PROFICIENCY & EFFICIENCY 78 OWNERSHIP 84 TECHNIQUE 87 EFFICIENCY 358 90 NEVER AGAIN The number of flying clubs in the AOPA Flying Club Network (www.aopa.org/flyingclubs). AOPA’S FLYING CLUB NETWORK is designed to provide information-sharing resources and to support clubs throughout the country. The network’s vision is to expand the flying club community. If your club is not yet listed in the AOPA Flying Club Finder database or a part of the network, contact us at flyingclubnetwork@aopa.org. | OWNERSHIP | You are not alone Fractional ownership offers many options BY JIM MOORE BUYING PISTON AIRCRAFT by the slice remains a boutique option available in a limited number of locations, although that may change with new players jumping into the market. Some are downright evangelical about leveraging the buying power of many pilots to refresh an aging general aviation fleet with brand-new aircraft, or expanding—dramatically—access to aircraft at the lowest possible cost. So far, however, it has been tough sledding. Managed ownership of piston aircraft—partnership with a (paid) middleman—dates back a little more than a decade. Although these middlemen report growth—and renewed consumer interest as the economy recovers—the numbers remain small: fewer than 80 piston aircraft in the country are managed by half a dozen companies established so far to NEIL WEBB 78 | AOPA PILOT August 2013http://www.aopa.org/flyingclubs