Questions for your flying club

If you have registered for the online application process (to be completed by Sept. 1) and have looked it over, you have probably noticed that there are basically two types of questions.

One type simply requires you to put down some facts about your flying club, such as the names of at least four persons who will be club members; names and positions of club officers, and their qualifications. Answering the other type of question with written responses of up to 500 words brings you face to face with some major decisions about your club’s purpose and structure. 

To smooth and clarify the process, AOPA has provided examples of the organizational directions a club in formation can take. Links to resources and information on AOPA Online accompany the related questions on the application.

For instance, the first request for information asks applicants to describe the overall vision for their flying club. The application provides an example of the priorities or goals a club might espouse, and refers applicants to this page, which discusses how to express them with a mission statement for your startup flying club.

Not familiar with a mission statement? As the online resource page explains, “The mission statement of a flying club defines its purpose, and plays a tremendous role in maintaining a consistent vision. It serves as a concise statement that lets people know what the club is all about.”

The next question asks applicants to describe the organizational structure of their club. Addressing that topic should focus the founders’ attention on key financial and legal details of the organizational structure, including tax status.

Keep in mind when answering the application’s 14 questions that the judges will be looking for answers that indicate familiarity with the guidance provided in the AOPA Flying Club Resource Library and the Guide to Starting a Flying Club.

You can save your work and return as often as you wish until you click the submit button, which makes your entry final.