Memberships

Equity
Monthly dues in Mentor Flyers are $200. $100 of this goes towards fixed costs including hangar rent, aircraft insurance, scheduling service and regular maintenance. $85 goes towards 1 hour of flying time. If the 1 hour of flying time is not used that month you lose it, it is not accumulated. The purpose of this is to try to keep everyone current in the aircraft. Flight Team Sponsorships keep our costs down. They provide engines, props, radios, parachutes, discounted maintenance, paint, tires, spark plugs and much more.

Starting January 1, 1993, there is an accounting of flying hours for the purpose of engine reserve. Each member's total time is accounted for. At the time of sale of that member's share or at engine overhaul; his number of hours from that date will be multiplied by $17.25. That amount will be assessed first. Any remaining balance will be equally divided among the 15 members.

Normal flying time is billed at $100 an hour wet. The only exception to this rule is if the person flying the aircraft prior to you does not clean the canopy and wings, then he pays for your first hour. "A good reason to make sure the aircraft is cleaned when you are finished with it"!

The current share price of the aircraft is $11,000. The value of the aircraft is somewhere in the area of $165,000 to $200,000. If you have not owned a warbird before $200K is a lot of capital to tie up. $11K on the other hand will buy you an "E" ticket in a T-34.

Non-Equity
USE OF CLUB AIRCRAFT BY NON-EQUITY MEMBERS:

1. Membership: A non-refundable membership fee of $300 is due at the time of non-equity membership application approval.
2. Checkout: Aircraft checkout with a Club approved instructor shall be the lesser of the flight time required by insurance or the Club instructor.
3. Block Hours: A non-equity member must pre-purchase a block of flight time equal to twenty (20) hours or the minimum checkout time required by insurance. If more flight hours are desired they will be billed at the non-equity member rate.
4. Hourly Rate: The non-equity member hourly rate will be 175% of the equity member hourly rate with no dues or assessments.
5. Scheduling Priority: Non-equity members will utilize the Club scheduling system but may be bumped up until (48) hours prior to schedule by an equity member. Effort should be given to resolve schedule conflicts as early as possible.
6. Flight Limitations: Non-equity member are restricted from overnight and cross-country flights unless approved in advance by a majority of the Club Board. An additional fee of  $100 will be billed for each day beginning at midnight of the first day of such a flight.
7. Commercial Use: Non-equity members are restricted from any commercial use of the Club aircraft.
8. Formation Flight: Not permitted unless accompanied by an approved Club member with a T-34 Association Wingman’s Patch.
9. Damage to Aircraft: Should the Club aircraft sustain damage by a non-equity member the member will be liable for the insurance deductible cost.
10. Duration: The duration of non-equity membership shall be one (1) calendar year (renewable by majority vote of the board). Membership termination and refund of any unused pre-paid block time shall require approval of a majority of the Club Board and will be based on the circumstances at the time of termination.

Yes this T-34 is one of the ten Lima Lima Flight Team aircraft. It spends about every other weekend during the summer at various airs shows throughout the country.

Currently Mentor Flyer's has 2 members on the team who can provide basic formation  training to new members who are interested in acquiring those skills. We use the T-34 Associations Formation Flying Manual as our syllabus supplemented with 4 hours of formation video tape.

Those who qualify for positions on the team will be included in air shows and fly bys. This is done on a seniority and "best qualified" pilot basis. Those who just want to fly a warbird in a low pressure situation (i.e. by themselves) are also encouraged to join.

To qualify for a Wingman or Leaders patch you must have a minimum of 500 hours.