Alameda Aero Club
Rules and Regulations

A. Member Status, Checkouts & Proficiency, Students

1. Admission to the Alameda Aero Club (Club) requires payment of a one hundred dollar ($100.00) refundable deposit, plus the first month’s dues, for a total of $130.00.
2. Only active members may fly Club aircraft (A/C). Dues for active members are $30.00 per calendar month. Dues for inactive members are $10.00 per calendar month. A member may change status from/to inactive one time during any 12-month period.
3. A member may resign at any time by notifying the Club Membership Officer. Funds remaining in the $100.00 deposit after all accounts (including gate badge return) have been settled will be refunded to the Member.
4. All members must be checked out and approved for solo flight by an instructor designated by the Club’s Board of Directors (BOD) before soloing any Club A/C. A prospective member may fly with a Club instructor prior to joining the Club, but the prospective member must actually join the Club (that is, have paperwork/money submitted and gain the approval of the BOD) prior to solo flights in Club A/C. Any flight instruction given in Club A/C must, without exception, be provided by an approved Club instructor. Aircraft checkouts will be in accordance with Club insurance requirements. These may be found at the Club website, alameda-aero.com.
5. If a member has not logged flight time within 90 days in the same category and class of A/C (e.g., SEL), the member must perform a check ride with a Club instructor prior to flying any Club A/C. Failure to comply may result in the suspension of flight privileges.
6. Student pilots will require two stage checks, at intervals to be determined by the student’s instructor. Flight plans must be filed with the FAA for all student solo cross-country flights in excess of fifty nautical miles. Student pilots shall not fly Club aircraft solo when surface winds are gusting above 15 knots and/or the crosswind component exceeds 10 knots, nor fly outside the local traffic pattern when weather conditions are less than 3000 feet ceiling/5 statute miles visibility, without the approval of the student’s instructor.

B. Scheduling, Flight and Operating Rules

1. Aircraft may be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis through the Club’s web-based scheduler, at AircraftClubs.com. (A comment that describes the flight – such as “VFR local” or IFR MRY” is required.) Since A/C may be unexpectantly ‘downed’ for maintenance/safety reasons, the Club regrets that it cannot guarantee any reservations.
2. A member may make up to five (5) advance reservations. Back-up reservations are allowed, and will be honored in the order in which they were placed. Failure to appear one-half hour after the reserved time will result in the cancellation of the reservation. Members who cancel a reservation on short notice (e.g., for weather or other extenuating circumstance) are expected to notify other Club members that the A/C is available.
3. Members of the Club shall comply with all Federal Aviation Regulations, as well as State, Airport and Club rules while operating Club A/C. Violations of these regulations/rules may result in a determination by 2/3 of the BOD that the member be suspended or expelled from the Club. (The member may appeal such determination to the general membership: it may be reversed or upheld by a simple majority of the members present at a meeting called by the BOD for such a purpose. The vote shall be by written, secret ballot.)
4. Members must perform a thorough pre-flight inspection (to include a visual determination of the fuel quantity, and verification that the Airworthiness and Registration certificates, appropriate Weight & Balance information, and Operating Manual(s) are in the aircraft) prior to commencing flight. Any damage or discrepancies discovered by the member will be assumed to be the responsibility of the last user unless it has been reported previously in the Squawk Log. Members will be held responsible for any negligent act (e.g., Master Switch left on) that causes unnecessary loss of revenue. If a condition is discovered which may affect the airworthiness of the A/C, it shall not be flown until cleared by a Club-approved maintenance mechanic (i.e., A&P). No member, except a licensed maintenance mechanic, may perform any maintenance on Club Aircraft (other than pre-flight inspections) without authorization from the Club Maintenance Officer. Members may not hand prop Club A/C.
5. All aircraft operating limitations must be observed. Aerobatic maneuvers, except those that are permissible when the aircraft is operated in the Utility category, are prohibited.
6. Smoking is prohibited in all Club aircraft. 
7. Except in emergencies, Club A/C shall be taken off from and landed on airfields listed in the Airport/Facility Directory. Pilots may land at private airfields provided advance approval is obtained from the airport owner/manager. Any member with less than one hundred (100) hours flying time who lands on an unapproved field must call the Club President, Chief Pilot, or Maintenance Officer before attempting to take off alone. That member may also elect to remain with the A/C until a better qualified pilot arrives.
8. Members are responsible for returning Club A/C to the Oakland airport. A member who cannot return the A/C as scheduled must contact the Club President, Chief Pilot, or the aircraft’s Plane Captain. Two-way communication must be established; messages left on answering devices are insufficient. If the issue is (a) mechanical and can be repaired within 24 hours, or (b) weather-related and improvement is forecast within 24 hours, the member shall be responsible for returning the aircraft to Oakland. If the member opts to abandon the A/C, all expenses incurred by the Club in returning it to Oakland shall be borne by that member.
9. Any member who takes an A/C for 24 hours or longer shall pay a minimum of two (2) hours flight time per 24-hour period. There shall be no minimum charge for the first 24 hours, or for periods less than 24 hours. (For example: If you take an A/C at 0900 Tuesday and return it at or before 0900 Thursday, you will be charged a minimum of two (2) hours or total flight time, whichever is greater. If you return after 0900 on Thursday you will be charged four (4) hours or total flight time, whichever is greater.)
10.  Aircraft must be refueled if the total flight time since last refueling exceeds two (2) hours tachometer time. Refueling at other airports is encouraged when the price is significantly less than at Oakland. Should the member elect not to refuel when the tach exceeds two (2) hours since last refuel, the member must add two tenths (0.2) of an hour, and use that figure as the next member’s starting tach. Note: Piper N8312H must be filled to the tabs after each flight.
11.  After shutdown the A/C must be tidied up (waste materials and charts, etc. removed, seat belts and shoulder harnesses dressed, sunscreens in place), de-energized (Master and Avionics Master switches Off), properly tied down (with control lock and chocks in place, pitot covered, propeller in a horizontal position), and doors locked. Members are reminded to use the tow bar for ground handling.

Revision Effective 19 Nov 2009

 

Notes:

1. This revision to the Club’s Rules and Regulations eliminates some redundancies in the previous edition, consolidates elements in a more logical manner, and incorporates changes made over the last year by your Board of Directors.
2. Here’s a summary of the changes:

- A.1. The $70.00 refundable deposit has been increased to $100.00. “…for a total of $130.00.” was added for clarification.
- A.3. President and Vice President have been eliminated, since they do not process resignations. Members must now notify the Membership Officer (who is also responsible for gate badges) when they resign. This should improve financial accountability and eliminate confusion. “Funds remaining…” was added for clarification.
- A.5. “logged flight time” replaces “flown”. Note that there is no requirement that it be accomplished in a Club A/C. This documentation requirement is primarily for insurance purposes. Additionally, “under pain of expulsion” has been modified to “may result in the suspension of flight privileges.”  
- B.2. The first sentence is new. The number has been increased from three reservations because we now have three aircraft available. The last sentence is new; it simply codifies a practice that most members have been doing for a while.   
- B.4. To clarify: “…any negligent act that causes unnecessary loss of revenue.” means that if a member does something negligent that causes the aircraft to be ‘downed’, that member will be responsible for reimbursing the Club for any expenses incurred in bringing the aircraft back to the ‘up’ condition. For example, if you run the battery down to doornail-dead (that is, it can’t be recharged) because you left the Master Switch on, you’re liable for the costs (including labor) of replacing the battery. If the A/C sits idle for a day while the battery is being replaced, the member is not responsible for the hours that could have been flown if the A/C had remained in the ‘up’ condition. The last sentence (regarding hand propping) is new.
- B.8. “Club President, Chief Pilot or Plane Captain” replaces “a Club Director”, because these are the folks most likely to resolve the problem.
- B.9. is unchanged. However, the new flight slips now have a date and time entry.
- B. 10. has been revised to allow for two hours since last refueling (on the Cessnas).