Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Where are you located?
We are located at the Lebanon-Warren County Airport in Lebanon, Ohio. See the Contact page for a map and other details on contacting the club.
How do i join the Flying Neutrons?
Simply fill out this application, and someone from our membership committee will contact you with further information about our application process, which includes conversations with you and your references to learn more about your background, aviation intentions, and potential fit with the club. You will also need to attend a monthly club meeting to introduce yourself to our members and to take a tour of our facilities and aircraft.
Alternatively, if you would like to have a conversation with someone from the membership committee prior to submitting your application, please email us at [email protected] with your name, phone number, and pilot status (hours/ratings, etc.) so that we can have the right person contact you.
Alternatively, if you would like to have a conversation with someone from the membership committee prior to submitting your application, please email us at [email protected] with your name, phone number, and pilot status (hours/ratings, etc.) so that we can have the right person contact you.
Why should I join the Flying Neutrons?
We have the low cost way to fly
Our rates are better than you'll find elsewhere in the area for comparable aircraft. Our Operations rules support realistic use of the fleet. There are no trip minimums--you pay only the hours you fly. We measure tach time, not Hobbs time. This can provide an additional 5-15% savings, as tach times tend to run under Hobbs time. See more details on how you will save money by clicking here.
Be a part of a strong community of fellow pilots
We have Monthly club meetings for governance and operations. Semi-annual plane washes build camaraderie and keeps our planes looking great. We have an annual banquet with informative and interesting aviation speakers. And you can almost always find someone just hanging around the clubhouse on a nice afternoon.
Insurance coverage is provided for members
The Flying Neutrons is proud to provide safe and economical access to planes. We carry insurance from certified companies and provide coverage that is often much better than what a pilot would be able to obtain privately. Contact our insurance chairman for more details.
Club-approved instructors will help you get your ratings and help you keep your flying skills sharp
We have about 12 club-approved FAA certified flight instructors in our membership who actively instruct as independent contractors. They have many years of experience and instruct for the love of flying, not just to build time for the airlines. As a result, their students are thoroughly prepared for a lifetime of safe and enjoyable flying, not just the minimum needed to pass the flight and knowledge exams. Click here for more information on flight training with The Flying Neutrons.
Our rates are better than you'll find elsewhere in the area for comparable aircraft. Our Operations rules support realistic use of the fleet. There are no trip minimums--you pay only the hours you fly. We measure tach time, not Hobbs time. This can provide an additional 5-15% savings, as tach times tend to run under Hobbs time. See more details on how you will save money by clicking here.
Be a part of a strong community of fellow pilots
We have Monthly club meetings for governance and operations. Semi-annual plane washes build camaraderie and keeps our planes looking great. We have an annual banquet with informative and interesting aviation speakers. And you can almost always find someone just hanging around the clubhouse on a nice afternoon.
Insurance coverage is provided for members
The Flying Neutrons is proud to provide safe and economical access to planes. We carry insurance from certified companies and provide coverage that is often much better than what a pilot would be able to obtain privately. Contact our insurance chairman for more details.
Club-approved instructors will help you get your ratings and help you keep your flying skills sharp
We have about 12 club-approved FAA certified flight instructors in our membership who actively instruct as independent contractors. They have many years of experience and instruct for the love of flying, not just to build time for the airlines. As a result, their students are thoroughly prepared for a lifetime of safe and enjoyable flying, not just the minimum needed to pass the flight and knowledge exams. Click here for more information on flight training with The Flying Neutrons.
How do I save Money with the Flying Neutrons?
Besides all the other benefits of being part of a member-owned club, you can also save money on your flight expenses. You do this in several ways:
- Low hourly rates
Members pay just what it costs the club to keep the aircraft flying. There is no profit being made, so costs are kept to a minimum. Fixed costs are covered by the initial membership fee and monthly dues, while variable costs are covered by the hourly flying rate. - Time measured on the Tach, not the Hobbs meter
Members are charged by tach time, not Hobbs time. Practically all commercial FBOs charge Hobbs time, which runs at a real-time rate while the engine is running. Tach time, however, runs faster when the engine is running faster (approximately real-time at a cruise power setting) and slower when the engine is running slower. The net effect is that you will see a lower tach time than Hobbs time for the same flight. For flights where you spend a lot of time at low power settings, such as practicing in the pattern, you could see savings of 10-15% over Hobbs time. We charge by tach time, because we are interested in only covering our costs, not making a profit. All hourly aircraft maintenance is based on tach time. - Insurance included as a club member
As a club member, you are provided insurance coverage while flying club airplanes. There is no need to obtain renter's insurance, which can save you hundreds of dollars a year. Contact our insurance chairman for more details.
How Can I advance My Flying Skills?
You will find the instructors, aircraft, and support at The Flying Neutrons that will make advancing your skills a quick and enjoyable process! Below are some of the different certificates and ratings our instructors have helped members to earn.
Instrument Pilot
After achieving your goal of that coveted Private Pilot's license, you will be ready for what many consider to be the most challenging rating in aviation: the Instrument Rating. You will then be able to fly in instrument meteorological conditions using state of the art avionics, including modern GPS's. Our Elite PCATD (FAA approved for instrument experience), club-approved flight instructors, and well-equipped aircraft are ready to help you achieve your goal.
Commercial Pilot
Commercial training gives you the skills to fly complex aircraft with the precision and safety margins that airline passengers have come to take for granted. In addition to the maneuvers you mastered while earning your private pilot certificate and instrument rating, you will learn additional, maximum performance maneuvers such as the chandelle, lazy-8 and eights-on-pylons. This training will build your precision, coordination, planning, orientation, and overall smoothness on the controls. After your training, short field and crosswind landings will be a breeze!
Flight Instructor
Are you a natural leader who is patient, mentoring type? If so, you may have what it takes to become a flight instructor. The Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) Certificate allows you to act as an extension of the FAA. As a CFI, you become responsible for training and certifying pilots who will then go forward and operate within the nation's airspace. One of the many bonuses of being a CFI is that each hour of flight instruction you give may be logged as pilot-in-command (PIC) time.
Instrument Pilot
After achieving your goal of that coveted Private Pilot's license, you will be ready for what many consider to be the most challenging rating in aviation: the Instrument Rating. You will then be able to fly in instrument meteorological conditions using state of the art avionics, including modern GPS's. Our Elite PCATD (FAA approved for instrument experience), club-approved flight instructors, and well-equipped aircraft are ready to help you achieve your goal.
Commercial Pilot
Commercial training gives you the skills to fly complex aircraft with the precision and safety margins that airline passengers have come to take for granted. In addition to the maneuvers you mastered while earning your private pilot certificate and instrument rating, you will learn additional, maximum performance maneuvers such as the chandelle, lazy-8 and eights-on-pylons. This training will build your precision, coordination, planning, orientation, and overall smoothness on the controls. After your training, short field and crosswind landings will be a breeze!
Flight Instructor
Are you a natural leader who is patient, mentoring type? If so, you may have what it takes to become a flight instructor. The Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) Certificate allows you to act as an extension of the FAA. As a CFI, you become responsible for training and certifying pilots who will then go forward and operate within the nation's airspace. One of the many bonuses of being a CFI is that each hour of flight instruction you give may be logged as pilot-in-command (PIC) time.
What is your flight simulator and how does it help me?
We have an AATD in our clubhouse. Club members can use the AATD while working on their instrument rating, as well as for recurring training and practice. It has the following features:
- FAA approved for instrument experience when operated with a CFII.
- Can be configured to emulate multiple aircraft including a Cessna 172 and 182, Piper Archer and Arrow, Mooney, Socata, Bonanza, and even a King Air B200.
- Weather can be fully configured and equipment failures programmed to simulate most any possible scenario.
- Scenarios can be saved for repeated use.
- It is a safe low-stress way to introduce flight in IFR conditions.
- It provides for a more efficient use of time, because approach sequences and instrument maneuvers can be easily paused, repeated, or entered at any intermediate point as often as needed.
- It allows for a quiet, controlled teaching environment where the student can concentrate on just the task being learned.
- It is FREE of charge for club members.
- You can log IFR time as long as you have a flight instructor with you, so it helps to build the time required to get your instrument rating