IFC is a non-profit flying club of approximately 32 members based at DuPage County Airport in West Chicago, Illinois.  The club owns and/or leases 3 aircraft, which are then made available to the club members at the lowest possible cost.  The flying club has been in continuous operation since 1975.
 

The primary club objectives are to provide social and recreational opportunities to aviation enthusiasts, promote aviation safety, expand skills of member pilots, share costs, pool member resources to fly club aircraft at very reasonable rates, and keep high-standards in maintaining club aircraft.
 

Some of the charter members resided at what was formerly known as the "International Village Apartments" in Schaumburg.  That informal connection has long since been severed, but the club name continues.
 

We are incorporated in Illinois as a tax-exempt non-profit organization.  Club aircraft and other aviation activities are available to members at-cost.  Directors meet monthly to set club policies with input from all the members.  Club officers are volunteers who handle the day-to-day operations.  Nobody is allowed to profit or receive income from club operations.  Club elections are held yearly for all positions.  Each regular club member is considered to be an equal owner with full voting privileges.
 

Amazingly well.  Though scheduling conflicts do occur, they are actually quite rare.  When conflicts do occur, members are often willing to change plans slightly to help each other out.  We have a web-based scheduling system that allows members to get immediate feedback on aircraft availability.  Everyone is able to fly as much as they like.
 

A billing sheet reflecting the accrued member dues and charges is mailed out once a month.  Advance payments are not required.  There are no hidden club assessments for fuel surcharges.  Current aircraft rates are posted on the web site and published in the monthly newsletter.  Hourly rates include the cost of fuel and are based on Hobbs time for both the Cessna 152 and 172, and tach time for the Piper Arrow.  Member payments are expected within 30 days of account billing.  When considering where to find the best deal, look at application fees, monthly dues, and rental rates.  Discounts are available for student pilots and for advance purchase of block time.  The club's membership dues alleviate the need for obtaining any renters insurance. Our club does not require any equity share transactions, nor do we assess the members any extra surcharges.  Security deposits are promptly refunded upon request.  A club with low overhead expenses means big savings, and you get to enjoy flying at rock bottom prices. 
 

Definitely not.  Members are not responsible for any maintenance costs or fuel expenses.  There are no surprises in what members owe the club or in aircraft rental rates.  The club takes advantage of long term leases and pre-purchased bulk fuel prices to minimize expenses.  Aircraft rental rates are periodically reviewed and published to rebalance any club surplus or deficits.  Any charges you may incur away from the home base are promptly re-imbursed.
 

Tach time will usually read a bit less than the hobbs meter, however it is subject to some variations depending on the nature of each individual flight. Tach time is calibrated to the engine running at cruise speed. While cruising, the tach, hobbs, and real time should closely match. Ramp to ramp, a typical tach ratio would be about 80% compared to hobbs. Since hobbs time runs a bit faster than tach time, hobbs rates are set about 20% lower than tach rates to compensate for the difference. This keeps the billing simple and allows for more logged flight time. It's easy for us to then calculate the actual club expenses and to pass through the maximum rental savings to all the member pilots. Overhead we all incur for taxi time, radio work, and low-power operations have already been factored into reducing the hobbs aircraft rental rates. Note that the Hobbs meter on the Piper Arrow does not always run accurately, so we are currently billing on tach time rates for this aircraft only.
 

No.  The club provides both liability and hull coverage for all active members with an Avemco insurance policy.  Most of the members do not carry any additional insurance.  Members are "named insured" - meaning you are fully covered when flying club aircraft, except for deductibles.  The cost of the club insurance policy is built into the membership dues.  We maintain the maximum available limits on our club policy.  When flying at a commercial operator, the renter is usually not covered, insurance covers the owner and they will recover losses from the pilot.
 

Nothing unreasonable.  New members must take a pilot check ride to gain familiarity with our planes and club procedures, but otherwise there are few restrictions beyond the currency requirements for the club and the FAA.  The most important thing for the pilot and the club is that you are flying safely and with confidance, the check-ride is a good opportunity to get a refresher from our experienced CFI's and maybe even learn something new. For full details on restrictions, see the club bylaws/rules.
 

Many members have done this.  As long as you are putting a reasonable number of flight hours on the plane, this is allowed and even encouraged.
 

Yes, we maintain IFR certification in all the club planes.
 

The planes are kept well maintained with 100 hour and annual inspections, along with any other maintenance as needed.  Maintenance work is coordinated by club officers and crew chiefs.  Club members pay no additional charges for any aircraft repairs.  Non-urgent squawks and other suggestions are discussed and planned for at the club meetings.
 

Reservations via the web-based scheduler is the preferred method, but it's also possible to schedule via telephone or email.
 

There is a monthly club meeting on the first Thursday of each month to discuss all membership issues, set club policies, and to plan future activities and events.  The club publishes a monthly newletter to share information with the membership.  FAA safety seminars are frequently held at a local restaurant.  Fly-outs are often planned for group lunches and dinners.  There are pizza nights, barbeques and other social gatherings.  We actively participate in the Wings Program and the Oshkosh Airshow.
 

The application steps are quite easy.  There are no minimum flight time requirements.  You do not need to be a licensed pilot.  Student pilots and other aviation enthusiasts are welcome. There is a small application fee and security deposit, but there is no need to buy or sell club equity shares. Existing pilots will receive a quick checkout to familiarize themselves with our aircraft and review club procedures.  Students can match up their schedules with available instructors.
 

No, the flying club is a non-profit organization controlled by its members, we are not an FBO or a Flight School, we do not offer aircraft rentals to non-members or to the general public.  Only active members in good standing may reserve and use the club assets.  Only approved members are covered by the club insurance policy.  The club insurance policy does not cover commercial operations.
 

Many members have earned their wings and advanced ratings in club aircraft.  We know quite a few authorized instructors that may be contacted by members.  These instructors have lots of experience and do so because they enjoy teaching, they are not hot-shot pilots trying to build up their flight hours at your expense.  Our instructors are motivated to make pilot training a pleasant and enjoyable experience.  The club is motivated to make sure you are a safe and confidant pilot, and hopefully you'll become a valuable long-term member. Members negotiate their own fees with the individual flight instructors.  These fees are always very reasonable in comparison to commercial operations who have a much higher expense overhead.  Many of the CFI's are also long time members of the flying club. 
 

FAA Student Pilot Guide
Aviation Medical Examiners
AOPA Pilot Resources
Studentpilot.com
 

Considerable savings can be expected by joining a non-profit flying club.
Learning is also enhanced by support and interaction with other members.

$5600 - 60 hours rental @$93/hr (C172 student rate)
$1200 - 30 hours instruction @$40/hr
$ 300 - club initiation and dues (6 months)
$ 500 - books, headset, flight bag, etc

$7600 - total average cost in C172
$6500 - total average cost in C152

A detailed listing of suggested student pilot supplies can be found in the members section of the web site.  It is possible to finish in less than 60 hours if the student has a strong aptitude, but that is not always the norm.  And the more time you put into practicing your skills, the more confidant and safer pilot you will become.  Instructor expenses will be less than stated because they often discount their time and round downward.  If you can fly 2-3 times per week, the whole process to achieve a pilot license takes about 3-4 months.  Note there are also expenses for a medical, ground school, and examination fees, which may amount to $1000 total.
 

Our instructor schedules are very flexible and can accommodate any special time requests.
 

While the club does not formally offer them, many of us are happy to take a potential member or student for a quick flight around the local area in one of our planes.  Please send your inquiries to the memberships alias on our contact page.
 

The following insurance requirements must be met:

• 100 hrs of total logged pilot time
• before acting as PIC, the following pilot time must have been logged in same make/model
  - 10 hrs if member has less than 50 hrs of retract time
  - 5 hrs if member has more than 50 hrs of retract time
  - 1 hr if member has more than 100 hrs of retract time and 500 hrs total logged time

Currency requirements in the Arrow are 3 hrs logged pilot time in same make/model in preceding 180 days, or has passed a check-ride in the insured aircraft along with written approval from a CFI in the preceding 45 days. Curreny requirements in the c152 or c172 are 1 hour PIC during the previous 180 days in the same corresponding make of aircraft, else take a quick check-ride with a club approved CFI.
 

The club is a not-for-profit organization and is not in the commerical business of providing flight instruction and pilot training.  However members can hire their own CFI for flight instruction with club approval, or make private arrangements with any CFI who also happens to be a club member.  The club can assist you in contacting flight instructors that have been pre-approved.  Members who have CFI ratings cannot provide training to non-members in club aircraft.  The CFI does not need to be a club member, however the student receiving instruction must be. Commercial type operations are not covered by the club insurance policy, they are not allowed by the Internal Revenue Code for tax-exempt organizations, and they are in violation of the DuPage Airport Regulations for flying clubs.  We do encourage CFI's to join the club so that they are protected by our insurance policy for any incidents that may occur while providing instruction to club members.
 

Yes, many of our plane owners find the cash flow and leasing arrangements to be very lucrative.  Please contact the club treasurer to discuss details how this could be a great option to consider.
 

Select option "print background colors and images" found under page setup in your browser.  Some browser versions may have problems displaying the interactive charts, you may have to switch.
 

Bronze is for anyone wishing to only be a social member and participate in club activities and events,  or a club approved flight instructor who wishes to be covered by the club insurance policy.  Bronze members are restricted from renting club aircraft for their own recreational flying or training.  Student pilots wishing to receive flight instruction are not eligible for bronze membership.  Silver, Gold, and Platinum memberships are available to any pilot who plans to incur flight charges.  Most of the club members are silver classification which is also where a student pilot would begin.
 

Anyone who will not be flying for a lengthy period (medical issue, college, snowbird, etc) can go on inactive status and pay no club dues. Otherwise for regular memberships, annual club dues are pro-rated equally over a 12 month period.
 

Please contact our chief pilot for assistance. The application procedures and conversion steps are outlined at the following web site. After all paperwork is approved and the U.S. pilot certificate has been issued, a flight review and proficiency check by an FAA flight instructor will be necessary before the privileges of the private pilot license may be exercised.
 

No they are not. CIFC was formed in 2016 by an owner of a 1972 Cherokee PA28-140 to share expenses.  This small group of pilots is based in Schaumburg and they have no club history or track record.  In fact, everything stated on their web site was taken and copied without permission from well established flight clubs in the local area.  They obviously are trying to take advantage of our good reputation which we've built up over a long time period.