Facts and Figures
The Business Men’s Flying Club, Inc. (BFC) was incorporated in November 1957 by a small group of pilots to provide safe pleasure flying and flight training at a reasonable cost to its members. The BFC operates out of Naper Aero (LL10), a private airport south of Fox Valley Shopping Center just east of the intersection of Route 59 and 83rd Street in Naperville, Illinois.
The BFC is limited to 45 active flying members and owns three well-maintained, hangared, late model Cessna aircraft. Our members are all ages, male and female, married and single. Most of our members are private pilots, many with instrument ratings. We also have a number of student pilots, commercial pilots, ATP’s, and certified flight instructors.
Our Aircraft: The BFC maintains three aircraft including a 1997 Cessna 172SP, 1999 Cessna 172SP, and 1998 Cessna 182S. All three aircraft are IFR certified and well equipped with moving map GPS’s, autopilots, 4-place intercoms, dual nav-com radios, extra DME, standby vacuum systems, and Tanis heaters. Our 182S also has a Strike Finder and Garmin 696 GPS with XM weather. Aircraft are available on a first come, first serve basis through our Internet based reservation system.
General Financial Information
The BFC is a not-for profit corporation registered with the State of Illinois. All of our members are equal equity owners in our aircraft. We are financially solvent and proud of our excellent financial history. Our debt to asset ratio is outstanding. Aircraft rental income and member dues cover all of our operating expenses.
Rates and Cost Structure
Our active members find the BFC to be extremely cost effective. For example, if you are just learning to fly, membership in the BFC can save you $2,000 to $3,000 over commercial flight training facilities using comparable equipment! If you are already rated, and fly regularly, membership in the BFC can save you even more. Compare and you’ll see!
Equity Buy-in: $4,250.00 - note that this deposit is fully refundable when leaving the club.
Dues: $89.00 per month
Rental Rates:
N388ES, C172SP (primary trainer): $93 per tach hour
N983SP, C172SP: $93 per tach hour
N415RC, C182S: $119 per tach hour
Flight time is based on TACH time, wet (including fuel) and covers all insurance, maintenance, oil, etc. A fuel surcharge is included in the hourly rate and will vary based upon our cost of fuel. The member pilot should expect to cover his/her own expenses for headsets, charts, instruction, aircraft manuals, etc.
Meeting Schedule
BFC holds a monthly meeting on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:30 P.M. The meetings are held at the Naper Aero office at the south end of the field. Work nights are held before the meetings during the months encompassing daylight savings time to perform light maintenance and clean, wash and wax the airplanes. Members are encouraged to attend the work nights and meetings. Social events, including a summer picnic and a Christmas party, are planned periodically for members, family and friends. A monthly newsletter is e-mailed to each member.
Membership
All applicants for membership must have a valid FAA medical certificate and have completed a brief orientation flight with a BFC instructor. Note that this is not a proficiency check flight. In fact, an applicant need not have a pilot’s certificate nor need have ever flown an airplane to join the BFC. All prospective members, regardless of experience, must complete this orientation flight.
The first step to joining is to obtain a Member Application. You can download one from our website, obtain one at a club meeting, or get one from the BFC bulletin board at the airport. You can also obtain an application from any of our flight instructors or club officers.
The next step is to contact one of our club flight instructors to arrange for your orientation flight. Once you’ve completed this flight, submit your application (signed by your BFC instructor) along with a copy of your current medical certificate and pilot certificate, if applicable, to the club secretary either by mail to the address given below, at a meeting, or forwarded through your instructor.
Applicants are eligible to join on a first come, first serve basis, with the date of eligibility established on receipt of their completed application (with required documents and instructor sign off) by the club secretary. Applicants must attend the meeting in which they are joining - or - have attended at least one meeting within the previous 3-months and are represented at the meeting in which they are joining by proxy.
The acceptance of all applicants into the BFC is approved and voted on by the general membership. All joining members must pay their full equity buy-in and first month’s dues at the meeting in which they join. Keys and POH’s are distributed by club instructors to new members upon satisfactory proficiency check flights in each respective aircraft. Access to the reservation system will be granted once you have joined the club.
Please note that ALL applicants, prior to joining, are required to review our Club Bylaws and Rules and Regulations. A copy can be downloaded from our website or obtained from the club secretary.