A fleet ready for your next adventure.
All Reading Aero Club aircraft are hangared and professionally maintained, offering members safe, affordable access to a variety of flight experiences.
1999 Piper Archer III
A reliable, well-equipped four-seater with Garmin avionics—perfect for cross-country flights and smooth training rides.
1999 Cessna Skyhawk 172S
A modern workhorse known for its stability and ease of use. Ideal for student pilots, currency flights, and weekend hops.
1979 Piper Dakota
With extra horsepower and generous performance, the Dakota offers club members a faster, more capable option for extended trips.
FAQ
How is the aircraft maintained?
Our club has two maintenance officers on the Executive Board. These officers track required maintenance and discrepancies in our club’s scheduling program, Flight Circle. The maintenance officers coordinate local and experienced Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) technicians to perform the maintenance and repair of our aircraft as required. All of our aircraft are meticulously maintained to ensure the highest level of safety and regulatory compliance.
How do I reserve the aircraft?
Reading Aero Club utilizes “Flight Circle” to manage airplane reservations. Flight Circle is an online reservation system which makes it easy to see when planes are available and book time. It has also enabled the club to eliminate paper flight slips and streamline payment processing.
What is the rental cost for members?
We now have three very well maintained and hangered planes which are great fun to fly. Use this link to see the airplanes on our website. https://www.readingaeroclub.org/our-aircraft-2/
The 1999 Pipe Archer and the 1999 Cessna Skyhawk currently cost $140/hour to fly. The third airplane is a Piper Dakota. The Dakota is a high-performance plane, costs $170/hour to fly and is not available for student pilot operations. All hourly rates include the cost of fuel. We also keep a Redbird flight simulator in our clubhouse which costs $20 per hour to use. It’s a great tool for training and staying proficient; especially for instrument pilots.
Are there special checkout procedures?
Regarding proficiency and currency, the club requires that each member fly a club plane at least every 60 days to stay sharp. We also require an annual check-ride with a club CFI. Every other of these check rides can coincide with your biannual flight review. These rules would not pertain to a student pilot or associate member.
Are the planes IFR equipped?
Yes, all of the planes are IFR equipped. The 172S is
equipped with dual Garmin GI-275s, a Garmin GNS-430W and a Garmin GFC 500
Autopilot. the Archer 3 is equipped with dual Garmin G5s, an Avidyne IFD440
GPS, and a Garmin GFC 500 Autopilot, and the Dakota is equipped with a Garmin
GNS-530W.
Is this aircraft suitable for training or time-building?
Yes, all RAC airplanes are suitable for training for various ratings, including primary, instrument, and commercial.
Can I take this aircraft on multi-day trips?
Members are allowed to have Up to two reservations at any given time and weekend trips permitted. In fact, members may book for up to 10 consecutive days (every 180 days) and one weekend per month. Certain limitations and minimum hours per day apply to these reservations.
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Join Reading Aero Club and get affordable access to a professionally maintained fleet, an FAA-certified simulator, and a community of passionate pilots.