AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2019 - 82

One offered a Citabria. "I wanted to fly and off-roading in Jeeps-have drawn a club had its first members. A couple weeks
something a little more interesting than a dozen airplanes, and 26 people. "It's far later it owned a Cessna 150, and a Cessna
Cessna," he said. He and one of his aero- exceeded what I ever expected," he said.
172 soon followed. A Piper Cherokee 180
batic students, Bryan Jones, each bought a
later joined the fleet.
Great Lakes Sport Trainer and leased them SMALLER CLUB
Social (nonflying) members are importo the club. "Most of the guys who fly with The Clearview Flying Club couldn't be tant to have, Tegeler said. "That brings a lot
us are pursuing competition, but some just more different than Plus One Flyers, of interest; they bring their friends along."
want to do loops and rolls," Miko said. "It although its 35 flying members share the In addition to monthly meetings with food
became a little club within a club.
same passion for flight. Members meet and guest speakers, the club hosts movie
"The club makes [airnights during the sumcraft] ownership possible
mer and a fly-in picnic the
for some people," he said.
Saturday after Labor Day.
"I have no business owning
A poker run is popular,
an airplane, but I own two
and informal fly-outs are
because of the club."
common.
A member since 1990,
AOPA's flying club
Syd Logan of Carlsbad,
resources were invaluable,
California, alternates
he said. "We had no clues
-Walt Tegeler, Clearview Flying Club president
between a Piper Cadet,
legally how to do it." And
an Arrow, and others. "I
Clearview is already givcouldn't do this as a private
ing back; Dave Berry, the
owner," he said. "The variety of aircraft for monthly at 1,840-foot-long Clearview club's secretary, is working with a newer
the mission is nice. There have always been Airpark in Westminster, Maryland. Walt club nearby on joint events.
enough aircraft here, and enough types of Tegeler, president of the three-year-old
Jason Ashbaugh of Woodstock,
aircraft. This is a great environment for club, pushes his Aviat Husky out of his han- Maryland, completed his private pilot cerexploration."
gar to make room.
tificate at the club a year and a half ago. Ten
The social aspect is critical to John
Why would a pilot who already owns years earlier, he'd logged 10 hours of trainScott of San Diego, a two-plus-year mem- two airplanes want to start a flying club? ing at another airport. "I couldn't afford
ber who heard about Plus One before "I realized I was the youngest pilot at it," he said. "I love the club. The planes are
moving from a smaller flying club in Clearview Airport-and a lot of them ours. You get that sense of ownership." He
Florida. "I know from my personal expe- weren't flying," he said. Tegeler, then 57, also knows they're well maintained.
rience that if I didn't have friends who spent more than an hour at Sun 'n Fun
John Orzechowski of Frederick,
flew, I wouldn't have reasons to fly," he 2016 talking with AOPA President Mark Maryland, completed a private pilot
said. Scott started a Facebook group Baker, who emphasized the benefits of a ground school and took a demonstration
for Plus One that has 500 members. He club. "I got back and said, 'I've got to get a flight while visiting Clearview. "They had
coordinates a monthly happy hour at a club started.'"
an opening, so I joined," he said. After sevrestaurant on the field, and unofficial
Two months later, with the permission eral cross-countries to New Jersey and
fly-outs-for whitewater rafting, hiking, of the privately-owned airport's owner, the other destinations, he plans to start on

"In three years, we've got three
airplanes. We own them outright
and we've got money in the bank."

82 | AOPA PILOT June 2019

AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2019

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