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What is the Oldest Active U.S. Flying Club?

Clubs devoted to flight in the U.S. have existed since the late 1800s.

Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at 10:49 AM ET

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Flying clubs own and operate aircraft like Cessna 172s for use by its members. [Courtesy: Pixabay/jotoya]

Key Takeaways:

The article clarifies that the "oldest active flying club" depends on the definition, specifically whether the club owns and operates aircraft for its members.
While groups like the Aero Club of Buffalo (1879) and Aero Club of New England predate it, they did not initially own flying machines or "club airplanes."
The Reading Aero Club (RAC), continuously flying since 1929 and incorporated in 1932, is identified as the oldest active flying club that owns and operates aircraft (a Piper Archer III and a Cessna 172SP) for its members.

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Question: What is the oldest active flying club in the country?

Answer:

Martha Lunken is a lifelong pilot, former FAA inspector and defrocked pilot examiner. She flies a Cessna 180 and anything with a tailwheel, from Cubs to DC-3s.