Like most pilots, my primary training started at the local FBO. After a few months of the usual plateaus and valleys, I was progressing well and nearing the private checkride. But within a matter of a few weeks, all the instructors left for greener pastures and there was no one available to finish me off. In the meantime, the Cessna 150 and Cherokee 140 I had been flying were sold; there was nothing to fly and nobody to sign me off for the checkride. After a couple of months, the situation was resolved, and I managed to convince a pilot examiner I was worthy of a private ticket.
Fast-forward a few years. I joined a not-for-profit club associated with my employment, which featured a wide range of Piper products. I flew with that organization for a few years, until the economics changed and it was forced to relinquish its airplanes. Along the way, I learned lots about how a club manages finances, maintenance and operations. And about personalities. Sometimes, it’s not pretty.
