dues. One-half of the initiation fee, the share deposit, and first month's dues must accompany an applicant's filled-out and signed application form. If the application for membership is not accepted, all fees submitted shall be refunded.
The non-refundable initiation fee is determined by the Board of Directors and is based upon the financial position and objectives of the Club. Currently, the initiation fee is $300.00.
The share deposit is a fee that is refundable upon membership termination. It reflects the purchase of one share of ACE FLYING CLUB OF ENDICOTT, INC. stock. The share of stock is held for the member by the Secretary-Treasurer. The value of the share deposit is a fixed amount of $50.00.
B. FLYING COSTS
Flying charges are the actual costs for flying, maintaining and upgrading the aircraft. Those costs generally included are gasoline, oil, engine/airframe maintenance, and engine overhaul. Flying charges are based upon tachometer time and include fuel. The tachometer reading should be recorded prior to starting the engine and again upon termination of your flight. This data, as well as the difference between start and end, is to be recorded on the log sheet located in the aircraft. The cost per hour is posted on the tach sheet located in the aircraft. When reading the tach, round to the nearest tenth of an hour.
C. MONTHLY DUES
The fixed cost of operating the Club and the aircraft is totalled and divided among the members of the Club. These costs include postage and miscellaneous clerical items, annual inspection, aircraft insurance, hangar rental and loan payments (if any).
When there is more than one active member from a family (such as member and spouse, or member and dependent child), the second and subsequent active members receive a 20% discount on their active member dues.
D. PAYMENT OF ACCOUNTS
On the first of each month, each member's flying charges are accumulated and a billing is sent which includes flying charges and dues. Accounts are payable to the Secretary-Treasurer and must be received by the Secretary-Treasurer prior to the last day of the month. Checks should be made payable to ACE FLYING CLUB OF ENDICOTT, INC. Any member whose account is not paid in full by the end of the billing month shall be prohibited from flying the aircraft until his account is settled.
Any member who makes a qualifying purchase on the Club's behalf (e.g., fuel or oil at a remote airport) can turn in his receipt to the Secretary-Treasurer and ask for the amount of the receipt to be credited to his Club account. The Board of Directors has the final say over whether credit will be issued for such purchases.
SECTION 2. ELIGIBILITY
A. No person may act as pilot in command of a Club aircraft unless said person:
B. No member of the Club may act as pilot in command of a Club aircraft unless said member:
C. No person may operate a Club aircraft in flight or with intention to take flight unless:
D. No member of the Club may operate a Club aircraft in flight or with intention to take flight unless said member:
E. Exclusive of operations of Club aircraft in flight or with intention to take flight, no person may operate Club equipment unless said person:
SECTION 3. RESPONSIBILITY
It is the responsibility of any person using Club equipment to make a preflight inspection prior to each flight, to clean the interior of and service the aircraft at the end of the flight, to fill in the tachometer sheet accurately, to record any malfunctions on the tachometer log and report them to the Maintenance Officer, and to secure the aircraft. Further, it is the responsibility of each Club member or person operating Club equipment to adhere to the By-Laws and the Operating Procedures.
SECTION 4. VIOLATIONS
A. A violation of Operating Procedures, any Federal Aviation Regulation, or any act endangering life or property constitutes a violation and may result in flight suspension.
B. The Board of Directors acts upon violations and determines suspension and limits thereof.
SECTION 5. AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS
A. Operators of Club aircraft must comply with all Federal Aviation Regulations, safe flying practices, and state, local, airport and Club rules.
B. Club aircraft may be operated only from areas designated by the FAA as public or private airports, except in the case of emergency.
C. No flights shall be made to or from unlighted fields at night.
D. Club aircraft may be used for commercial purposes only if prior approval of the Board is obtained. If the members seeking approval is a Director, he is ineligible to vote.
E. No Club equipment may be operated unless a competent operator is at the controls.
F. If the engine is to be started when the outside temperature is 25 degrees F or lower, the engine must first have been thoroughly preheated, using the electric preheater and cowl blanket provided for said purpose. Persons using the aircraft in cold weather are to call the FBO in plenty of time for them to ensure that the preheater and blanket are installed and operating for at least six hours prior to a cold-weather start.
G. Unless prohibited by safety concerns, once the engine is started, it must be run until it has warmed to normal operating temperature.
H. When the aircraft is parked for the night, it should be hangared if possible, locked, chocked, tied down securely (unless hangared), and the control column gust lock installed or seat belt affixed to the control yoke.
I. An aircraft may not be flown if a discrepancy tag is affixed to the control yoke. Only the Maintenance Officer may remove a discrepancy tag or validate the airworthiness of the aircraft.
J. Any person, upon determining that an unsafe condition exists on an aircraft, may ground the plane by attaching a discrepancy tag and describing the condition on the tachometer log sheet. In addition to major malfunctions, all problems should be noted on the tachometer log sheet. The Maintenance Officer must be notified (e.g., by telephone) whenever a squawk is recorded on the tachometer log.
K. Any Club officer, having cause, may bar any person from operating Club equipment.
L. When finishing a flight, the pilot in command must:
REFUEL THE AIRPLANE**
INSERT THE GUST LOCK
INSTALL THE PITOT COVER
INSTALL THE PREHEAT EQUIPMENT (November through April only)
CHOCK THE WHEELS
TIE THE AIRPLANE DOWN
CLEAN THE INSIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT
FILL OUT THE TACHOMETER LOG
RECORD SQUAWKS ON THE TACHOMETER LOG
REPORT SQUAWKS TO THE MAINTENANCE OFFICER
LOCK THE AIRPLANE
** Effective October 1, 2007, Tri-Cities has only self-service fuel. As a courtesy to the next pilot, refuel the airplane when you are finished with it.
M. Whenever possible, please use the Club's fuel charge card -- kept in the tachometer log book -- for purchasing fuel, oil, or other items or services (such as offsite maintenance) that would normally constitute a Club-borne expense. Do not use the Club charge card for personal expenses, such as landing or tiedown fees. Put the Club's charge receipts in the tachometer log book.
SECTION 6. CLUB-APPROVED INSTRUCTORS
A. The Club maintains a list of Certificated Flight Instructors to whom the Board has granted permission to conduct instruction using Club aircraft. Said instructors, called "Club-approved instructors", are the only persons who may conduct instruction using Club aircraft.
B. To become Club-approved, an instructor must receive a By-Laws and Operating Procedures briefing from a Club Director. This briefing covers those aspects of the Club By-Laws and Operating Procedures the Board feels the instructor needs to know. The needed briefing is defined by the document "Ace Flying Club of Endicott, Inc. -- Briefing for Club-Approved CFIs", incorporated herein by reference.
C. To become Club-approved, an instructor must submit written affirmation that he or his flight school carries CFI insurance that covers him whenever he instructs our members in our airplane.
D. Once the briefing is complete and the insurance affirmation has been received, the Board of Directors votes on the CFI's request to become Club-approved. Club-approved status is conferred if and only if the vote is affirmative.
E. Whenever he conducts instruction in our airplane, the instructor's CFI insurance must be in effect, his CFI certificate must be current, and he must meet all requirements specified by Federal Aviation Regulations as if he were going to be pilot-in-command for the lesson. This includes currency for passenger carriage and currency for the lesson conditions (night, IMC, and so on).
F. A Club-approved instructor may provide instruction in Club aircraft to only an active member in good standing or a pinch-hitter candidate operating under an effective petition.
G. Club-approved status expires six months after the last time the CFI instructs in our airplane. To renew, a CFI must reaffirm his carriage of CFI insurance, he must receive a new club CFI briefing, and the Board must approve the renewal. It is the CFI's job to keep track of whether he needs to renew his approval status and to contact the Board whenever renewal is needed.
H. The Board may revoke Club-approved status at any time, for any reason. When it revokes Club-approved status, the Board must notify the CFI in writing.
SECTION 7. CHECK RIDES
Check rides assure that Club pilots maintain their proficiency and assure that each member is familiar with safe flying techniques. Check rides also assure that new pilots become familiar with Club-owned aircraft. Check rides may be given only by Club-approved flight instructors.
A. CLUB CURRENCY REQUIREMENTS
A member satisfies Club currency requirements for a Club aircraft if and only if he meets all of the requirements of this section using an aircraft of the same make and model as said Club aircraft:
B. CHECK RIDE FORMAT
Defined by "Ace Flying Club Check Sheet", copies to be found in the Club file, incorporated herein by reference.
C. CHECK RIDE REPORTING
A member who successfully completes a Club check ride with a Club-approved instructor must report said successful completion to the Secretary-Treasurer. To report the check ride, the Club-approved instructor who conducted the check ride must fill out the Club's checkout affirmation form and turn in the completed form to the Secretary-Treasurer. The form must be filed with the Secretary-Treasurer before the member next operates the airplane.
SECTION 8. PINCH HITTER TRAINING
Any active member in good standing may petition the Board of Directors to let a person of his choosing use Club aircraft for the purpose of obtaining "right seater" or "pinch hitter" training, provided the following requirements are met:
A. The sponsor must be an active member in good standing when he submits the petition.
B. The right seater must be at least 14 years old and must be able to speak, read, and write English.
C. An active member in good standing may submit petitions for up to two such persons in any 12-month period.
D. The petition must be in writing, signed by the sponsoring member, and must name the sponsoring member, the right seater who seeks the training, and the Club-approved instructor who will conduct the training. The petition must also include a written syllabus, provided by the Club-approved instructor, specifying the training he will provide and the schedule on which he will provide it.
E. By submitting the petition, the sponsoring member agrees to be responsible for the flying costs, insurance deductible, and any other Club obligations or costs associated with or incurred during the right seater's training, just as if the sponsoring member himself had incurred them.
F. The right seater and Club-approved instructor must agree to abide by all Club By-Laws, Operating Procedures, and Club insurance requirements. Written affirmation of same, signed by the right seater and the Club-approved instructor, must be included in the submitted petition.
G. The petition will be voted on by the Board of Directors. The Board will not approve an incomplete petition or a petition for a member who is not active or not in good standing.
H. After the Board of Directors approves the petition, and before the right-seater operates a Club aircraft, the Secretary-Treasurer must contact the Club's insurance company and ensure that the right-seater is named as an approved pilot on the Club's insurance policy for said aircraft.
I. The sponsor must be an active member in good standing whenever the right seater schedules or uses the aircraft. If the sponsor goes on leave of absence or falls out of good standing, the right seater loses all aircraft privileges, until the sponsor restores his status.
J. The right seater will record his tach time on the tachometer log, mentioning both his name and the name of the sponsoring member. Said tach time will be billed to the sponsoring member in the manner that tachometer time is usually billed and is payable in the same usual manner. For the sponsoring member's convenience, the bill will be itemized in such a way that flight hours attributable to each sponsored right seater can be readily determined.
K. The right seater may use Club aircraft only for the express purpose of obtaining the training named in the submitted syllabus. No other uses are permitted.
L. The Board of Directors can revoke the petition at any time, for any reason.
M. When training has ended or the Board revokes the petition, the right-seater loses all aircraft privileges. The Secretary-Treasurer must then contact the Club's insurance company and ensure that the right-seater is removed from each Club aircraft's list of approved pilots.
SECTION 9. ACCIDENTS
A. The pilot in command must notify a Director as soon as possible after an accident or Federal Aviation Regulation violation.
B. The pilot in command is responsible for filling out the necessary forms and reports with the FAA and NTSB if required.
C. When accidents occur which are not caused by either aircraft or engine malfunction, the Board will determine the magnitude of the cost to the member to a maximum of the insurance deductible amount. If an accident is the result of aircraft or engine malfunction, or is not pilot error, the Club may elect to pay the insurance deductible amount. Aircraft operation in violation of Club rules, Federal Aviation Regulations, or insurance exclusions may, in addition to endangering the pilot's Club membership, make him financially liable for all personal and property damage incurred by the accident.
D. In case an accident results in an aircraft being no longer airworthy, the pilot in command shall be prohibited from operating or acting as pilot in command of Club aircraft until released by the Maintenance Officer.
SECTION 10. INSURANCE
Insurance is an important aspect of Club operations and is a significant item in the Club expense budget. The Club maintains liability insurance, which covers bodily injury and property damage, and hull insurance, which covers damage to a Club aircraft. If the requirements of the insurance policy are not met, the insurance protection may not exist. An occurrence such as this could be very serious and could possibly threaten the future existence of the Club. Specific policy restrictions vary; the following are typical of an aircraft insurance policy. (For additional detail, a copy of the insurance policy in effect may be reviewed.)
a) Intentional misuse such as takeoff or landing at other than approved airports.
b) If the aircraft is flown outside of the continental U.S., exclusive of Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, or the Bahama Islands.
c) If the aircraft is flown by unauthorized individuals.
d) Operated when the airworthiness certificate is not in full force.
SECTION 11. FLIGHT SCHEDULING
A. DEFINITIONS
1) Reserved Time
Any time recorded in the aircraft reservation facility in advance of the time of an intended flight.
2) Non-Reserved Time
Any time not yet reserved at the time of an intended flight.
3) Extended Cross-Country Time
Any reserved time of more than 8 consecutive hours.
4) No-Show Time
That time which becomes available because the member having the reservation did not show up by the end of the prescribed waiting time.
5) Day of Flight
Starts at 12:00 AM and ends at 12:00 AM the following day.
B. SCHEDULING
Each active member in good standing, and each pinch-hitter trainee operating under an effective petition, is allowed to reserve flight time in advance of the intended flight.
The aircraft reservation facility is Internet-based. Reservations may be made via Internet, using a web browser. Reservations may also be made by telephone, by calling the reservation facility provider.
There is no maximum time that may be scheduled; however, good judgement and courtesy will determine the proper balance between aircraft utilization and fair time division.
As you will see in 1) below, you must take advantage of your scheduled time within 15 minutes or 1 hour of your indicated start time, or you may lose your schedule.
1) ALTERNATE
If the aircraft has been already scheduled, you may sign up and indicate alternate, such that should the scheduled reservation be canceled, or the scheduled pilot fail to show up, your reservation would be next priority. An alternate cannot claim time until:
a. An hour past a scheduled extended cross-country flight.
b. 15 minutes past a short-term scheduled flight.
2) CANCELLATIONS
Reserved time should be cancelled as soon as possible to allow others access to your scheduled time. Cancel by updating the aircraft reservation facility.
If an alternate is signed out for your time, you should attempt to contact that alternate such that he can be made aware that the scheduled time will be available.
C. DELAYS
In event that you are unable to return the aircraft to Tri-Cities Airport as per your schedule, the pilot in command should update the aircraft reservation facility and contact any members whose reservations are affected by the delay. If you need help contacting affected members, contact a Club Director. If you need assistance returning the aircraft to Tri-Cities Airport, contact a Club Director. There is a club roster in the tachometer log book.
SECTION 12. CHANGE HISTORY
August 1, 2004
Original edition.
August 31, 2004
Changed Section 11 to account for Internet-based scheduling.
February 22, 2005
Changed Section 1A to account for provisional membership.
March 20, 2006
Changed Section 1C to account for family discount plan for active member dues.
Changed Section 7C to account for changes in checkout reporting.
October 24, 2007
Changed Section 5L to account for Tri-Cities now having only self-service fuel.