From the Flight Deck

Flying clubs are a thing. They’re everywhere across the country, nearly 1,100 of them, according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (https://youcanfly.aopa.org/flying-clubs). In New England, 19 clubs thrive in Massachusetts, 18 in Connecticut, 17 in New Hampshire, 13 in Maine, and four each in Rhode Island and Vermont.

One of those thriving clubs flies from Massachusetts’ South Shore – the South Shore Flying Club.

The club formed in 1966 as a 501(c)(7) nonprofit organization – the designation for social clubs exempting it from federal income taxes.

South Shore Flying Club owns two single-prop planes – a 1999 Piper Archer III low wing and a 1976 Cessna 172 Skyhawk, a high-wing plane. The planes live in hangars at Marshfield Municipal Airport (KGHG), which is operated by Shoreline Aviation, Inc. (www.shorelineaviation.net)

The club’s Piper Archer leads its mate Cessna 172 Skyhawk in a flying formation. PHOTO/Karl Swenson

As the club’s website says, “They are meticulously maintained by Shoreline Aviation – any squawks are fixed immediately.” You can read much more on the site at www.southshoreflyingclub.com. You can also contact the club from the site to inquire about membership.

“The intended membership is about 24; that’s 12 fliers per plane,” Board of Directors member Karl Swenson said in a recent conversation. Currently, the club has 23 members. The club will accept standby, or social, members, who can become regular members when an opening crops up.

This is the Piper Archer’s cockpit. PHOTO/Scott Smith

Financing matters

“There is a long-term group that has been in the club for more than 10 years,” Karl said. “Some members would love to buy a plane, but expenses like raising a family and putting kids through college put it lower on the priority list. Being a member of a flying club provides greater flexibility and lower costs than plane rental or purchase.”

Club Director/Treasurer Steve Rusconi describes the financing. The club generates income from monthly membership dues to cover fixed costs such as hangar fees, tie downs, and insurance. Members are also assessed an hourly cost for flight time, which pays for fuel, oil, engine replacement reserves, and maintenance.

“We use an electronic scheduling system, so someone can check availability for a morning or a day, or even days for a trip,” Steve said. “For trips over three days, the Board votes whether to approve. Requests are rarely turned down.”

South Shore Flying Club directors Steve Rusconi, left, and Karl Swenson are avid pilots. PHOTO/Scott Smith

The initial membership buy-in costs $2,000. Monthly dues are $150. Flight time cost fluctuates, depending on fuel prices, and currently is $130 per hour. That includes gas, oil and variable costs. The planes burn about 10 gallons of fuel an hour; at current fuel prices, that’s a bit over half of the hourly cost. Often, members will fly together and share the cost, cutting that expense in half.

The Cessna 172 and Piper Archer fly similarly, Karl says, adding that the Piper lands easier in a cross wind. Cruising speed is about 110 knots (about 126 MPH). A tail wind can push it significantly higher. Both planes can safely glide if there were an engine failure, “a question we’re sometimes asked.”

The planes’ engines are replaced every 2,000 flying hours. The planes fly with what Karl calls “very reliable” Lycoming engines – a standard for smaller general aviation planes. A new engine costs about $40,000.

More than just flying

The club also features a popular social side, such as its annual meeting. Members conduct their meeting and then with their guests mingle, share stories, and enjoy a buffet dinner.

“The club would help with Shoreline’s regular Safety Day,” Steve said; that went on hiatus with Covid. “Kids would sit in the planes; there would be a movie night; we’d have barbecues. There would easily be 100 or more kids come to sit in a plane.”

Steve, a retired lawyer, developed a love of flying early. He told how his uncle, who was a Delta captain, gave him money for flying lessons, and that his parents would drive him to Mansfield to take them. He has been a member of South Shore Flying Club since 1990 and even considered becoming a commercial pilot.

Karl, also retired, was a power plant engineer and manager and started to fly in 2000, once his kids were out of high school. “I started flying 23 years ago out of Norwood,” he said. “My wife loves to fly, loves going places. This area has many coastal and nearby island attractions that we can easily fly to in less than an hour.”

Karl has been a club member since 2006.

Katama Airpark in Edgartown, on Martha’s Vineyard, is a popular club destination. PHOTO/Karl Swenson

Steve says his wife also loves flying. “My wife likes to go to places like Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.” Such as stopping in at Katama Airpark in Edgartown, next to the popular Katama Kitchen restaurant, where you can eat outdoors May through October and watch small planes come and go. Katama Airpark, near South Beach, is owned by Edgartown, same as Marshfield Municipal Airport is owned by the town of Marshfield and Nantucket Memorial Airport is owned by the town of Nantucket.

Check out the videos!

Karl is an avid photographer and videographer. He provided most of the photos for this story. He also created a YouTube page for his flight videos: https://www.youtube.com/@Archer4CA. You can view club members flying in formation down the Hudson River and around New York City, among his many videos, which include local flights from Marshfield.

South Shore Flying Club’s Piper Archer sails into the sunset. PHOTO/Karl Swenson

Club members have taken the aircraft to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Sun ‘n Fun in Florida, and the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum at Dulles International Airport in Washington, DC. Bar Harbor, Maine, is a popular destination.

Members will fly with each other, and they’ll also take friends on flights.

“It’s a fun way to introduce them to flying,” said Steve.

“It’s a great freedom,” Karl added.